The draw for the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals took place on Sunday evening. Antrim’s reward for their win over London in Newry on Sunday is a difficult away trip to Wexford this weekend.
Preliminary Quarter-Finals
Offaly v New York
Sligo v Carlow
Wexford v Antrim
Westmeath v Laois
*The first team listed has home venue. The fixtures will take place on June 7 and 8. Details will be confirmed by the CCCC shortly.
Division 2 – Senior Hurling League
Loughgiel 2nds 0-15 – Tír na nÓg 1-18
Tír na nÓg came away from Fr Healy Park with a hard-fought win in challenging conditions, overcoming Loughgiel in a competitive Division 2 encounter on a greasy surface made tricky by heavy rain showers and bright spells throughout the evening.
The Whitehill men started brightly, establishing an early lead with sharp interplay and strong running. However, Loughgiel grew into the game and edged ahead at the break, 0-10 to 0-9, after taking advantage of a few missed chances from the visitors.
But it was the second half that belonged to Tír na nÓg.
Emmett Murray made an instant impact, finding the net shortly after the restart with a composed finish after intelligent movement inside. His work rate throughout was exceptional, constantly troubling the Shamrocks’ defence.
Midfielder Connor McCamphill turned in a tireless display, battling hard in the middle third, forcing turnovers, and drawing frees that were crucial in keeping momentum with the visitors. Seán Duffin showed unerring accuracy from placed balls, striking five points from long-range frees with confidence both with and against the stiff breeze.
In defence, Caoimhín Duffin led by example, driving forward and providing energy in the turnover-to-attack transitions. His brother, Colm Duffin, introduced at half time, helped Tír na nÓg gain more possession and assisted in several key scores that gave his side a firm grip on the contest.
Up front, Ciaran Logan top scored with six points from play in an energetic and skilful display, while Brian Fitzgerald and Darragh Fegan chipped in with two points apiece. Neil Shannon struck a fine point from the back, and McCamphill himself added one to round off a strong all-round performance.
Referee Mark O’Neill handled the match with assurance, keeping control in a game that was competitive but fair throughout.
In the end, it was a solid team performance that earned Tír na nÓg a deserved win in a venue where victories are never easy to come by.
Tír na nÓg Scorers:
Ciaran Logan 0-6
Seán Duffin 0-5 (frees)
Emmett Murray 1-1
Brian Fitzgerald 0-2
Darragh Fegan 0-2
Connor McCamphill 0-1
Neil Shannon 0-1
Tír na nÓg Team:
Kevin Sheerin
Neil Shannon
Ciaran O’Neill
Manus Smith
Caoimhín Duffin
Seán Duffin
Dylan McLarnon
Seán McKinley
Connor McCamphill
Ciaran Logan
Josh Higgins
Darragh Fegan
Brian Fitzgerald
Emmett Murray
Declan Mallon
Substitutes used:
Colm Duffin
Seán McConnon
Senior Hurling League – Division One
Dunloy 0-9 St John’s 1-7
Sunday 1 June
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
A 58th minute goal from Conall Carson proved to be the decisive score of this match as the Johnnies defeated Dunloy by the minimum. In a match played in horrible conditions more accustomed to early winter than late spring, this was a contest won by the team that made less mistakes.
The Cuchullains hit an uncharacteristic number of wides in both halves and while St John’s didn’t fare much better, they took the goal chance that came their way.
Defensively, St John’s were solid with Ryan McNulty, Michael Darragh and Conal Bohill all excelling while Kevin Molloy, Deaglan Smith and Oran Quinn performed well for the home side.
Both sides looked to play a short passing game to combat against the elements. There wasn’t much room for any articulate hurling but both St John’s and Dunloy went about their business with controlled aggression and precision.
The home side started brighter with Nicky McKeague pointing frees either side of an Aodhan McGarry point to give Dunloy a three point lead by the seventh minute.
Oisin MacManus fired over for the Corrigan Park’s side first point of the match in the seventh minute to get the Johnnies firing but despite playing against the wind, Dunloy were making hay.
Points from the influential Tom McFerran and Ryan Mort stretched the Cuchullains lead to four points by the 10th minute but it would be over 15 minutes before the home side would register another score.
St John’s fired over four points unanswered in the same time period with Aaron Bradley, substitute Michail Dudley, Shea Shannon and MacManus tying the scores before a Nicky McKeague free in the 26th minute gave Dunloy a one point lead at half time.
