North Antrim Minor B Hurling Championship Final

Slemish Park, Ballymena

Naomh Padraig 1-13 Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm 0-13

Naomh Padraig survived a thrilling second-half fightback from Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm to secure the North Antrim Minor B Hurling title at Slemish Park, Ballymena on Saturday afternoon. After building a commanding eight-point lead by half-time, Naomh Padraig had to dig deep in the closing stages, holding their nerve to secure a hard-fought three-point victory

Naomh Padraig burst out of the blocks, dominating the early exchanges. Corner forward John Og Darragh opened the scoring in the first minute with a well-struck free, setting the tone for a prolific half. Glenarm briefly responded in the 5th minute through Neil Rodgers, but Naomh Padraig quickly found another gear.

Darragh added his second point shortly after, and midfielder Charlie Mcauley extended the advantage with a point in the 10th minute. When Rory McDonnell fired over a point to stretch the lead to five, the momentum was firmly with Armoy-Carey combination.

The pivotal moment of the half arrived in the 13th minute when Cathair McCaughan found the back of the net, finishing a sharp move to raise the game’s only green flag. Sean Hunter then dazzled the crowd with a brilliant solo run and point to compound Glenarm’s woes.

Glenarm’s standout performer, Niall Rodgers, worked tirelessly to keep his side in touch, slotting over two crucial 65s to stem the tide. Darragh added another point for Naomh Padraig from open play, and despite a missed goal opportunity they went into the break with a commanding advantage.

Half-Time – Naomh Padraig 1-10 Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm 0-05

The second half was a completely different story. Glenarm emerged from the dressing room with renewed intensity, sparked immediately by an early free from the talismanic Niall Rodgers. Rodgers quickly turned provider, setting up Ryan O’Boyle for a fine score in the 44th minute.

Naomh Padraig’s goalscorer, Cathair Mc Caughan, momentarily settled his team with a point in the 48th minute. However, the game’s complexion shifted dramatically when Naomh Padraig had a player sent off later in the half, handing Glenarm a crucial momentum boost.

Niall Rodgers continued his scoring clinic to keep the pressure on, though Naomh Padraig’s Cormac Bailey produced a vital solo point in the 53rd minute to give his side some breathing room.

Refusing to back down, Glenarm mounted a massive surge in the final ten minutes. Rodgers pointed again to cut the deficit to three, and Ryan O’Boyle followed up with another score in the 59th minute. When Kian McGarel split the posts in the 60th minute, the Naomh Padraig lead was slashed to a single point and the pressure was well and truly on.

With their backs against the wall and playing a man down, Naomh Padraig showed true championship mettle. In the 62nd minute, Charlie McAuley stepped up to nail a vital point, pushing the gap back out to two points.

Glenarm pushed desperately for an equalizer, but the Naomh Padraig defence held firm under intense pressure. Deep into injury time (67th minute), McAuley delivered the final blow, slotting his final point of the day to stretch the lead back to three and spark jubilant celebrations for Naomh Padraig.

• Naomh Padraig: John Og Darragh was instrumental in building the early lead, while Cathair Mc Caughan provided the crucial goal. Down the stretch, Charlie Mcauley showed nerves of steel to hit the winning scores.
• Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm: Niall Rodgers was the standout performer for the Feystown boys, almost single-handedly dragging his team back into the contest with a masterclass in scoring and playmaking. He was ably supported late in the game by Ryan O’Boyle and Kian McGarel.

Naomh Padraig: 1. Liam McClelland, 2. Conall McCarry, 3. Shea McGowan, 4. Adam Scullion, 5. Rhys Murray, 6. Oran Devlin, 7. Harry Scullion, 8. Charlie McAuley, 9. Tom Hunter, 10. Sean Hunter, 11. Cathair Mc Caughan, 12. Rory Mcdonnell, 13. John Og Darragh, 14. Shane Hill, 15. Cormac Bailey.

Shane O’Neill’s (Glenarm): 1. Blaine Mitchell, 2. Shea McConnell, 3. Robbie McDonald, 4. Aaron Maguire, 5. John Taggart, 6. Charlie Black, 7. Ethan Drysdale, 8. Neil Rodgers, 9. Thomas Kelly, 10. Cormaic McMullan, 11. Ciaran O’Kane, 12. Oisin Daly, 13. Hugh McKay, 14. Kian McGarel, 15. Niall Rodgers.

Subs – Ryan O’Boyle

Referee – Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)

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