Intermediate Hurling Championship, Round two

St Paul’s 2-8 Glenariffe Oisins 4-12

Despite conceding 2-1 in the final five minutes the Oisins had too much fire power for St Paul’s when the sides met in Round 2 of the Intermediate Hurling Championship at Shaw’s Road on Saturday evening. After leading by 1-9 to 0-4 at half time the Oisins pushed on the second period and three goals put them well clear. However St Paul’s came with a late run and two goals inside a minute left a few of the Glenariffe followers a little anxious, but they soon steadied the ship again to push on and get their first win of the campaign.

Playing with a strong wind at their backs in the opening half the Glensmen, who were short a few regulars through injury and suspensions, picked off the points through Coalan O’Connor (2), Conrad McDonnell, Seanie McIntosh and Daniel Kearney to lead 0-5 to 0-0 after eleven minutes. Caolan Crossan opened the St Paul’s account with a point in the twelfth minute, but the visitors came back with further points from O’Connor and McIntosh to go 0-7 to 0-1 clear at the end of the opening quarter.

St Paul’s were creating chances but their shooting into the difficult wind was letting them down, but points by Caolan Crossan and Caolan Duffin kept them in touch until man of the match Caolan O’Connor cut through for the first goal of the game on 24 minutes, and the Oisins reached half time with a 1-9 to 0-4 advantage.

With the wind at their backs in the second half  St Paul’s started promisingly and Stephen Rooney sent over a massive free from inside his own half. Things were looking better for the Belfast side when Marcus Munce cut in along the endline and went for goal, but the Oisins keeper Seanan McToal was equal to the shot and the danger was cleared. Lorcan Phillips did add a point with a fine left sided strike soon afterward and the gap was down to six but the Oisins finally opened their second half account when substitute Dan McKillop fired home a goal from a rebound and from then on things went a lot smoother. Substitute Alex O’Boyle, who had not started because of a niggling injury, came on and was immediately into the action, showing great bravery to pull a ground shot to the net, but the ace forward was injured in a collision with the St Paul’s goalkeeper in doing so and had to be brought back off again. A great solo score from Marcus Munce saw St Paul’s get a point back but game was ended as a contest when Caolan O’Connor grabbed his team’s fourth goal, and though St Paul’s came back with two goals inside a minute late in the game, the Oisins ended with late points from Dan McKillop and Aaron Cosgrove.

The first step in their recovery of the Oisins, but it is a long road ahead for the Glenariffe men. They have a home game against neighbours Con Magees next time out, before ending their campaign back in Belfast where they take on Sarsfields in the Bear Pit. As for St Paul’s that would appear to be the end of the road for this season, especially with Sarsfields and Creggan still to come.

Andersonstown SC IHC Group 2

 CREGGAN 0.10 v SARSFIELD 1.10.

When Sarsfield’s turned off to the Staffordstown Road, they could have been mistaken in thinking that this was their first match in the League and not the Championship given the miserable cold, dark and wet weather conditions.  Things didn’t improve much on the field either as both teams struggled with the conditions. 

This contest was not going to be one to remember with the only two memorable highlights coming when Donal McKernan hit a superb sideline cut from 30 metres over the bar and Creggan’s Conor McCann’s 20 metre free ricocheted off the cross bar late in the game, giving the Paddies a 3-point win.

 Referee, Kevin Parkes, got proceedings underway.  The City side needed a win and the home side needed a good performance but poor weather conditions ensured that this encounter would be a scrappy affair.  The home side were wind assisted and raked up 4 points by the 7^th minute – 3 frees from Conor McCann and one from play from Kevin Rice.  

As the visitors struggled for possession it was almost 9 minutes before they got their first of 3 pointed frees in the first half – one from Kevin McKernan, another from Niall McKernan and their last score, 20 minutes in, was also from Niall McKernan.   

The home side were to increase their lead to 4 points before the short whistle with half back, Jake McAteer,  striking a fine ball over the bar along with his team mate, Conor McCann, finishing off his first half tally, by adding 2 points – one from play and one from a free. 

As the wind increased, the visitors played the intelligent game by slowing things down resulting in Creggan not being able to capitalize as their wide tally reached 7 and converting a few of these would have been vital going into the second half.

HALF TIME SCORE:          CREGGAN 0.07 v SARSFIELDS 0.03

It was Creggan’s free taker, Conor McCann who got the first score of the second half from a placed ball to give his team a 5-point lead.  The Stewartstown Road men had to narrow the gap, and this they did from 2 points in quick succession on the 33^rd and 35^th minute, from Kevin McKernan, one from a placed ball and the other from play. 

This lifted the travelling support and 2 minutes later, Gary Lennon, added another point to leave it a 2-point game.   Midway through the second half it was anyone’s game as both sides struggled with the poor conditions, however, it was the City side who capitalized as the light faded. 

