Junior B Hurling Final
All Saints 1-21 Ardoyne 1-3
Pics by Dylan McIlwaine
In a preview of this game, earlier today I predicted that if they were at their best, All Saints could edge this Junior B Championship final against old adversaries, Kickham’s Ardoyne.
As it transpired Cathaoir Cunnings side were certainly at their best as they produced a high octane performance to blow away an Ardoyne side who pipped them for the division 4 league title earlier in the year.
The scene for this comprehensive victory was set in the opening minutes as the Ballymena men raced into an early lead through Luke Mulholland, Daniel Kelly and a converted ‘65’ from Damian Gillan and it was clear that the Slemish Park side were up for the challenge.
Their high press and slick movement was denying Ardoyne time and space to settle into their own game and by half time the Ballymena side had one hand on the trophy.
By that stage All Saints had built up a substantial 9 point lead as they dominated in nearly every department of the field and the Ardoybne challenge wasn’t helped when they had a player dismissed after 28 minutes.
Missing a number of regulars, Ardoyne never really looked to threaten the opposition who seemed to cover every inch and blade of grass that sat within the perimeter of the Dunsilly pitch.
From the moment Mulholland opened the scoring in the third minute, All Saints dictated the tempo, dominated possession and repeatedly exposed an Ardoyne defence that struggled to contain their opponents’ movement and attacking threat.
The north Belfast outfit eventually opened their account through a Padraig McGreevy free in the 14th minute, but that brief response did little to stem the tide.
Harry Conon landed another point for All Saints in the 17th minute before Cormac and Jack Magill struck in quick succession, stretching the gap and leaving the Belfast side chasing shadows.
Cormac Magill was in splendid form and he then added to Ardoyne’s misery with successive scores as All Saints continued to find space and opportunities at will. The pressure was relentless, with the Ballymena attack operating at a tempo their opponents simply could not match.
Already struggling to cope with the All Saints onslaught,Ardoyne now faced the prospect of attempting to turn the tide with a numerical disadvantage.
Damien Gillan rubbed further salt into the wounds with another point before the interval, completing a miserable opening period for Ardoyne and sending All Saints into the dressing room with a commanding 0-10 to 0-1 lead.
There was little indication of a let-up after the restart as Gillan pointed a free in the 31st minute to push the Ballymena tally into double figures and underline the scale of the task facing Ardoyne.
To their credit, Kickhams briefly threatened a response. McGreevy pointed in the 36th minute before finding the net shortly after and for the first time in the game there was just a glimmer of hope for the North Belfast side.
However, any thoughts of a revival were swiftly put to bed when the Saints replied immediately with a goal at the other end with Daniel Kelly racing through before powering a powerful effort to the net.
Damian Gillan was proving unmarkable and he added another in the 42nd minute as the Ballymena men reasserted their authority and ensured Ardoyne’s brief spell of momentum would count for little.
With the game effectively settled, Ballymena refused to take their foot of the pedal and Cormac Magill added to their total before Luke O’Rawe got in on the scoring act, further stretching the margin as the All Saints attack continued to rack up scores.
Ardoyne, never gave up but were given precious little opportunity to build any sustained pressure of their own and an already difficult task became impossible when they had a second player sent off as a bit of frustration crept into their play.
Gillan remained central to the Ballymena charge, producing another excellent point in the 53rd minute before completing the scoring three minutes later with another impressive effort.
It was an emphatic finish to an afternoon in which All Saints had controlled the contest from the outset, combining accuracy in front of the posts with an attacking fluency that Ardoyne struggled to live with.
A bad night for an Ardoyne side who quite simply never got going but they will take some consolation from the fact that they have already collected the Division Four title, and promotion to the third tier.
For All Saints, however, this was a thoroughly convincing performance. They were sharper from the throw-in, more clinical in possession and relentless in their pursuit of scores, leaving little doubt as to who deserved the spoils on a very impressive evening at Dunsilly.
Ballymena All Saints: R McAllister; K Brady, D McKee, F Connon; D Gray, R Crooks, N Savage; Luke Mulho, H Connon 0-1; L Mulholland 0-1, C Magill 0-5, L O’Rawe 0-1; J Magill 0-1, D Kelly 1-3, D Gillan 0-9 (2F)
Ardoyne Kickhams: C O’Neill; C Clarke, P Baker, E Corey; S Searle, C Wallace, P Clarke; M Cromie, P McGuigan 0-1; A Stewart, C Barnes, D Martin; F Lagan, J Callinan, P McGreevy 1-2
Referee: Seamus Shannon
