McKeever Hotels Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship

Carey Faughs 0-17 Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s 1-1

Carey Faughs secured a hard-fought victory over Glenarm in the Antrim Intermediate Hurling semi-final at the Antrim Centre of Excellence at Dunsilly, holding on for a 0-17 to 1-13 win to book their place in the final against neighbours Cushendun. Despite a relatively low-scoring first half, the well-contested match provided an entertaining spectacle that went right down to the wire.

Carey Faughs started brightly, with Patrick Gillan opening the scoring in the first minute. James ‘Rocket’ Black quickly doubled the advantage, and a further point saw Carey race into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead by the fourth minute. Glenarm responded through Niall McGarel in the fifth minute, but Carey maintained control, extending their lead to 0-5 to 0-1 by the 10th minute following a 20-metre free from Gillan and a long-range effort from Shea Hunter.

Glenarm began to settle into the game, with McGarel pointing a free. A missed goal opportunity involving two pf tje fprwardl temporarily stalled their momentum, but they quickly recovered after Conlith McKinley pointed from 40 metres for Carey. Daniel Black fired back for Glenarm to narrow the gap to 0-6 to 0-4. Sustained pressure from Glenarm paid off as McGarel scored twice in quick succession—including a superb effort from the left flank—to level the match at 0-6 apiece by the 20th minute.

Carey regained the initiative with a 60-metre point from Shea Hunter and a quick follow-up score from Callum Cane. Hunter struck again from distance on 29 minutes to put Carey three ahead, but Glenarm finished the half strongly. Ciaran Magill pulled a point back before Daniel Black broke away to send the ball over the bar, leaving Carey with a slender 0-9 to 0-8 lead at the break.

Glenarm stormed out of the blocks in the second half. Ciaran Magill fired over a fantastic point from the sideline in the first minute, followed immediately by a second. A third unanswered point from distance suddenly put Glenarm two points clear. Carey finally registered their first score of the half on eight minutes through a Gillan free, and Shea Hunter levelled the game two minutes later with a beautiful strike from the 65-metre line.

The final quarter saw Carey slowly pull away. Gillan proved unerring from placed balls, converting frees in the 13th and 17th minutes. Michael Furey responded for Glenarm from distance to make it 0-13 to 0-12, but Carey accelerated again. Gillan pointed another free, which was brought fforward following dissent, and Caolan McCaughan added a fine score from play. Fiachra McVeigh stretched the lead further in the 25th minute, though his effort was immediately cancelled out by Glenarm’s Sean O’Boyle.

After Gillan converted yet another free on 28 minutes, Carey looked comfortable with a four-point cushion. However, dramatic late scenes saw Glenarm substitute Paddy McAuley fire a goal with the last puck of the game, cutting the deficit to the bare minimum. The referee’s whistle sounded seconds later, ensuring Carey Faughs survived the late scare to advance to the final.

Carey Faughs: 1 Steven McGinn, 2 Dónall McKinley, 3 Sean Mc Bride, 4 Eoin an Chnoic, 5 Michael McVeigh, 6 Peadar McVeigh, 7 Shea Hunter, 8 Zach Mac Eacháin, 9 Pádraig de Buitléir, 10 Conlith Mac Fhionnlaoich, 11 Caolán Mac Eachin, 12 Seán Mc, 13 Pádraig Ó Gileáin, 14 Séamus Ó Duibh, 15 Fiachra McVeigh, 16 Cathal Mc Auley, 17 Ryan Mac Uaid, 18 Colm Ó Catháin, 19 Breandán Mac Uaid, 20 Eoin McKinley, 21 Eoin Mac Fhearaigh, 22 Seamus Seosamh Ó Broin, 23 Oisín Ó hÉilí, 24 Criostóir Butler, 25 Cathair Brogan, 26 Colm McBride, 27 Conall Mac Fhearaigh, 28 Séamus Mac Néill, 29 Aindriú Mag Fhearaigh, 30 Ádhamh Hughes.

Glenarm: 1 Michael Abram, 2 Ciaran McLoughlin, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 John Scullion, 5 Kieran O’Boyle, 6 Ciaran Magill, 7 Michael Furey, 8 Conal Ward, 9 Aidan Scullion, 10 Sean McDermott, 11 Niall McGarel, 12 Daniel Black, 13 Dylan McLaughlin, 14 Darren Hamill, 15 Sean O’Boyle, 16 Liam Mulvenna, 17 Declan McDermott, 18 Niall Rodgers, 19 Aidan O’Neill, 20 Liam Og McLoughlin, 21 Liam O’Neill, 22 Ben O’Boyle, 23 Paddy McAuley, 24 Sean O’Hare, 25 Rory Mulvenna, 26 Ryan McLoughlin, 27 Ryan O’Boyle, 28 Anthony McNeill, 29 Shea McConnell.

Referee – Kevin Parke

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