As a high ball was sent into the edge of the home side’s square, Creggan keeper, Thomas McCann and Full back, Aidan Maguire, together with the visitors’, Gary Lennon, all scrambled for possession with McCann hauling down Lennon at the expense of a penalty.

Niall McKernan, stepped up with the Creggan’s keeper going the right way but he just could not get his stick to the ball.  Sarsfield’s were in front for the first time with 41 minutes gone however, Creggan drew level with another free from McCann. 

As the match progressed, a beautiful side line cut from Kevin McKernan sailed over the bar to put Sarsfield’s ahead again.  Conor McCann replied in the 48^th minute matters to level matters once more but this would be Creggan’s last score of the game.

The ‘Paddies’ finished strongly with 2 more pointed frees from Niall McKernan and at this stage Creggan needed a goal and they threw everything at the visitors defence. They launched a number of high balls into the danger area but the visitors survived the onslaught.

The home side were thrown one last chance as Conor McCann lined up to take a 20 metre free, facing a packed Sarsfield’s defence  and  McCann directed his shot superbly, aiming for the small patch of daylight below the black spot. 

The ball ricocheted off the crossbar however and that was the contest over, giving the Paddies a win they needed and leaving Creggan to fight another day.

  CREGGAN: No.1 Thomas McCann, No.2 Aidan Maguire, No.3 Aidan McKeown, No.4 Sennan O’Boyle, No.5 Jake McAteer (0.01), No.6 Kealan McCann, No.7 Tiarnan McLarnon, No.8 Sean Duffin, No.9 Niall McAuley, No.10 Kevin Rice (0.01), No.11 Cormac Rice, No.12 Dannan O’Hara, No.13 Conor McCann (0.08), No.14 Michael Maguire, No.15 Paedar McGuckian, No.16 Michael Carey Small, No.17 Brendan Maguire, No.18 Joseph James Smyth, No.19 Caolan Hughes, No.20 Owen Grant.

 SARSFIELDS: No.1 Gerard McKernan, No.2 Niall McAlea, No.4 Mark McCavanagh, No.6 Conall McKernan (0.01), No.7 Enda McCartan, No.8 Kevin McKernan (0.04), No.9 Daniel McKernon, No.10 David Smyth, No.11 Donal McKernan, No.12 Oisin Coleman, No.13 Gary Lennon, No.14 Niall McKernan (1.04), No.16 Anthony McGarrigle, No.17 Brendan McGibbon, No.18 Conall Jemfrey, No.19 Darragh Coleman, No.20 David McAllister, No.21 Naoise O’Faolain, No.22 Joseph McGirk, No.25 Jim McKernan, No.26 Jack Daniels, No.27 James Cunningham, No.29 Nicholas O’Muallane.

 REFEREE: Kevin Parke.

Andersonstown Social Club Intermediate Hurling Championship

Group 1 – Round 2

Tir na nÓg 2-15 Carey Faughs 2-13

Tir na nÓg came from 0-02 to 0-10 down after 28 minutes to beat Carey Faughs by 2-15 to 2-13 in a Friday evening’s enthralling Intermediate Hurling Championship round 2 game at Whitehill and put themselves in a very strong position with two wins from two in this five team group. Carey on the other hand, many peoples favourites to win the competition after playing their hurling in Division 1 this season, now have a mountain to climb with just one point from their two games and they now need to win their two remaining games against Glenarm and Cushendun if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

As Storm Betty began to announce her arrival the Faughs were brilliant in the opening half and with the wind behind them they dominated the opening quarter, at the end of which they led by 0-7 to 0-1. Connor McBride and Conlith McKinley got the first two points, and after Duffin got one back for the home team Shea Hunter hit three, McBride two and Caolan McCaughan one.                   

Tir na nOg’s right half forward Sean Duffin had got his side’s only score from a free, but his normally reliable free taking was letting him down badly and he missed his next five attempts from placed balls, and the pressure was beginning to build on Randalstown men as Carey moved eight ahead (0-9 to 0-1).

The team management had kept faith in their man, though when Duffin finally broke his duck on 27 minutes it didn’t really appear to matter, especially when Shea Hunter replied for the Faughs inside 30 seconds to restore their eight point cushion. However everything was to change in the final couple of minutes as Tir na nÓg hit back with a goal, brilliantly taken by full forward Darragh Fagan, and a point from centre forward Ciaran Logan to cut the gap back to five by the time Mark O’Neill sounded the half time whistle.

When Sean Duffin got the opening point of the second half to leave just five in it the home fans must have felt they were really back in the game, but when Carey’s James Rocket Black dropped a long free into the Tir na nÓg goalmouth, midfielder Caolan McCaughan connected overhead and sent the ball to the Randalstown net the gap was back out to seven.

