Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship – Round 2
St John’s 1-22 Ballycastle 1-18
St John’s secured their place in the knockout stages of the Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship with a hard-fought 1-22 to 1-18 victory over Ballycastle at Slemish Park, Ballymena. Ballycastle, who previously lost their opener to Loughgiel, fought bravely and even held a three-point lead in the first half before falling short. They will now face Rossa in a decisive final round-robin game to determine the remaining knockout qualifier.
Ballycastle started strong following and after surviving an early goalmouth scramble, which seemed certain to produce a St John’s goal, the took the lead with a free from Cadhan Crawford. St John’s quickly found their rhythm through an Oisin Mac Manus free and a 60-metre strike by Aaron Bradley. Ronan Laverty and Crawford kept the scoreboard ticking for Ballycastle, building a brief three-point lead but St John’s responded with a flurry of points, including a long-range effort from Conal Morgan and scores from Michael Bradley and Conall Bohill. Niall McKenna and Conor Boyd found their range from play for Ballycastle to maintain pressure, but late first-half points from Oisin Donnelly, Mc Manus, and Aaron Bradley ensured St John’s took a slender two-point lead into the break.
The second half erupted immediately as Aaron Bradley and McKenna traded quick points in the opening minute. Shea Shannon pushed St John’s further ahead before a dramatic 90-yard delivery from Ballycastle’s Eoin McAlonan deceived Domnhal Nugent in the St John’s goal, and found the net, leveling the game. The pivotal moment arrived in the 40th minute when Aaron Bradley soloed through the defence to bury a decisive goal for St John’s. Goalkeeper Domhnall Nugent added an inspirational long-range free, while substitute Ronan Donnelly delivered vital scores down the stretch. Ballycastle battled fiercely, with Seamus McAuley adding to their tally, but a crucial late save by Nugent against Ballycastle’s Conor Donnelly preserved the St John’s advantage. Ballycastle ultimately rued a string of five consecutive second-half wides that stalled their comeback momentum.
Ballycastle1 Eamon Elliott (GK), 2 Oran Kearney, 3 Conal Colgan, 4 Cathair Donnelly, 5 Darragh Donnelly, 6 Conor Boyd, 7 Eoin McAlonan, 8 Ronan Laverty, 9 Tiernan Smyth, 10 Neal McAuley, 11 Seamus McAuley, 12 Darragh Kelly, 13 Conor Donnelly, 14 Niall McKenna, 15 Diarmaid McShane, 16 Ruairi McShane (GK), 17 Ardan Kelly, 18 James Bakewell, 19 Oisin McAuley, 20 Cormac Donnelly, 21 Jack McGowan, 22 Patrick McAlonan, 23 Ciaran McKeague, 24 Niall McClean, 25 Cadhan Crawford, 26 Callum Campbell, 27 Reuben McClean, 28 Mark McClean, 29 Conal Magee, 30 Lorcan Donnelly, 31 Oisin Donnelly, and 32 Vincent O’Donaghue.
St John’s 1 Domhnall Nugent (GK), 2 Conal Morgan, 3 Ciaran Johnston, 4 Lorcan McCallin, 5 Enda McGurk, 6 Sean Wilson, 7 Ryan McNulty, 8 Caoimhin Hanna, 9 Aaron Bradley, 10 Oisin Donnelly, 11 Shea Shannon, 12 Conall Bohill, 13 Donal Carson, 14 Caolan Wilson, 15 Oisin Mac Manus, 16 Simon Doherty (GK), 17 Ruairi Galbraith, 18 Danaan McKeogh, 19 James Wilson, 20 Michael Bradley, 21 Michael Darragh, 22 Ronan Donnelly, 23 Fionntan McKinney, 24 Tomas Adams, 25 Conor Hand, 26 Barry McFall, 27 Odhran Carleton, 28 Daire King, 29 Conor Johnston, and 30 Fearghal MacManus.
Referee – Paddy Tumelty
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