Andersonstown SC IHC Group 2

Cloney Gaels 4-15 Tir na nOg 0-18

The twin threat of the O’Connell brothers, James and PJ and a helping hand from big brother Boris were vital factors in this 9 point win for Cloney Gaels over visitors Tir na nOg in the Andersonstown SC IHC Group 2 in Ahoghill today.

In a tough and physical game of championship hurling where no quarter was asked or given it was the two man full-forward line of the O’Connell’s who provided that extra bit of class and scoring power to see the Cloney side through with a bit to spare.

James O’Connell got the Gaels on their way when he pointed a 70 meter free in the opening minute and PJ O’Connell followed from another much closer to goal before Tir na nOg’s ace marksman, Sean Duffin replied with a point from play with only four minutes gone.

The home side were edging the opening exchanges and Patrick and Donal Graham extended their lead to three by the 11^th minute but a Sean Duffin point from play and another from a free closed the gap to the minimum once more by the 13^th minute.

It was typical championship hurling with space at a premium and the challenges coming in hard and fast as James O’Connell moved the home side two ahead again but once again Sean Duffin responded for the visitors and Eamon Og McAllister followed with another to leave it 0-5 apiece after 16 minutes.

Duffin edged the visitors ahead for the first time in the 21^st minute and increased that lead to two from another free with four minutes remaining to the break and the Whitehill side looked to be gaining control but once again the Cloney side found a response.

James O’Connell pointed a couple of late frees and PJ O’Connell struck a great point from play to give them the lead once more but the home side had their keeper, Aiden Graham to thank as he pulled off a courageous blocking save to deny Sean Duffin what looked a certain goal with Duffin pointing the resulting ‘65’ in the last piece of action of the opening half to leave it all square.

The visitors wasted a couple of chances to move ahead as the second half action got underway before James O’Connell sent over a fine point from near the sideline to restore the Cloney Gaels’ lead in the 4^th minute.

The home side had started on the front foot and a great move involving several players saw Donal Graham race clear for the game’s opening goal as the Tir na nOg defence was split open and it was to prove a turning point in the game.

Three minutes later PJ O’Connell looked in trouble but released an astute hand pass to Neill O’Connell who found himself in space and ‘Boris’  fired past Kevin Sheerin for his side’s second major and got himself booked in the over exuberant celebration that followed.

The balance of play had swung very much in favour of the Ahoghill men as Sean Duffin finally opened Tir na nOg’s second half account from a pointed free and he added another from play in the 10^th minute to reduce the home side’s lead to five.

Ronan Graham replied for the Ahoghill men before Colum Duffin came back with a similar score at the other end and it was to provide a pattern for a time with Sean Duffin for the visitors and Ronan Graham for Cloney Gaels exchanging further points to keep the gap at six after 19 minutes.

Sean Duffin and James O’Connell exchanged further minors before Aaron McNeilly and Duffin again pointed for the Whitehill side to close the gap to four as they battled to get back into contention but an unbelievable piece of individual magic by PJ O’Connell put paid to that notion.

O’Connell robbed Manus Smith as he attempted to gather the sliotar before cutting along the bye line and firing past Kevin Sheerin from an almost impossible angle in the 28^th minute.

A minute later PJ turned provider as he robbed keeper Sheerin and sent the ball across the square where Ronan Graham gratefully bundled the sliotar to the net and finished in the net himself.

There was still a couple of minute to play and Tir na nOg went looking for the goal that might resurrect their challenge but the Cloney defence stood firm as they repelled everything that came their way with that man Duffin having to settle for a late consolation point.

This win moves Cloney Gaels above today’s opponents on score difference but the Whitehill side have played a game more. The Gaels travel to Gort na Mona on the 2^nd September and finish with an away game at St. Paul’s while Tir na nOg’s might need something from their final game at home to  Robert Emmet’s on the 3d September to secure a qualification place.

