ACHL Division 2
Cloney Gael 2-19 Bredagh 2-24
Bredagh climb above Cloney Gaels at the bottom of the ACHL Division 2 table following this five point win over the Ahoghill men in an entertaining game of hurling at a sun kissed Cloney on Wednesday night.
It was the Ahoghill side who got off to the better start with a goal in the first minute from Dan O’Neill with Colla McDonnell, Ronan Graham and Patrick Graham adding point to keep their side three ahead by the 8th minute.
The Bredagh points came from the sticks of Sean McCollum, Donal Hughes and John Dougan and at this stage it was end to end with Colla McDonnell 0-2 and Ronan Graham adding to the Cloney score card and Eoin Kennedy 0-2, Ben Christie, Luke Doran and Christie again bringing the Bredagh total to 8 by the 20th minute.
Fionnbar O’Neill and Colla McDonnell replied for the home side and a second goal of the evening from Dan O’Neill put the ‘Gaels’ in a strong position going into half time where they led by five.
It was visitors Bredagh who made a quick reply at the start of the second half with Donal Hughes, Sean McCollum and Ben Christie all pointing in the opening minute before Colla McDonnell edged the home side three ahead again with 3 minutes gone.
Tim Rankin responded for the Belfast men but a couple in quick succession from James O’Connell kept the Cloney noses ahead before McCollum and O’Connell exchanged further minors.
Further exchanges between Patrick Graham for the hosts and Eoin Kennedy for Bredagh kept it finally balanced in favour of the Ahoghill side but the visitors were beginning to get on top.
Eoin Kennedy had been proving a handful and he fired home his side’s opening goal in the 20th minute and it seemed to fire his colleagues into action as they dominated the closing exchanges.
Ben Christie 0-2, Sean McCollum 0-2 and two excellent points from mid-fielder, Donal Hughes swung it decisively in favour of the visitors with Ahoghill’s only response coming from Fionnbar O’Neill, James O’Connell and Colla McDonnell.
A good win for Bredagh which sees them climb out of the bottom two and as they get their county men back on board I would expect them to climb further up the table.
Cloney Gaels were missing a few themselves and they should improve as the season progresses if they get everyone fit and for a good part of Wednesday night’s contest they looked to be heading for victory.
Cloney Gaels: 1 Martin Graham, 2 Shea Neeson, 3 Patrick Dougan, 4 Ryan Martin, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Bernard Graham, 7 Eoin Graham, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Paul Crossey, 10 Patrick Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Jack McFall, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Dan O’Neill, 15 James O’Connell
Bredagh: 1 Ian Galway, 2 Odhran Morgan-Little, 3 Michael Woods, 4 Mel Lavery, 5 Patrick McGarry, 6 Niall McFarland, 7 Liam Hogan, 8 Cormac Hughes, 9 Donal Hughes, 10 Luke Doran, 11 Tim Rankin, 12 John Dougan, 13 Sean McCollum, 14 Eoin Kennedy, 15 Ben Christie
Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)