Reserve Hurling Shield semi-final
St. Galls 4-16 Loughgiel 2-23
Shane O’Boyle became the Loughgiel hero when his point, deep in injury time earned his side a place in the Reserve Hurling Shield final as Shamrocks and St. Gall’s served up a scoring feast at the Bog Meadows on Wednesday night.
Superb long range points, a string of superb saves from both keepers and 6 goals over the hour kept those in attendance on their toes throughout with the outcome in the balance until late in the game.
Benny McCarry and Niall McFadden pointed the visitors into an early lead before Josh Southern relied with a point for the home side and Damian Quinn and Eugene Farrelly exchanged further minors to leave Loughgiel 0-3 to 0-2 ahead with only 8 minutes gone.
The points continued to come thick and fast and it was the Shamrocks who would put a little distance between themselves and the opposition with Charlie O’Hagan, Tomas McIntyre and Eddie McCloskey hitting three in a row by the 10th minute.
The game continued at a fast pace as Josh Southern and Mark McFadden from distance exchanged further points and the end to end exchanges continued with Eugene Farrelly for St. Gall’s and Paddy Bradlery and Tomas McIntyre for the Shamrocks all on target.
The North Antrim side were beginning to get on top and veteran, Eddie McCloskey got on the end of a good move to fire past Piarris McCaffrey at the end of the opening quarter to move his side 1-9 to 0-4 ahead.
At this stage Loughgiel looked to be taking control and McCaffrey in the St. Gall’s goals brought of a great save to deny Cathair McGrath before Charlie O’Hagan, from 70 meters and McGrath extended the visitors lead.
St. Gall’s looked in trouble but they finished the half strongly and Niall Fallon responded to a Benny McCarry point with a goal in the 24th minute and Thomas Magee and Eugene Farrelly added late point to close the gap to four by the halfway stage.
Those late scores seemed to lift the Milltown men and they were back on level terms by the 3d minute of the new half as Jim O’Reilly fired home their second goal and a long range Eugene Farrelly point squared the contest.
It got even better for the home side as impressive centre-half, O’Reilly edged them ahead for the first time before Mark McFadden levelled matters again from a long range free in the 6th minute.
Things had certainly stepped up a gear, or several gears with Anto Healey and Josh Southern putting the Milltown Blues two ahead but two quick fire points in response fr4m Benny McCarry and Cathair McGrath had it all square again with 10 minutes of the new half gone.
St. Gall’s were growing in confidence however as they sensed a famous scalp with Tiernan McAleanan and the impressive Josh Southern 0-2 moving them three ahead before a Benny McCarry rocket was pushed over by the superb McCaffrey and a Cathair McGrath long range effort to follow, left one it again.
Still it was St. Gall’s who continued to push and Michael Mullan followed up on a great save from JF Connolly to finish to the net from close range to put them 4 ahead with 8 minutes remaining.
It was nail biting stuff as the end to end exchanges continued going down the home straight as another McFadden long range missile and a Damial Quinn point from distance brought response from Josh Southern and an Aodh Mullan ‘65’.
It was Loughgiel who would finish the stronger however as McFadden converted a long distance free and Benny McCarry’s goal put three between the sides before Anto Healey replied with a goal at the other end to leave it all square again as the game moved into time added on.
There was still time for one more play and Shane O’Boyle became the Loughgiel hero as he split the posts in the 32nd minute to grab victory, much to the delight of his colleagues.
An entertaining game of hurling between too well matched and competitive sides and St. Gall’s must have been devastated at the end but they certainly played their part in an enthralling contest.
It is the Shamrock’s third string however who will now meet St. Paul’s seconds in the final after the Shaw’s Road side defeated Shane O’Neill’s in Feystown in the other semi-final.
St.Gall’s: 16 Piarris McCaffrey, 2 Oisin Kelly, 3 Joe McDaniels, 4 Stephen McIlhatton, 5 Emmet Loughran, 6 Jim O’Reilly, 7 Michael Marlow, 8 Josh Southern, 9 Niall Fallon, 10 Thomas Ghee, 11 Ciaran McCaffrey,12 Aodh Mullan, 13 Tiernan McAleanan, 14 Eugene Farrelly, 15 Aodhan McDonagh 21 Jack Webb, 22 Anto Healey
Loughgiel: 1 JF Connolly, 2 Ronan McCloskey, 3 Tony McCloskey, 4 Dylan Devlin, 5 Ronan Casey, 6 Odhran Mullan, 7 Charlie O’Hagan, 8 Mark McFadden, 9 Damian Quinn, 10 Cathair McGrath, 23 Niall mcFadden12 Paddy Bradley, 13 Tomas McIntyre, 14 Benny McCarry, 15 Eddie McCloskey, 16 Shane O’Boyle, 17 Conall McMahon, 18 Danny McAuley, 19 Tiernan McFadden
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