Casement Social Club Junior Hurling semi-final:
Con Magee’s 3-21 Gort na Móna 0-18
WHEN Dessie McClean stretched Gort na Móna advantage to six points with a free in the 32nd minute, it looked as if the Belfast side had overcome the “disadvantage” of playing a championship semi-final on their opponents’ home patch.
However the game was turned on its head over the next ten minutes with Con Magee’s bagging three goals to take control. The wind had also picked up for the second half in favour of the north Antrim team.
Those factors helped Glenravel take charge of their own destiny, but the real X-factor was the increase in intensity from the home side. They hassled and harried particularly in the half-back and midfield area and clearances now went the distance into the danger area. Defence was aggressive but disciplined while Declan McAuley and Sean McKay seemed to be everywhere. The scores followed while at the other end even the super accurate Dessie McClean was pulling frees and shots wide of the target.
When Paul O’Neill blew the final whistle, Glenravel had outscored Gort by 3-12 to 0-4 over the second half hour; the Belfast side really struggled to get a foothold in the match over the final quarter.
Con Magee’s made the running in the early part of the game as well, but seemed to run out of ideas and energy as half-time approached. Sean McKay was on fire over the opening ten minutes with four shots and four points from open play. Conleth O’Loan hit one from play and one from a free and Con Magee’s seemed to be coasting with a lead of 0-6 to 0-2.
The McCaffreys then gave Gort na Móna a foothold with three points inside three minutes. Although Declan Traynor responded to make it 0-7 to 0-5, Gort’s influence on the game was growing. Dessie McClean pointed a free, Thomas McCafferty hit one from play and then Dessie McClean fired over a side-line and suddenly they were in front with 20 minutes gone. Neil Henry from distance made it 0-9 to 0-7. Two scores from Conleth O’Loan evened things up with 26 minutes gone. But Gort na Móna made a huge statement in the minutes remaining in the first half with points each from Thomas McCaffery, Conor McCann, Neil Henry, Manus McMullan and finally Dessie McClean from a free right on the whistle to leave it 0-14 to 0-9.
Another McClean free opened the second half. The rest of the game however was all about Glenravel. Two goals inside 85 seconds brought them level; the first from Sean McKay cutting through the centre and then a long ball out of defence found Declan Traynor turning his player and running in on goal.
McClean responded with a free, but Conleth O’Loan improvised to kick a point and level the game once more. Then in the 41st minute Cormac McKeown burst through for a solo goal and you just felt that the home side were now in charge.
McClean landed his second side-line of the day, but Fergus Donaghy instantly hit a reply. Conleth O’Loan fired over a free and then was wide when a fourth goal looked on. The full-forward made up for the error with the next two points and then swapped a free with McClean.
Time was running out on the visitors and Con Magee’s turned the knife in the time remaining with a point from Donaghy, two from sub Ciarán Laverty and Sean McKay capped a fine individual performance with his fifth point.
Con Magee’s: C Quinn, E McCusker, J Duffin, B O.Neill, J Martin, M McDonnell, C Lennon, R Lennon, D McAuley, C Higgins, S McKay 1-5, F Donaghy 0-2, C McKeown 1-0, C O’Loan 0-11, 5fs, D Traynor 1-1.
Subs: L Loughlin for M McDonnell (44), C Laverty 0-2 for D Traynor (57), R McCormick for S McKay (60 + 5)
Gort na Móna: C MacRory, c Connolly, M Rea, A Hicks, T Morton, N Henry 0-2, P McHugh, S Doyle, P McCaffrey 0-2, T McCaffrey 0-3, D Boyd 0-1, N Healy, C McCann 0-1, D McClean 0-8, 6fs, 2 sls, M McMullan 0-1
Sub: T Ó Cadhlaigh for C McCann (55)
Referee: P O’Neill (Creggan)
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