Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship
Loughgiel 2-21 Rossa 0-15
At Randalstown
Pics by Michael Corcoran
Two late goals helped Loughgiel secure a vital 12-point victory over Rossa at Randalstown and kept them firmly in contention for a place in the semi-finals of the Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship.
The Shamrocks appeared to be in control when they led by seven points at half-time, but Rossa produced a spirited second-half fightback and reduced the gap to just two. However, a Roan McGarry goal halted their revival before Paul Boyle struck Loughgiel’s second major in added time.
Loughgiel must now prepare for a repeat of last year’s county final when they meet champions St John’s in their last group game in two weeks’ time, with their prospects of securing a semi-final place resting on the outcome.
Rossa also remain in the hunt for a quarter-final place. A draw against Ballycastle on the final day would take the Shaw’s Road men through, while victory for the McQuillan’s club would see them advance at Rossa’s expense.
Rian McMullan opened the scoring inside the first minute, but Tiarnan Murphy quickly replied for Rossa. Points from Shan McGrath and Rosie Fitzgerald edged Loughgiel ahead before Luca McCusker reduced the gap to one.
Loughgiel then began to take control. Betty McKee converted a free before Boyle and McGrath increased their advantage to 0-7 to 0-2. Dáire Murphy temporarily interrupted the Shamrocks’ run, but another McGrath point and a Roan McGarry free stretched the lead to six.
Tiarnan Murphy registered his second score for Rossa, only for Fitzgerald to respond with two points on either side of a Dáire Murphy free. McMullan and McGarry then pushed Loughgiel eight clear before McCusker’s late reply left the Shamrocks leading by 0-13 to 0-6 at the interval.
Gerard Walsh opened the second-half scoring from a free, and the teams exchanged points during the opening stages. McMullan and Dan McCloskey were on target for Loughgiel, while Dáire Murphy converted two frees and Walsh sent over a 65 for Rossa.
A McGarry free kept Loughgiel six ahead, but Rossa then produced their best spell. McCusker and Liam McEnhill scored from play before two more Dáire Murphy frees cut the deficit to 0-16 to 0-14 with just over eight minutes of normal time remaining.
The momentum appeared to be with Rossa, but Loughgiel delivered the game’s decisive score almost immediately. McGarry found the net in the 52nd minute to move the Shamrocks five points clear and bring Rossa’s comeback to an abrupt halt.
McGarry followed his goal with two converted frees before McGrath added his fifth point from play. Dáire Murphy replied with his seventh point for Rossa, but McGrath answered at the other end before Boyle struck Loughgiel’s second goal to put the result beyond doubt.
Rossa’s difficult finish was compounded when Walsh was shown a red card in added time, and McGarry completed the scoring with his eighth point of the contest as Loughgiel closed out an emphatic 2-21 to 0-15 victory.
Loughgiel Shamrocks
- Cormac McFadden
- Rory McCloskey
- Liam Glackin
- Tiernan Coyle
- Caolan Blair
- Decky McCloskey
- Ben McGarry
- Betty McKee
- James McNaughton
- Rian McMullan
- Rosie Fitzgerald
- Dan McCloskey
- Roan McGarry
- Paul Boyle
- Shan McGrath
Scorers:
13. Roan McGarry (1G, 6P)
21. Shan McGrath (6P)
14. Paul Boyle (1G, 1P)
10. Rian McMullan (3P)
11. Rosie Fitzgerald (3P)
8. Betty McKee (1P)
12. Dan McCloskey (1P)
Substitutions:
Tiernan Coyle (17) → Enda Og McGarry (3) (23:58)
Betty McKee (8) → Bicky McGarry (20) (48:45)
James McNaughton (9) → Jack McCloskey (15) (51:47)
Dan McCloskey (12) → Snowy McGarry (19) (55:33)
Paul Boyle (14) → Tiago McGarry (23) (63:36)
O’Donovan Rossa
- (1) Donal Armstrong
- (2) Niall Crossan
- (3) Ciarán Orchin
- (4) Corey Walsh
- (5) Declan McCartney
- (6) Gerard Walsh
- (7) Diarmaid Rogan
- (8) Stephen Beatty
- (14) Eoin Traynor
- (10) Dominic McEnhill
- (11) Dáire Murphy
- (12) Luca McCusker
- (13) Aodhan O’Brien
- (24) Dara Rocks
- (23) Tiarnan Murphy
Scorers:
11. (11) Dáire Murphy (7P)
12. (12) Luca McCusker (3P)
6. (6) Gerard Walsh (2P)
23. (23) Tiarnan Murphy (2P)
21. (21) Liam McEnhill (1P)
Substitutions:
(10) Dominic McEnhill (10) → (21) Liam McEnhill (21) (30:53)
(23) Tiarnan Murphy (23) → (22) Deaglan Murphy (22) (35:57)
(24) Dara Rocks (24) → (15) Thomas Morgan (15) (36:03)
(7) Diarmaid Rogan (7) → (19) Jack O’Loughlin (19) (50:14)
(12) Luca McCusker (12) → (27) James Connolly (27) (55:54)
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