IHC Group 2
Shane O’Neill’s 2-14 Oisins 3-17
Pics by David Humphreys
Oisin’s Glenariffe cemented their place at the top of the IHC Group 2 and a place in the semi-finals with a good win at Feystown over Shane O’Neill’s on Saturday night to leave the race for second place wide open.
The opening exchanges were fairly even with Niall McGarel and Dylan McLaughlin for the home side and Seanie McIntosh and Alex O’Boyle for the visitors exchanging points to leave it 0-2 apiece after five minutes.
Slowly though Glenariffe began to take control as Odhran Gillan and Calum McIlwaine pointed to move them two ahead before Colla Ward raced through the heart of the Glenarm defence before finishing confidently for the game’s opening goal.
Seanie McIntosh added a point to move his side six ahead by the 10th minute before McGarel replied with Glenarm’s third point of the evening from a free in the 12th minute.
It was starting to look ominous for the home side as Orrin O’Connor saw his well hit shot crash back of the Shane O’Neill’s crossbar but the visitors continued to find opening in the home defence.
Alex O’Boyle, Michael O’Boyle, Daniel Kearney and a superb effort from Niall Magee moved them 1-9 to 0-3 ahead before Niall McGarel again briefly eased the pressure from a couple of well struck frees to leave it 1-9 to 0-5 in favour of the visitors as Darren McKeown sounded the half time whistle.
With the wind in their favour the home side were expected to respond on the restart but it was Alex O’Boyle who increased the Oisin’s lead from a pointed free in the opening minute.
A superb point from Ciaran Magill in reply failed to bring about the necessary response from his colleagues and it was Glenariffe who produced another telling blow when Seanie McIntosh fired out of reach of Michael Abram for their second goal of the evening.
McGarel replied from another converted free as David Kearney replaced Michael Haughey in the Oisin’s side and the visitors continued to call the shots with Daniel Kearney splitting the posts before McIntosh set up Michael O’Boyle with a deft pass for their third goal of the evening.
Alex O’Boyle added a point before the hard working Ciaran Magill replied with Glenarm’s 8th point in the 14th minute but the Feystown side were being made to workhard for their scores as the visitors defence continued to deny them space.
Colla Ward and Magill exchanged further points before Glenarm hit their best patch of the game with Niall McGarel from a free and Declan McDermott and Darren Hamill with two converted ‘65’s bringing their total to 0-13 with seven minutes remaining.
These scores brought another response from the group leaders as ace marksman, Alex O’Boyle from a free and Oliver Kearney from play moved Oisin’s 11 ahead again by the 27th minute and it was as good as over.
To their credit Shane O’Neill’s kept battling to the end and a good point from Ciaran Magill was followed by a goal from the same player with Alex O’Boyle punishing a rash challenge with a point at the other end.
The men in Blue were now fighting for pride and Aidan Scullion rose to bat a hanging delivery to the net in reply to another O’Boyle converted free to conclude the scoring and put a much better look on the final score-line.
This win sees Oisin’s top the group with one game still to play when they entertain St. Brigid’s Cloughmills on the 21st September while Shane O’Neill’s will have to defeat Tir na nOg at Whitehill in their final game and hope that other results go their way if they are to qualify.
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