Senior Reserve Hurling Championship Final
Dunloy 5-21 Ballycastle 0-11
Wednesday 10 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Dunsilly
Dunloy produced a five star performance on Wednesday evening to take the Reserve Cup back to Pearse Park. It was an excellent display from the Cuchullains who were relentless throughout and put Ballycastle to the sword.
Ryan Mort top scored for the Pearse Park side, continuing the fine form he showed in the semi-final against Rossa. Mort would finish with 2-5, both majors coming in the first half with his second goal coming via a thumping drive from a free. Gabriel McTaggart, Anton McGrath and substitute Oisin McCallin also found the net, McCallin netting with his first touch after his introduction.
Overall, it was an excellent display from the Cuchullains attacking unit who hit 4-17 from open play while defensively with the likes of Sean Og Blaney, Eamon Smyth and Aaron Crawford, they snuffed out any attacking intent from Ballycastle.
Lorcan Donnelly top scored for the Town, finishing with six points beside his name, four of those from placed ball. He had a strong game and did give the Cuchullains defence plenty of problems in a number of positions. Rebeun McClean and Cristoi McAuley were busy throughout along with Diarmuid McShane and Oisin McAuley but the McQuillan’s were up against a slick Dunloy side.
Lorcan Donnelly opened the scoring for Ballycastle before the Cuchullains scored their first goal of the match in the fourth minute through full forward, Gabriel McTaggart. The sliotar was sent high to the edge of the box where Ciaran Elliott was threatening. McTaggart plucked the loose ball, held off the Ballycastle defender before kicking to the back of the net.
It marked the start of a Cuchullain onslaught as they opened an 11 point lead by the 17th minute, outscoring Ballycastle ten points to one. Both sides had chances for further goals, Jack Martin and Elliott bringing the best out of Eamonn Elliott in the Ballycastle goals while Conor Donnelly went close before Eoghan Richmond denied him.
The second Dunloy goal came in the 22nd minute with Ciaran Elliott in the thick of things again. Collecting a pass from McTaggart, Elliott found Mort in space and he made no mistake.
Ballycastle responded with a pointed free from Lorcan Donnelly and a drilled effort from Gavin McToal. Anton McGrath put 13 points between the sides again before Mort hit his second major thanks to a brilliant free. Stood over the sliotar, fully 30 yards out on the angle, Mort drilled the free to the top right hand corner.
Ballycastle fired over the last two scores of the half from Diarmuid McShane and Lorcan Donnelly to leave the half time score 3-12 to 0-7 in the Cuchullains favour.
Dunloy made a blazing start to the second half with Anton McGrath rifling to the back of the net just two minutes after the restart. A thunderous drive giving Eamonn Elliott no chance between the sticks.
The Cuchullains stretched their lead to 19 when substitute Oisin McCallin got in on the goal scoring act. Getting on the end of a long delivery from Padraig McGilligan, Ciaran Elliott broke the sliotar into the path of McCallin. Despite the acute angle he was faced with, McCallin’s effort was too fast for Elliott in the Town goals.
Ballycastle went close to a major of their own in the 48th minute when Criotai McAuley collected a smart free from Lorcan Donnelly. Running at an angle, McAuley’s effort went to the wrong side of the posts.
Dunloy kept the scoreboard ticking with McCallin, substitute Francis McMullan and Ryan Mort all finding their range while Lorcan Donnelly (free) and Oisin McAuley provided the response for Ballycastle.
A comfortable win in the end for the Cuchullains at the end of a landmark year for the reserves with clubs having teams in the Leagues, there’s no doubting the benefit of such a move with the hurling on display from both sides.
TEAMS
DUNLOY: Eoghan Richmond; Reece Cunning, Sean Og Blaney, Aaron Crawford; Eamon Smyth, Karl O’Kane, Ben O’Kane; Jack Martin, Padraig McGilligan; Oisin McCamphill, Ryan Mort, Ryan McFarline; Ciaran Elliott, Gabriel McTaggart, Anton McGrath
Subs: Cathair McCloskey for R Cunning (37); Oisin McCallin for A McGrath (37); Francis McMullan for G McTaggart (44); Ciaran McQuillan for A Crawford (49); Barry McCloskey for J Martin (52)
Scorers: R Mort 2-5 (1-4f’s); A McGrath 1-3; O McCallin 1-3; G McTaggart 1-1; J Martin 0-3; B O’Kane 0-1; P McGilligan 0-1; O McCamphill 0-1; R McFarline 0-1; C Elliott 0-1; F McMullan 0-1
BALLYCASTLE: Eamonn Elliott; Patrick McAlonan, Cathair Donnelly, Oisin McAuley; Mark McClean, Cormac Donnelly, Jack Magowan; Niall McClean, Rebeun McClean; Criostai McAuley, Conor Donnelly, Callum Campbell; Diarmuid McShane, Lorcan Donnelly, Gavin McToal
Subs: Conall Magee for N McClean (42); Anthony Mullan for Conor Donnelly (44); Colum Butler for Cathair Donnelly (49); Eoin Boyle for C Campbell (53)
Scorers: L Donnelly 0-6 (4fs); Cathair Donnelly 0-1; O McAuley 0-1; C McAuley 0-1 (1f); D McShane 0-1; G McToal 0-1
Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe)
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