North Antrim Minor Hurling – Darragh Cup preliminary round
Dunloy 2-17 St Endas 0-14
Paul McLean reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
A pair of goals at each end of the first half were key for Dunloy to give them the platform to win this first round knock out tie in the Darragh Cup.
One for PJ Molloy after four mins and then another on the stroke of half time by Jay McAlonan give Dunloy the momentum at key stages of the game to go on and win.
Shae Bell put on a master show of free taking for St Endas with 0-12 from placed balls but it was the visitors lack of scoring from play that cost them at the end up.
Played in perfect conditions it took four minutes into the game before St Endas opened the scoring through Christopher Roberts. But no sooner had the score board showed the visitors score been marked up, PJ Molloy had the green flag raised for Dunloy.
It was a lead that the home side wouldn’t lose for the remainder of the game.
If anything the opening fifteen minutes of this game were nip and tuck between the sides as they traded scores. Cormac McCann & Jay McAlonan had their own mini scoring contest for the next four minutes of the game as both sides gave as good to each other.
Dunloy stretched their lead with a run of four scores in sucession with the pick of the lot a long range score from Olly McClements.
St Endas were guilty of a lot of wides in this period of game, of which they probably cost them going into half time.
Shae Bell kept them in touch with three well taken frees but coming up to half time it was the second Dunloy goal that killed any momentum St Endas had. An awkward ball in to the box, just at the crossbar and post, left keeper Tomas Curran with little choice other than to force the ball back out.
He made a good stop from the resultant shot but it fell nicely to Jay McAlonan who had the shot in front of goal to send the home side in leading by ten points.
The second half was much better for St Endas as they outscored Dunloy seven points to six but again it was the lack of scores from play that left them struggling to make real inroads to the home sides lead.
Shae Bell contributed all 0-07 himself from frees with the reason being the Dunloy back line really closed down any, and all, chances the visitors had for the next half hour.
Eanna McGuckian, Daire Elliott, Jay McAlonan and a super long range point from Anthony Cochrane kept Dunloy always ticking away and ensuring they weren’t going to lose their lead.
Overall a good game and very competitive between both sides but it is Dunloy who advance to the semi final to take on Cushendall.
Dunloy
D McMahon, S McMullan, J Doherty, J McMullan, R Blaney, E Curry, J McQuillan, O McClements (0-02), A Doherty, J McGarry, D Elliott (0-02), E Boyle, PJ Molloy (1-02), J McAlonan (1-06), A Og Cochrane (0-03) – E McGuckian (0-01)
St Enda’s
T Curran, N Lemon, J Mackian, R O’Connell Scullion, J Joseph McAllister, A Quinn, O Mathews, T Mooney, L Cunnie, H Feeney, B McGrath, C Roberts (0-01), D Quinn, C McCann (0-02), S Bell (0-11)
Referee – Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)