Antrim Junior Hurling Championship – Group 1 Round 2
Friday 14th August
Report by Niall Kelly
Lámh Dhearg 7-30 Belfast Saints 3-06
A rampant and potent first half attacking display from Lámh Dhearg laid the foundations for a comprehensive win to climb atop Group 1 of the Junior Hurling Championship in Hannahstown on Friday evening. As tirelessly as Belfast Saints toiled to thwart their hosts, twelve different scorers from play across the hour for the ‘Red Hands’ illustrated the ominous attacking threat they posed. Mark Finnegan, Michael Herron and Adam Murray were the tormentors in chief during the first half with wing back Conor G McConville so often the architect. Four green flags were raised in the opening half courtesy of Odhran Waldron, Finnegan and a brace from Herron to leave the scores at the interval 4-22 to 0-03. Credit must go to the Saints though. It would be very easy to drop the heads, but they put in a gallant second half showing, narrowing the gap in what was a much more even, to and fro thirty minutes of hurling with Conor McLean proving a real handful in full forward for the visitors.
Right from Deaglan Carey’s first whistle, the men in red and white laid siege to their opponents goal and raced into a nine-point lead after six minutes with Mark Finnegan and Adam Murray inflicting the crux of the damage, ably assisted by Odhran Waldron and Sean Paul Gibson. The frenetic pace at which they moved the sliotar was unfastening the Saints defence with Conor G McConville’s powering runs from half back causing mayhem. Unsurprisingly, McConville would assume the role of provider for the game’s first green flag as his high ball in from the right flank caused confusion in the visitor’s rearguard only for Finnegan to pounce and finish to the net.
Jack Trainer and Murray fired over from range before the St Teresa’s/Aggies contingent’s woes were compounded further as Michael Herron struck to gain his first major of the evening on the twelfth minute, dispatching on the rebound after an initial smart stop from Conor Grieve in goal.
The Saints were surely dumbfounded after such a bombardment but worked tirelessly to grab some sort of foothold for themselves. They broke their scoring duct midway through the half thanks to a fine score from Mark Caldwell which was just rewards given his constant industry. Phil Maguire then struck from range to double their tally in response to yet another two from Mark Finnegan.
Just as it seemed that the visitors were starting to find some sort of rhythm, their hosts turned the screw again with Waldron and Trainor expertly splitting the uprights from range. The former then pounced to grab Lámh Dhearg’s third goal with a superb, thundering effort drilled to the bottom corner from just outside the twenty-one.
Phil Maguire doubled his tally from the placed ball as the visitors tried to stem the flow of their opponents, but to no avail as the onslaught continued. With the first period reaching its climax, Adam and Dan Murray continued to keep the scoreboard operator busy before Tiernan McKenna’s high ball in was met by Michael Herron whose improvised finish to the onion bag left the score a commanding 4-22 to 0-03 in favour of the Hannahstown side.
Despite suffering such a challenging thirty minutes, the Saints refused to lie down in the second period and emerged a more rejuvenated side hitting the first two scores of the second half. Joseph McQuillan found his bearings from range before the ever-dangerous Robbie Gallagher added the finishing gloss to a flowing move involving Niall McGettigan and Mark Caldwell.
The hosts responded in typically emphatic fashion though as the game became ‘goals galore.’ Jack Trainor pounced to unleash a rocket to the net finishing a fine attacking manoeuvre with SP Gibson’s arrowed pass the key to unlocking the defence. This time though, their opponents had an answer for them as they conjured a major of their own. A fine ball from Caldwell was caught expertly by Conor McLean in full forward before swivelling and finishing to the net.
The sides continued to trade big scores as the net rippled on a further three occasions in as many minutes. Lámh Dhearg responded with conviction as Sean Paul Gibson fired to the net before that man McLean found the white curtain again with an arrowed finish to the top corner. Feeding the domineering full-forward became the visitor’s bread and butter and it would lead to joy for the third time as he offloaded to the oncoming Robbie Gallagher who made no mistake with his finish.
With both sides emptying their benches in the closing ten minutes, there was an even greater open feel to proceedings as the host’s substitutes were hungry to stake their claim for a starting berth. Adam Perry and Odhran Kane did themselves no harm as they both slotted over from range to increase the margin before Jack Trainer grabbed his second goal thanks to a surging run coming in off the left flank. Conor McConville deservedly added to his tally to cap off a fine performance with Daniel Mulholland chipping in before the tireless Phil Maguire closed out the scoring for the Saints.
Lámh Dhearg will now be desperately anticipating their crunch meeting with Armoy at Dunsilly in two weeks. This fascinating duel could prove the clincher in who will top Group One. If they can unleash the same firepower as they did today, they will certainly fancy their chances.
For Belfast Saints, they can take solace from a much improved second half were they remedied the disjointed fashion of the first. In Phil Maguire, Robbie Gallagher, Conor McLean and Mark Caldwell they have a few fine, experienced hurlers who they will hope can lead them to their first victory against Ardoyne.
Teams
Lámh Dhearg:
Paddy-Joe Herron; Corey Camlin, Aidan McGuigan, Tiernan McKenna; Dan Murray (0-02,) Paddy Mervyn, Conor G McConville (0-03;) Jack Trainor (2-02,) Daniel Mulholland (0-02;) Sean Paul Gibson (1-01,) Adam Murray (0-07,) Odhran Waldron (1-04;) Mark Finnegan (1-06,) Mitch McGarry (0-01,) Michael Herron (2-00)
Substitute Scorers:
Adam Perry (0-01)
Odhran Kane (0-01)
Belfast Saints:
Conor Grieve; Daniel McConnell, Matt Carlin, Niall Connolly; Adam O’Rourke, Phil Maguire (0-03,) James Sloan; Joesph McQuillan (0-01,) Pierce O’Rawe; Niall McGettigan, Robbie Gallagher (1-01,) Mark Caldwell (0-01;) Keevan Óg Grieve, Conor McLean (2-00,) Conor O’Callaghan