U16 ‘A’ Hurling Championship Final
Tuesday 22 September
Dunloy 2-15 Loughgiel 1-16
Brendan McTaggart reports from Ahoghill
Dunloy staged a late late show on Tuesday evening to take the U16 championship back to the Village. Was it a robbery? Loughgiel will think so. The Shamrocks led this contest from the first minute until the second minute of injury time. It was the last three minutes that proved to be the winning of the game however as the Cuchullains came back from the brink.
It looked like Dee Laverty’s thunderbolt of a major in the 18th minute looked to be the decisive score of a super game of hurling. It gave the Shamrocks an element of control in the game and with Cody McGarry excelling from placed ball, Loughgiel kept Dunloy at arm’s length.
The Cuchullains came to life as the second half progressed however with a brilliant goal from a 21 yard free by Oisin O’Brien breathing life into their challenge. But with the Cuchullains starring down the barrel of a championship final defeat, half back Lorcan Martin found the back of the Shamrock’s net in the second minute of injury time and Dunloy took advantage of their momentum.
The Shamrocks looked shocked at the final whistle, Dunloy looked stunned themselves. It was as dramatic an ending to a game of hurling as you’ll ever see anywhere yet it felt like it was a fitting end to a brilliant game of hurling.
Both sides had stars with Ronan Elliott leading the Dunloy charge while Oisin O’Brien’s influence was telling as the game progressed. Loughgiel were sharp from the first whistle with Joe Casey and Dee Laverty always carrying a huge threat. There was plenty wearing the red of Loughgiel who didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.
The Shamrocks were on top in the opening quarter as they didn’t let Dunloy settle. They held a three points to one lead by the eighth minute with a brace of points from Cahir McCloskey along with a Cody McGarry free landing their scores, a Ronan Elliott free the solitary response for the Cuchullains.
Another brace of points followed from Casey and McGarry (free) before a long range free from O’Brien doubled Dunloy’s tally.
The opening goal of the final came after Cahir McCloskey’s second point of the night. It was Casey who found Dee Laverty on the right hand side and he sent the sliotar to the back of Tom Richmond’s net with a thunderous, unstoppable drive.
That goal spurred a reaction from the Cuchullains however. They fired over four points unanswered in the space of four minutes, all from Elliott as Dunloy looked like they finally got to the pace of the game.
Points from Cody McGarry (free) and Aidan Laverty came either side of Elliott’s fifth white flag of the final to leave the Shamrocks 1-8 to 0-7 ahead at half time. Loughgiel owed that lead much to their ‘keeper Ciaran Hennessy who denied Elliott from point blank range while full back Lorcan Murtagh was also on hand to deny the Cuchullains before the break.
The intensity and speed of the game increased after the restart with Cahir McErlean and a huge free from Casey coming either side of frees from O’Brien and Elliott for Dunloy.
Another pair of points from Harry Blaney and O’Brien (free) came before another goal chance for the Cuchullains. Harry Blaney’s effort stopped by Hennessy but the Shamrocks responded strongly.
Three unanswered points from Cody McGarry, Cahir McCloskey and Casey gave the Shamrocks a five point lead going into the final quarter.
The first Dunloy goal came from a brilliant 21 yard free by Oisin O’Brien. The Dunloy centre half stepping up and thundering the sliotar high to the net in the 49th minute to leave two between the sides.
A Cody McGarry free got the Shamrocks going again but a run of three wides looked to derail their challenge while Cillian Cunning went close to a second Dunloy goal moments later.
Cody McGarry and Ronan Elliott traded frees to leave three between the sides going into injury time and with referee Fiontann McCotter announcing there would be four minutes, there was still time for more drama.
Oisin O’Brien and Ronan combined to send Lorcan Martin through and he made no mistake by sending the sliotar beyond Hennessy in the Loughgiel goals. A free from Elliott followed soon after to give Dunloy the lead for the first time in the third minute of injury time.
Loughgiel looked like they had forced extra time with Cody McGarry’s seventh free of the night but Dunloy responded superbly. Ronan Elliott edging them ahead once more from placed ball while captain Cunning had the final say when he fired over from the right hand side and seal a dramatic win for the Cuchullains.
TEAMS
Dunloy Starting XV: Tom Richmond; Harry McQuillan, Aaron Richmond, Noah Bradley; Peadar Doherty, Oisin O’Brien, Lorcan Martin; Cillian Cunning, Blaine McMullan; Harry Blaney, Cayden McGuckian, Ronan Elliott; Rory McCloskey, Pearse McMullan, Caden Doherty
- Scorers: R Elliott 0-9 (6f); O O’Brien 1-3 (1-3f); L Martin 1-00; C Cunning 0-1; H Blaney 0-1; R McCloskey 0-1
Loughgiel Starting XV: Ciaran Hennessy; Ronan McGarry, Lorcan Murtagh, Martin Maynes; Aidan Laverty, Aaron Gillan, Liam McKee; Cahir McErlean, Dáire Kearney; Iarla Gillen, Cody McGarry, Cahir McCloskey; Oisin McFadden, Joe Casey, Damien Laverty
- Scorers: C McGarry 0-7 (7f); C McCloskey 0-4; J Casey 0-3 (1f); D Laverty 1-00; A Laverty 0-1; C McErlean 0-1
Referee: Fiontann McCotter (Sarsfields)
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME, CLICK ON THE LINK….
https://myalbum.com/album/g9jfj2SM79CPAx/?invite=13f6b8a1-9dbf-4673-bc64-0d876715bf38