The Faughs fans must have felt their team were in the driving seat again, but Tir na nÓg took control of the game and during the next fifteen minutes they controlled the game. Duffin started the comeback with two pointed frees, one of them from inside his own half, before Ciaran Logan added one from play. Duffin stepped up again and drilled one between the posts on 47 minutes, before midfielder Aaron McNeilly added one to cut the gap back two. Things got worse for the Ballyvoy men when Randalstown full forward Darragh Fagan ran at the Faughs defence before putting Oliver McAtamney clear to the right of goal and the substitute, who had just been on the field for four minutes, drove a low shot to the Carey net to put his team in front for the first time in the game.

Carey were in trouble, but they dug deep and a brilliantly struck free into the strong breeze by Conlith McKinley brought them level to set up a pulsating last ten minutes. Aaron McNeilly edged the home team back in front, but Conor McBride restored parity with a fine point at the other end for the Faughs. When Duffin added two more from placed balls to give Tir na nÓg a two point cushion with time almost up the game appeared to be decided, but a long free into the Tir na nÓg square broke to Conor McBride who hit a great ground shot to the net and give them back the lead.

The boys from Barnish must have felt they had done enough to get something out of the game at this stage, but Duffin hit the equaliser just on the hour mark, and edged his team back ahead a minute later, before Eamon Og McAllister hit the last score of the game deep in injury time to give his team a two point win.

Once again the Intermediate championship has thrown up a great game. Tir na nÓg have one foot in the semi-finals, and though Carey’s have a massive task on their hands they can still get there, especially if they reproduce the form they showed in the opening half of this game.

TIR NA NÓG

Kevin Sheerin, Brandon McLarnon, Ciara O’Neill, Darragh Martin, Conor McCamphill, Caoimhin Duffifn, Daniel Martin, Aaron McNeilly, Ciaran McKeown, Sean Duffin, Ciaran Logan, Eamon Og McAllister, Joe McCormick, Darragh Fagan, Kevin McCann

Subs – Tony Martin for McCamphill; Oliver McAtamney for Logan

CAREY FAUGHS

Christopher Butler, Daniel Hill, Sean McBride, Colm McBride, Michael McVeigh, James McCouaig, Peadar McVeigh, Caolan McCaughan, Conlith McKinley, John McBride, Fiachra McVeigh, Shea Hunter, Connor McBride, James Black, Patrick Gillan.

Referee – Mark O’Neill (Armoy)

Glenravel 0-18   St Pauls 0-11

Con Magees Glenravel upset the form book with a good victory over St Pauls, Belfast who have plied their trade a division above the Glensmen this year. Ahead by six points at half time and going on to win by seven, Glenravel were not at all flattered by the scoreline. The home side signalled their intentions early recording seven unanswered points in a ten minute spell in the opening quarter which gave them a seven point lead – a lead they would go on to win the match by. The visitors were not helped by some wayward shooting across the hour but at no time did they look likely to mount a real threat, even when they went in search of majors in the closing minutes. Sterling defensive work by Glenravel’s full back line and keeper thwarted several scoring attempts from the men in red and white.

Conleth O’Loan pointed from a free in the opening minute and Declan Traynor doubled that lead two minutes later. Daire Stevenson drew one back for St Pauls from a free. Stevenson proved to be St Pauls main threat over the hour finishing with seven points all from placed balls. Midfielder Aaron Carey levelled the game but from the fifth to the fifteenth minute Glenravel went into overdrive with that seven point mauling. Conleth O’Loan and Cormac McKeown providing two each and with Conor Deery, Declan Traynor, and Ciaran Laverty getting in the act as well Glenravel exited the first quarter with a seven point lead 0-09 to 0-02. Daire Stevenson put over a sixty five for St Pauls but back came the home side with points from Declan Traynor and James Duffin. In the closing minutes of the first half St Pauls took control off the game but wayward shooting impacted their ability to capitalise on that possession and they had to make do with a brace of points from the reliable Daire Stevenson. Referee Brendan Toland brought the first half to conclusion with Glenravel ahead 0-11 to 0-05.

St Pauls would now have the benefit of a reasonable wind and needed a  strong start to the second half. Stevenson reduced the gap to five points after two minutes but that was quickly cancelled out by a Cormac McKeown point. Full forward Caolán Ó Duibhfinn restored the five point gap but then a brace of points from Cormac McKeown and Conleth O’Loan put Glenravel firmly in the driving seat leading 0-14 to 0-07 and ten minutes played in the second half. Ó Duibhfinn got his second and St Pauls eighth point to leave it a six point game again. In the closing quarter Declan Traynor was finding some space and would go on to score three fine scores from play. Conleth O’Loan added another during which time Stevenson and Aaron Carey had pulled a couple back for the Belfast men but it wasn’t going to be enough as Glenravel now enjoyed an eight point lead. At this stage St Pauls needed goals but they found Glenravel’s defence water tight and in no mood to concede. On a couple of occasions when  they did carve open that defence goalkeeper Ronan Donnelly was in defiant mood and brought off great saves from point blank range. The games final score came from the cultured hurl of Daire Stevenson who pointed from a sideline cut – a moment of individual brilliance ending a game the Belfast men will want to forget.