Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship Final
St John’s 2-16 Loughgiel 1-18
Sunday 19 October
Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc MacUílín, Ballycastle
They have been known as the nearly men of the Saffron county for close to two generations but on Sunday afternoon, St John’s finally done it. It’s been 52 years from their last and 21 years since the Volunteer Cup resided in the City, that wait is over. In the words of joint captain, Ciaran Johnston, the Johnnies were crowned kings of Antrim after an enthralling hour of championship action at Páirc MacUílín against Loughgiel.
One point separated the sides at the final whistle but this was a contest that St John’s led from start to finish. A brilliant first half playing against the elements laid the foundations for their victory while the goals in either half from Donal Carson and Oisin MacManus proved pivotal to their victory.
Conor Johnston was at his impish best with Donal Carson, Oisin Donnelly and Conall Bohill all outstanding while in defence Ryan McNulty, Enda McGurk and Ciaran Johnston all played a major part in the Johnnies climbing their Everest. It was Peter McCallin who took the sponsors Man of the Match accolade and rightly so. McCallin was instrumental at the heart of the St John’s defence, playing in a role like a quarter back and directing the play ahead of him, he put in a sublime performance.
James McNaughton was once again a shining light for the Shamrocks but that light shone fleetingly throughout the hour. He top scored for Loughgiel with 10 white flags while substitute Shan McGrath’s goal looked to breathe fire into their championship hopes half way through the second half. Loughgiel will look to the first half when they looked second best for long periods. At a time where they should have been looking to build a lead and have something to work with in the second half, they couldn’t live with the intensity and work rate of St John’s. The Corrigan Park men took a three point lead into a second half and while they put their support through the ringer towards the end of the hour, there’s no doubting they were worthy winners by the time the full time whistle came.
Despite playing against the wind, St John’s settled much quicker into their stride playing a precise short game. Oisin Mac Manus and Conor Johnston with the opening scores of the game while a brace of frees from Shea Shannon gave them a four point lead after 10 minutes.
Loughgiel were getting ball into the inside forwards but such was the organisation of the St John’s defence, the Shamrocks were getting no joy. The Johnnies stretched their lead to five with Conor Johnston’s second of the game, showing his brilliant footwork before splitting the uprights while Paul Boyle finally got Loughgiel’s opening score of the final in the 14th minute.
The Shamrocks looked like they were coming to terms with the way St John’s were set up and despite MacManus’ second of the final, Loughgiel would fire over three unanswered scores through McNaughton (free), Ruairi McCormick and Boyle.
Shannon’s third free of the match briefly halted the Shamrock’s charge but Loughgiel would land another trio of unanswered scores to leave the sides tied by the 29th minute. A brace from McNaughton and Rian McMullan with the scores. It probably should have been better for the Shamrocks but McNaughton’s goal bound effort was well saved by Domhnall Nugent.
The opening goal of the final came in the last minute of the half from Donal Carson. Aaron Bradley collecting the sliotar and delivering the ball cross field towards Carson. The Johnnies inside forward collected and turned his defender before setting off for goal. He had plenty of defenders for attention and had work to do but he finished superbly to give Cormac McFadden no chance between the sticks.
McNaughton and Shannon traded frees in injury time to leave the half time score 1-8 to 0-8 in St John’s favour.
The Shamrocks needed a chance to reorganise and set out a game plan on how to deal with the elements for the second half and despite Conor Johnston opening the scoring soon after the restart, Loughgiel would fire three unanswered points in as many minutes from Dan McCloskey and McNaughton (two frees) to leave the minimum between the sides.
The Johnnies hit a trio of scores unanswered themselves and it was probably the winning of the game. They had a sniff of a goal chance when MacManus went close before Shannon split the uprights for his fifth white flag of the final. St John’s delivery of ball into their forwards was giving them every chance but it was a brilliant piece of improvisation from Oisin Donnelly that created their second goal. Gathering the sliotar, he was swarmed by the Loughgiel defence before playing a blind pass over his shoulder to MacManus. He made no mistake to open a six point lead by the 39th minute and sent the St John’s support into raptures.
Both sides swapped frees from McNaughton and Domhnall Nugent before Loughgiel found a way back into the final. With the game looking like it was slipping away from them after some uncharacteristic wides from placed ball by McNaughton, Shan McGrath was on the end of a brilliant three man move that cut through the heart of the Loughgiel defence and he made no mistake.
With just three between the sides going into the final quarter, the challenges were getting bigger with every ball competed for like it was the last. Both sides were putting their bodies on the line and with the underfoot conditions making life difficult, it was coming down to whoever would make the least mistakes. St John’s looked to manage the game, playing a short game that relied on precision and pace while Loughgiel were running at the St John’s defence as much as they could to combat against the elements.
The Johnnies defence were doing anything they could to stop Loughgiel and dragged down players on a couple of occasions when they looked like they were through on goal. McNaughton was taking advantage when presented with the chance while Conall Bohill, Conor Johnston, substitute Michail Dudley and Aaron Bradley got scores at the opposite end of the pitch.
Three points separated the sides going into injury time with Loughgiel still in search of the goal that would reignite their challenge but a brace of frees from substitute Christy McGarry was all they could manage as St John’s held out.
A dramatic ending to an absorbing contest that saw St John’s finally come of age. They have knocked on the door for so long with plenty of this team going to the proverbial well for 10 years or more to come up short. Today was their day.
TEAMS
ST JOHN’S: Domhnall Nugent; Ryan McNulty, Ciaran Johnston, Jack Bohill; Conal Morgan, Peter McCallin, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson, Aaron Bradley; Oisin Donnelly, Conor Johnston, Conall Bohill; Donal Carson, Shea Shannon, Oisin MacManus
Subs: Michail Dudley for S Wilson (37); Michael Bradley for D Carson (47); Ronan Donnelly for Ciaran Johnston (59); Daragh McGuinness for O MacManus (60+2)
Scorers: S Shannon 1-4 (4f); O MacManus 1-2; Conor Johnston 0-4; D Carson 1-00; A Bradley 0-2; C Bohill 0-1; M Dudley 0-1; D Nugent 0-1 (1f)
LOUGHGIEL: Cormac McFadden; Tiernan Coyle, Enda Og McGarry, Liam Glackin; Ben McGarry, Rory McCloskey, Declan McCloskey; Ryan McKee, Ruairi McCormick; Rian McMullan, James McNaughton, Darragh Patterson; Roan McGarry, Paul Boyle, Dan McCloskey
Subs: Shan McGrath for D Patterson (36); Christy McGarry for R McCormick (54); Ronan Fitzgerald for R McGarry (56)
Scorers: J McNaughton 0-10 (8f, 1’65); S McGrath 1-1; P Boyle 0-2; C McGarry 0-2 (2f); R McCormick 0-1; R McMullan 0-1; D McCloskey 0-1
Referee: Colum Cunning (Dunloy)
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BRENDAN’S PICS