Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship
Quarter-Final
St John’s 1-16 Glenariffe Oisin’s 2-20
Saturday 26 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Slemish Park, Ballymena
Glenariffe produced the shock of the year on Saturday afternoon as they defeated St John’s to seal their place in the last four. It was a sensational performance from the 2025 Intermediate champions as they ran out seven point winners over the county champions and were worth every bit of their margin of victory.
They out fought, out manoeuvred and ultimately outscored the Johnnies with first half goals coming through Colla Ward and the brilliant Oisin Gillan helping to lay the foundations for their win.
Alex O’Boyle was excellent from placed ball, 10 of his 12 points coming from frees while the Glenariffe defence were imperious, led superbly by David Kearney while Conor Patterson, Calum McIlwaine and Niall Magee all excelled.
The Johnnies laboured in a first half that saw them play with the wind at their back and while they upped their intensity after the interval, Glenariffe went toe to toe with them and matched if not bettered them in that facet.
Conor Johnston and Shea Shannon were the main scoring threat for St John’s while Conall Bohill’s goal at the end of the first half gave the Johnnies a timely boost to trail by just the minimum at the half way mark.
The St John’s cause wasn’t helped with the dismissal of Oisin Donnelly for a second yellow card and Ciaran Johnston for a straight red late in the game but the day belonged to the men from Waterfoot.
Alex O’Boyle opened the scoring for Glenariffe Oisin’s from a 65 after just two minutes, but St John’s responded almost immediately when Shea Shannon converted a free.
Conor Johnston then edged the Johnnies in front with an excellent score from play before Glenariffe struck for the first goal of the game in the ninth minute.
Alex O’Boyle floated over a dangerous free and Colla Ward got the decisive touch to flick the ball into the net and give the Oisin’s an early advantage.
Shannon kept St John’s in touch from another free before Alex O’Boyle and Conor Johnston exchanged scores in a lively opening quarter.
Johnston was beginning to make his presence felt for the Johnnies and two superb scores from play in quick succession brought the sides level at 1-3 to 0-6.
Alex O’Boyle responded from a 65 to put Glenariffe back in front, but Johnston was again on target for St John’s two minutes later.
The game then swung dramatically in the Oisin’s favour in the 20th minute when Oisin Gillan scored a brilliant individual goal.
Gillan picked up possession with a low ball driven his way before rounding his marker. He showed him a clean pair of heals and avoided another challenge before finishing expertly to the back of Domhnall Nugent’s goal, putting his side in a strong position against a strong wind.
Glenariffe tagged on the next score with Seanie McIntosh landing an excellent point before Shannon responded from a free.
Johnston continued to carry a major threat and added another score from play, while Caolan Wilson followed up with a fine effort as the Johnnies steadily worked their way back into contention.
Alex O’Boyle was proving equally influential at the opposite end, converting another free before putting three between the sides with another score.
The Oisin’s sharpshooter continued to punish any foul play and added yet another free in the 27th minute.
St John’s delivered a major response when Conal Bohill found the net in the 28th minute, cutting the deficit and giving the Johnnies renewed belief. His first effort was superbly saved by Paul McMullan but the Glenariffe ‘keeper couldn’t stop his rebound from finding the bottom corner from an acute angle.
Brogan O’Connor responded with a point for Glenariffe but there was still time for St John’s to reduce the gap further.
Shannon converted a free in the final minute of the half to leave just a single point between the teams at the break, with St John’s leading 1-10 to 2-8.
The opening 10 minutes of the second half felt like it would be pivotal and the Johnnies looked to up their intensity, playing with more urgency in the second half with first half substitute Donal Carson opening the scoring shortly after the restart.
Alex O’Boyle got Glenariffe firing again with a point from placed ball before Caolan Wilson levelled the game once again with an excellent score from play.
There was little to separate the sides as the exchanges continued at a frantic pace, but Glenariffe responded through Michael O’Boyle, who fired over from play to regain the lead.
Alex O’Boyle then added another free before Brogan O’Connor produced a terrific point from the wing to put three between the teams once again.
Oisin Gillan added another score for Glenariffe and while St John’s looked to keep coming at the Glenariffe defence to test their mettle, the Oisin’s always found an answer.
St John’s fired over a brace of points from Carson and Shannon to leave the minimum between the sides going into the final quarter.
O’Boyle replied from another free before Shannon again found the target from a placed ball. With the game finely balanced, Seanie McIntosh stepped forward to restore a three-point Glenariffe advantage with a composed score.
The intensity increased further as both sides fought desperately for control, but the contest then took another turn when St John’s were reduced to 14 men following the dismissal of Oisin Donnelly. Referee Declan McGarry issuing a second yellow card for a heavy tackle on substitute Padraig McIlwaine.
Alex O’Boyle continued to add to his tally from placed balls and converted another free to keep the Glenariffe advantage intact.
Glenariffe looked to play with more freedom and belief as the half progressed. This was evident with a superb score from Oliver Kearney while Shannon continued to keep the scoreboard moving with another free.
O’Boyle was again on target in the 58th minute before Shannon answered once more for the Johnnies, ensuring the game remained alive right to the finish.
The O’Boyle’s then both contributed scores as Glenariffe continued to withstand the St John’s pressure and put some daylight between the sides.
The drama reached another level in the closing stages when Ciaran Johnston was shown a red card as tempers threatened to boil over.
Johnston’s red card had little impact on the game though with Glenariffe running out worthy winners. Their reward for defeating the county champions? A meeting with Dunloy in two weeks time.
St John’s Starting XV: Domhnall Nugent; Lorcan McCallin, Ciaran Johnston, Conal Morgan; Sean Wilson, Peter McCallin, Enda McGurk; Caoimhin Hanna, Aaron Bradley; Oisin Donnelly, Conor Johnston, Conall Bohill; Caolan Wilson, Shea Shannon, Michael Bradley
- Subs: Donal Carson for M Bradley (12), Ronan Donnelly for C Morgan (HT), Danaan McKeogh for C Hanna (55)
- Scorers: S Shannon 0-7 (6f); Conor Johnston 0-5; C Bohill 1-00; C Wilson 0-2; D Carson 0-2
Glenariffe Oisin’s XV: Paul McMullan; Odhran Gillan, David Kearney, Connor Patterson; Canice McIntosh, Calum McIlwaine, Niall Magee; Oliver Kearney, Daniel Kearney; Brogan O’Connor, Michael O’Boyle, Seanie McIntosh; Odhran Gillan, Colla Ward, Alex O’Boyle 0-12
- Subs: Michael Haughey for C McIlwaine (57), Padraig McIlwaine for B O’Connor (50) Ronan Leech for Seanie McIntosh and James Kearney for Oliver Kearney
- Scorers: A O’Boyle 0-11 (10f); O Gillan 1-1; C Ward 1-02; B O’Connor 0-1, M O’Boyle 0-2, S McIntosh 0-2; O Kearney 0-1
Referee: Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)
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