IHC Final
Oisin v Tir na nOg
Loughgiel – 2-00pm Saturday
Saturday’s Intermediate Hurling Championship final in Loughgiel brings together the top two teams in the competition this year with both competing in Group 2 of the league part of the competition and both finishing on 8 points.
The sides crossed swords back on the 24th of August in round 3 in Ahoghill with the Glenariffe side edging a keenly contested affair where they ran out 2-19 to 1-18 winners.
It was Tir na nOg’s only defeat in a group which included Robert Emmet’s, Shane O’Neills, St. Gall’s and St. Brigid’s Cloughmills.
The ‘Biddies’ finished bottom of the group but inflicted defeat on Oisin’s in their final group game but by that stage the Waterfoot men had already qualified as group winners and fielded an understrength side.
The top two sides in Group 1 and Group 2 progressed to the semi-finals with Glenariffe facing Cloney Gaels under the lights in Ballymena and Tir na nOg crossing swords with neighbours, Kickham’s Creggan in Ahoghill.
Both sides followed similar patterns as Oisin’s hit an unanswered 2-6 at Quinn Park after falling behind to a Ronan Graham point in the opening minute to lead by 11 with ten minutes gone and even at this stage it was hard to envisage a Cloney comeback.
Their first goal came from Michael O’Boyle after Diarmuid Graham had been blocked down as he attempted to clear and his brother, Alex added the second with 8 minutes gone as Cloney struggled to put meaningful attacks together.
Alex O’Boyle gave an exhibition of free taking for the sea siders while his brother Michael, Seanie McIntosh and Orrin O’Connor led the early onslaught on the Ahoghill goals.
Cloney Gaels did fare better after the break but never really looked like closing the gap on an excellent Oisin side for whom Paul McMullan in goals was excellent and pulled off a couple of superb stops.
It was a similar story at Ahoghill as a dazzling first half display from Tir na nOg, Randalstown saw them overcome the challenge of neighbours Kickham’s Creggan in the other championship semi-final in front of a bumper crowd at an overcast Cloney.
The Whitehill side dominated the opening half with Sean Duffin giving an imperious exhibition of point taking, from the placed ball and from play as the big number 8 controlled the tempo of the game from mid-field.
It was as good as over at half time when the Whitehill side led 2-10 to 0-3 and while Creggan were much better after the break the goal that might have brought them back into contention never looked like materialising.
Josh Higgins from play and Sean Duffin from two converted frees edged Tir na nOg 0-3 to 0-0 ahead after 7 minutes play.
Morgan Nelson replied for Creggan with a point in the 10th minute but it was the greater intensity and pace of their opponents that continued to see them add scores in quick succession.
Ciaran Logan, Sean Duffin (0-2 f’s) and Eamon Og McAllister with an excellent point increased their lead to seven by the 16th minute before Conor McCann briefly halted the onslaught from a well struck long range free.
By half time it looked as good as over but, to their credit Creggan fought to the end and out-scored their neighbours in a much improved second half performance while never looking like overturning that substantial interval lead.
Oisin’s have been installed as favourites since early in the championship and under the guidance of former Cloney Gaels management team, Hugh Dobbin and Shea O’Hagan they have shown considerable improvement.
Dobbin and O’Hagan guided them to last year’s final in their first season in charge but they lost to a strong Carey Faughs in the decider.
This year they have looked the team to beat and romped away with the division 2 league title and are favourites to complete a famous double.
It’s 23 years though since they last lifted the title while Tir na nOg were crowned champions as recently as 2022 and quite a few of that championship winning panel are still around.
Kevin Sherrin in goals, Ciaran O’Neill, Brandon McLarnon, Manus Smith, Conor McCamphill, Emmet Murray, Darragh Fagan, Ryan O’Neill, Eamon Og McAllister and Caoimhin Duffin will lead the Tir na nOg challenge with an in form Sean Duffin vital to their challenge.
Paul McMullan, Niall Murray, Callum McIlwaine, David Kearney Niall Magee, Odhran Gillan, Oliver Kearney, Alex and Michael O’Boyle are the men who can swing it Glenariffe’s way but they will face a firm challenge from the Whitehill men.