U15A All County Hurling Championship

St Paul’s 4-07 Glenariffe/Glenravel 4.12

The Glenariffe-Glenravel Under 15 Hurling team scored a big win at Shaw’s Road on Tuesday evening when the beat St Paul’s in U15 Championship preliminary round.

Both teams showed great skill under difficult conditions but it would be determination and heart that saw the Glenariffe/Glenravel amalgamation succeed over a largely fancied St Paul’s team.

A first half goal from Ciaran McCann along with points from Canice McIntosh, Ronan Magee and Christy Leech took the Glensmen into the half-time break 1.08 – 2.04 to the good.

It was all to play for in the second half, a half that saw goal line clearances, hard running, chasing, blocking and a further 5 goals which kept the large crowd at Pairc Noamh Pol on their toes. St Paul’s never gave up and scored a fine goal but this goal didn’t deter the north Antrim lads who constantly ran at the St Paul’s defence. I

t was Canice McIntosh who eventually broke through St Pauls rearguard to clinically finish to the bottom corner of the St Paul’s net. Ciaran McCann’s determination bundled the ball over the line for his 2nd goal of the evening and it was Ciaran’s running at the St Pauls defence which brought him to the ground within the large rectangle and Canice McIntosh stepped up and smashed the ball home with pinpoint accuracy for the decisive score of the game.

Under 15 A Hurling Championship

Ruairi Og Cushendall 0-9 Dunloy Cuchullains 3-9

Dunloy caused a shock in the opening round of the Under 15a Hurling Championship in Cushendall on Tuesday evening when they produced a storming final quarter to beat Feile and League winners Ruairi Og by double scores

An exciting and skilful first half produced plenty of good hurling, but little on the scoreboard, as two good sides cancelled each other out and at half time the visitors led by 0-3 to 0-2, the Dunloy scores coming from Eunan Curry, Anthony Cochrane and Jay McAlonan, while Cahir McCambridge and Shane McQuillan got the Cushendall scores.

A second point by McAlonan three minutes into the second half to put Dunloy 0-4 to 0-2 ahead, but the next five scores all came from Cushendall as free takers Cahir McCambridge hit three, while Conleth McNaughton and Shane McQuillan got one apiece.

Three clear by the 39^th minute it looked like things were back on track for the Feile winners, but they only scored one more point in the remaining 21 minutes of normal time as slowly but surely Dunloy got on top. Another McAlonan point cut the gap to two and as the game entered the final quarter right half forward Damian McMahon grabbed the first goal for the young Cuchullains to put them a point ahead.

Cahir McNaughton pointed another free to level matters once again but the rest of the game belonged to Dunloy and three more McAlonan frees had them three ahead by the 57^th minute. Cushendall were pinned back in their own half and Dunloy’s pressure finally told as substitute Jack McQuillan and Eunan Molloy hit two late goals to seal the win.