Goal chances were at a premium in the first half with Eoghan Richmond not troubled while Domhnall Nugent did well to deny Nicky McKeague’s rifled effort midway through the half as the rain came down to resemble that of a monsoon.
With the elements showing no signs of improving, both sides work rate never dipped. Space was in scarce supply in forward areas with MacManus firing over the opening score of the half in the 34th minute.
Aodhan McGarry split the posts for his second point of the match moments later but that would be the last score of the game for almost 20 minutes. Dunloy had another half chance of goal with Luke McFerran going close with a drive from distance but Nugent was equal to his shot.
Nicky McKeague stretched the Dunloy lead to two points with four minutes of the hour remaining and with the Cuchullains looking to see out the hour, St John’s found the back of the net. Running off the shoulder, Conall Carson collected the sliotar and fired to the back of the net to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.
A point from the impressive Aaron Bradley followed to give his side the insurance they needed and while the home side pushed for a goal, a point from substitute Paul Shiels was all they could manage in the time that remained.
With these two facing off in the championship group stage later this year, both will be hoping that they’ll be playing with more fluidity and maybe drier weather. Winning the two points takes the Johnnies to the top of the table as the league splits ahead of the next round of fixtures.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Eoin McFerran, Sean Og Blaney, Oran Quinn; Ben O’Kane, Kevin Molloy, Deaglan Smith; Ciaran Elliott, Ryan McGarry; Sean Martin-McShane, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Aodhan McGarry, Luke McFerran, Ryan Mort
Scorers: N McKeague 0-4 (4fs); A McGarry 0-2; T McFerran 0-1; R Mort 0-1; Paul Shiels 0-1
St John’s: Domhnall Nugent; Ronan Donnelly, Ryan McNulty, Michael Darragh; Daragh McGuinness, Conall Bohill, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson, Shea Shannon; Aaron Bradley, Danaan McKeogh, Oisin MacManus; Conall Carson, Michael Bradley, Ruairi Galbraith
Scorers: C Carson 1-1; O MacManus 0-2 (2fs); A Bradley 0-2; S Shannon 0-1; Michail Dudley 0-1
Referee: Mark O’Neill
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Dunloy’s talented bunch bunch of player overcame a strong St Galls side in the sunshine at Dunsilly on Saturday to not only win their first A Football Feile since 2006, but also to win a historic first double Feile in both Hurling and Football for the North Antrim dual club, just 3 weeks apart.
The group stages for the southwest A Teams were hosted in Dunloy and the champions started with a comprehensive win over Tir Na Nog by 2-5 to 0-1. Dunloy Started brightly with a goal from full forward Dylan McTague. A flurry of points from Oisin O’Brien widened the gap and a second goal sealed the first group points.
Next up was Casements Portglenone and Dunloy started brightly again playing with the strong breeze. Goals from Paidi O’Kane in both halves secured another win with a scoreline of 2-07 to 1-02.
The final group game saw Dunloy play Aghagallon, which was a winner takes all encounter, as a win for the Aghagallon side would have saw them finish top of the group by virtue of the head to head win and proceed to the all-county final later in the afternoon at Dunsilly. Dunloy were in no mood to let that happen and again stamped their authority early in the game with goals from Paidi OKane , Oisin O’Brien and Tom Richmond, running out eventual winners on a score-line of 4-03 to 1-01.
The final played in perfect conditions in Dunsilly was a great contest for the majority of the game and the football on show belied the age groups playing. Dunloy started strong again with an Oisin O’Brien goal, before St Galls responded with a major of their own. A second goal for Dunloy this time by Paidi O’Kane saw the eventual champions lead by 2-02 to 1-01 at half time. Further goals by Blaine Mullan & Harry Blaney extended Dunloy’s lead and it looked like it was all over. However, St Galls had chances of their own and two outstanding saves by the Dunloy netminder Ciaran O’Brien, halted any resurgence from the Belfast team. A second point from Dunloy midfielder Ethan Guiney confirmed that the dual club from North Antrim would win a historic first Double Feile Championship.
Dunloy now proceed to the All Ireland Football Feile in County Derry on the 28th June, a week after they will compete in Wexford in the All Ireland Hurling Feile.
A great achievement for this talented bunch of lads. Team Mentors Enda Doherty, Tim McGarry, Kevin Doherty, Malachy McAleese, Ady Traynor & Adrian Black.
