Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Loughgiel Shamrocks 0-20 to Ballycastle’s 1-19.
McQuillan’s Ballycastle maintained their perfect start to the Division 1 campaign, making it three wins from three after a pulsating encounter at Fr Healy Park on Sunday. In a game defined by The Town’s clinical efficiency versus Loughgiel’s wayward shooting, a late surge inspired by the return of Niall McKenna saw the visitors snatch a two-point victory in injury time, concluding with a final score of Loughgiel Shamrocks 0-20 to Ballycastle’s 1-19.
The opening period was dominated by the hosts, but their superiority on the pitch was not reflected on the scoreboard. While the Shamrocks found their range early with points from play by Ronan Fitzgerald, Rian McMullan, and Declan McCloskey, they were guilty of squandering numerous easy opportunities from both frees and open play. Ballycastle manager Cian Waldron was honest about the overall outcome saying “we should have been dead and buried by half time. However his team stayed in touch through the unerring accuracy of Seamus McAuley. Despite trailing 0-7 to 0-3 after another Fitzgerald point and a fine score from Loughgiel’s Eoin McGarry, McAuley’s proficiency from placed balls and long range steadily narrowed the gap. A point from play by Tiernan Smyth eventually brought the sides level, before Ryan McKee restored a slender 0-8 to 0-7 lead for Loughgiel at the interval.
The game ignited just two minutes after the restart when Tiernan Smyth turned provider, feeding Diarmaid McShane, who showed great composure to pull the ball into the Loughgiel net. The Shamrocks responded well to the setback, with Rian McMullan and Eoin McGarry adding clever points from play to keep them honest, while Roan McGarry found his rhythm from frees to level the game at 0-12 to 1-09. The lead traded hands several times; Cathair Donnelly won a free for McAuley to convert for Ballycastle, only for Loughgiel’s Ben McGarry to respond with a fine score. Following another Seamus McAuley free after a foul on Eoin McAlonan, Loughgiel appeared to find their second wind. Two quickfire scores from Roan McGarry pushed the Shamrocks into a three-point lead at 0-18 to 1-12 with fifteen minutes remaining.
The momentum shifted dramatically with the introduction of former county star Niall McKenna, returning from a long-term injury for Ballycastle. McKenna made an immediate impact, scoring a sublime point from the left wing with his first touch. At the other end, Ballycastle goalkeeper Eamonn Elliott proved to be the hero, producing two world-class saves to deny Loughgiel certain goals. Those stops proved vital as Tiernan Smyth and another McKenna effort, following a brilliant catch from a puck-out, cut the deficit to just one. After Roan McGarry and Seamus McAuley exchanged points, Eoin McAlonan landed a massive long-range score to level the game on twenty-nine minutes. In a frantic period of injury time, Diarmaid McShane put Ballycastle ahead, only for the ever-reliable Roan McGarry to level it once more for the Shamrocks. However, Ballycastle had the final say. Showing superior fitness and nerves of steel, McKenna and Seamus McAuley both raised white flags in the dying embers of the game to seal the 1-19 to 0-20 victory for the visitors.
Loughgiel Shamrocks – John Francis Connolly, Liam Glackin, Enda Og McGarry, Caolan Blair, Conall McCloskey, Tiernan Coyle, Ben McGarry, Ryan McKee, Declan McCloskey, Rian McMullan, Ronan Fitzgerald, Eoin McGarry, Roan McGarry, Pearce Patterson, Dan McCloskey.
Ballycastle – Eamonn Elliott, Oran Kearney, Ryan McCook, Conal Colgan, Eoin McAlonan, Conor Boyd, Cathair Donnelly, Reuben McClean, Ardan Kelly, Darragh Kelly, Seamus McAuley, Niall McClean, Ronan McCarry, Tiernan Smyth, Diarmaid McShane.
Subs used – Niall McKenna, Cadhan Crawford, Ronan Laverty,
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