Senior Reserve Hurling – Cup Semi-Final
Dunloy 3-27 Rossa 0-14
Wednesday 27 August
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
Dunloy booked their place in the senior reserve final on Wednesday evening with a strong performance against Rossa. It was a dominant display from the Cuchullains who made light of the wind in the first half and were relentless throughout.
Ryan Mort top scored for the home side with an impressive 2-12, 1-8 coming from placed balls with both majors coming in the dying moments of the game. Mort gave a flawless display from placed balls while his second goal was one of the highlights of the game in the fading light at Pearse Park.
Liam McEnhill was top of the scoring charts for the Shaws Road men with seven of his final tally of 10 points coming from placed ball but his side got little change from an organised Cuchullains defence. Seaghan Shannon put in a busy performance while Owen May also caught the eye while Gavin McGrath and Corey Walsh worked their socks off for the Jeremiah’s.
Despite playing into the elements, Dunloy made a lightning start to the game and had 1-3 on the board before Rossa and McEnhill opened their scoring. Inside forward Barry McCloskey with the major for Dunloy while Oisin McCamphill and Mort (2) raised the white flags.
The opening quarter belonged to the home side with Mort, Ryan McFarline, Ciaran Elliott and Jack Martin all finding the target with a brace of McEnhill frees the response from the west Belfast side to put 10 between the sides by the half way mark of the half.
Rossa looked to settle into the game with May and McEnhill lively. They fired over seven points in a 10 minute period through McEnhill landing five (4fs), May and Michael Close raising the white flags while Mort and McFarlin landed the response for the Cuchullains in that same period of time.
Five points separated the sides going into the final five minutes of the half but it was as close as Rossa got to the Cuchullains. Barry McCloskey and Mort (free) fired over either side of a Corey Walsh point to leave the half time score 1-14 to 0-11 in the home sides favour.
The second half was largely all one way traffic with the Cuchullains snuffing out any attacking threat Rossa could muster. They hit the opening four points of the half through Mort (3fs) and Gabriel McTaggart with a McEnhill free briefly halting the Cuchullains charge.
Dunloy opened up a 14 point lead going into the final 10 minutes with Mort, McCamphill, McTaggart, Elliott and substitute Anton McGrath all getting in on the scoring act also.
Rossa substitute Jim Reynolds split the posts from wide on the right to reduce the arrears, a quite brilliant score with not much angle to work with but it was the last score the Jeremiah’s would register.
Points from Elliott and McGrath preceded a brace of Mort goals at the death. The first coming after some great play from Eamon Smyth and Ciaran Elliott set him through on goal while his second caught everyone out, including Rossa ‘keeper Michael Armstrong. Stood over a free fully 40 yards from goal, Mort rifled the sliotar to the bottom right hand corner of the net with a thumping drive to cap off an excellent display.
The Cuchullains now face Ballycastle in a fortnights time in the Reserve Final, but their attention turns to the big ball in the meantime with plenty of this squad part of the football side that will line out against Cargin on Saturday evening in the senior championship.
TEAMS
DUNLOY: Eoghan Richmond; Cathair McCloskey, Sean Og Blaney, Reece Cunning; Eamon Smyth, Karl O’Kane, Aaron Crawford; Jack Martin, Ben O’Kane; Oisin McCamphill, Ryan Mort, Ryan McFarline; Ciaran Elliott, Gabriel McTaggart, Barry McCloskey
Subs: Ciaran McQuillan for R Cunning (41); Paudie McGilligan for B McCloskey (41); Conor Mort for A Crawford (49); Anton McGrath for J Martin (49); Francis McMullan for G McTaggart (49
Scorers: R Mort 2-12 (1-8fs); B McCloskey 1-1; C Elliott 0-3; R McFarline 0-3; O McCamphill 0-2; G McTaggart 0-2; A McGrath 0-2; J Martin 0-1; E Smyth 0-1 (1f)
ROSSA: Michael Armstrong; Oisin McVicker, Padraig Moyes, Daire Moriarity; Gavin McGrath, Seaghan Shannon, Niall Devlin; Conor Savage, Conal Shannon; Liam McEnhill, Corey Walsh, Conor Rocks; Owen May, Michael Close, James Close
Subs: Jim Reynolds for C Rocks (HT); Niall May for C Savage (42); Michael Murray for M Close (54)
Scorers: L McEnhill 0-10 (7fs); C Walsh 0-1; O May 0-1; M Close 0-1; J Reynolds 0-1
Referee: Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)
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