Feile A fooball Champions Cuchullains Dunloy
Feile A Hurling Champions Cuchullains Dunloy
Tailteann Cup Group Three
Antrim 1-22 London 1-14
Antrim overcame a strong challenge from London in Pairc Esler on Sunday to book a place in the knockout stages of the Tailteann Cup where they will face Wexford in Wexford Park next weekend.
They would have to wait on results from the other third round games being played today and when the news came through that Leitrim had defeated Tipperary it was the result that Antrim needed to keep their Tailteaan hopes alive.
The Saffrons started nervously against a London team that had ran them tight in last year’s competition and who obviously fancied their chances of claiming a major scalp.
It was a tight enough encounter for three quarters of the game, but a black card for London’s Matt Moynahan was a prelude to a run of 1-4 without reply as Antrim pushed on to win by eight in the end.
Antrim trailed by four at half time, but given the severity of the conditions, it didn’t seem an unsurmountable lead and that proved to be the case as the Saffrons struck two early 2 pointers in the opening minutes of the second half to draw level.
It was a day where both teams were not just seeking victory, but by as much as possible with scoring difference in play, yet with a strong wind that seemed to favour The Exiles, but swirled throughout, scoring remained difficult.
Antrim did get off the mark with Ryan McQuillan kicking points off either foot and the Glenravel man would play a big part in his sides success, but London grew into it as Daniel Clarke pointed and might have had a goal but Mick Byrne pulled off a fine blocking save to deny Ciaran Diver with the ball rebounding to Joshua Obahor to level.
Diver edged his side into the lead before Conal Gallagher slung over the first two-pointer of the game, while Byrne was again called into action to save from Ruairi Rafferty with the subsequent ‘45’ struck sweetly between the uprights by Sean Taylor.
McQuillan replied but Liam Gallagher sent over another two for London who were now five up before Antrim began to make some inroads with points from Conor Stewart and Paddy McBride.
Diver and Shay Rafter restored the Exiles 5 point advantage but after Stewart pulled one back, Antrim had an opportunity for a goal but Ryan Murray was denied from close range with the Lamh Dhearg man’s appeal for a penalty waved aside.
Instead referee Seamus Mulhare blew for half time and it was clear that Antrim had work to do as they headed to the dressing rooms trailing by four points.
The Saffrons were level within minutes of the restart with McBride and Dominic McEnhill landing two-pointers with the wind at their backs.
It remained tight with a Conor Hand 2pts briefly giving Antrim the lead for the first time before Obahor levelled it again.
The sides remained level going into the final quarter when Antrim struck for home as points from Adam Loughran and Ryan Murray were followed by an excellent sweetly struck Byrne ‘45’, which came after McEnhill’s 56th-minute penalty was saved by Andrew Walsh.
Matt Moynahan was sin-binned as the result of events leading up to the penalty and by the time he returned, Antrim had taken control to go nine clear with substitute Niall Burns finding the net despite the best efforts of Sean Taylor. Burns followed immediately with a point to announce his arrival in style and it looked well and truly sewn up at this stage.
The visitors continued to fight however and Shay Rafter fired through a crowded goalmouth from a free in added time, with management and spectators anxiously looking for the Limerick v Tipperary result, but late points from Marc Jordan and Dominic McEnhill were enough to see Antrim home and into the knockout phase.
Antrim: M Byrne (0-1, 1×45); E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, M Jordan (0-1); C Hand (0-2, 1x2p), C Stewart (0-2); R Boyle, A Loughran (0-1), P McBride (0-3, 1x2p); R McQuillan (0-4), R Murray (0-1), D McEnhill (0-6, 2x2p, 2f).
Subs: N Burns (1-1) for A Loughran (52), J Morgan for J McAuley (70+1), J McDonnell for R Boyle (70+1)
London: A Walsh; D Rooney, S Taylor (0-1, 1×45), M Moynahan; E Walsh, C Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p), K Healy; T Barry, L Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p); J Obahor (0-2), D Clarke (0-1), C Diver (0-3); R Rafferty, N McElwaine, S Rafter (12, 1-1f).
Subs: Subs: C McCarrick (0-1) for N McElwaine (25), C O’Donoghue for D Clarke (58), M Carroll for R Rafferty (61), C McKelvey for C Gallagher (63), O Hilley for K Healy (68)
Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)
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