Cloney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham, 19 Stephen O’Connell, 3 James Magee, 4 Diarmaid Graham, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Bernard Graham, 7 Dan O’Neill, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Neil O’Connell, 10 Ronan Graham, 11 Thomas McGlone, 12 Patrick Graham, 13 PJ O’Connnell, 14 Donal Graham, 15 James O’Connell. Subs: Harry O’Donnell for Fionnbar O’Neill, Colla McDonnell

Tir na nOg: 1 Kevin Sheerin, 2 Tony Martin, 3 Daniel Martin, 4 Brandon McLarnon, 5 Ciaran O’Neill, 6 Caoimhin Duffin, 7 Manus Smith, 8 Aaron McNeilly, 9 Connor McCamphill, 10 Eamon Og McAllister, 11 Christy Sheerin, 12 Sean Duffin, 13 Kevin McCann, 14 Colum Duffin, 15 Josh Higgins. Subs: Niall Devlin for Josh Higgins.

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)

Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship – Group 2

Saturday 20^th August

Report by Niall Kelly 

Naomh Bríd Cloughmills 2-20         Lámh Dhearg 3-09

A game of two halves. A cliché often cited in Championship season but this tussle between Cloughmills and Lámh Dhearg proved to be the perfect illustration of such a game. Cloughmills Bainisteoir Joe Baldwin must’ve imparted some words of wisdom on his charges at the interval. Trailing by five at half time, the hosts found their bearings in the second thirty and managed to transform their wayward shooting into scores as they were a much more potent and dynamic attacking unit in the business end of proceedings. Their Belfast counterparts were the epitome of efficiency in the first half and utilised the stiff breeze at their backs perfectly. Two emphatic finishes to the net from target man Conal McGuigan ensured that the Biddies would face an uphill battle in the second. A battle that they were more than up for. Michael Devlin and Stephen Smyth played integral roles in blazing the trail for the comeback with both men top scoring for their side with seven points a-piece.

The Hannahstown outfit got the scoring underway and punished the spurned chances their hosts were guilty of wasting. The Red Hands were 0-04 0-01 up in the first ten minutes thanks to some pinpoint striking from their talisman Odhran Waldron. Cloughmills in desperate need of scores managed to respond through points from Liam Kearns and Michael Devlin. Waldron was on hand yet again to increase the lead before midfielder Ciaran Boyd guided a threading ball to Conal McGuigan who unleashed an unstoppable drive into the helpless McKernan’s net.

Cloughmills responded admirably though and two excellently taken points from James Doherty and one from a placed ball from Liam Kearns reduced the lead to two once more before disaster struck yet again on the 29^th minute. It was a familiar foe who inflicted the damage to the Cloughmills defence as yet again Conal McGuigan latched on to another high ball on with a superb fetch and drilled the ball home in an almost identical fashion to his first. Waldron and Stephen Smyth exchanged scores in injury time to leave the scores 0-07 to 2-06 in favour of the visitors at the short whistle.

The hosts were to come racing out of the traps in what set the tone for their tempo and determination for the remainder of the game. On the fortieth minute, they had successfully chipped away at the deficit and Stephen Smyth levelled proceedings after scores from Aaron Smiley (2) and Michael Devlin (2.) The men in red and white were somewhat shell-shocked at the ferocity and pace of the Cloughmills attack but responded well when that man Odhran Waldron pointed yet again before Ciaran Boyd split the posts from range with a well-deserved point on the 44^th minute. 

Cloughmills though were unperturbed and sought about going about their business in front of goal again. Two monster scores from opposite flanks from ‘Micky D’ and Eoin Dobbin drew the sides level yet again before the former sent over a sixty-five to take the lead for the first time in the game to a raucous roar of appreciation from the home faithful. It was a lead that the hosts refused to relinquish as they turned on the style for the remaining ten minutes. Stephen Smyth was wreaking havoc in the visitor’s defence. His trickery and pace were too much to handle and after firing over a superb score from over his shoulder, he then essentially sounded the death knell for Lámh Dhearg as he rifled home from close range following a storming run from Liam Kearns.

The scores kept coming as Kearns, Devlin and Smyth increased their personal tallies before Corey Blair put the icing on the cake after finishing a flowing move and a nonchalant disguised pass from Rian Dobbin. With the gap ten points as the game approached added time, the visitors had no other option but to revert back to a tactic that served them so well in the first half, as they launched the high ball into the square again to see what would stick. It’s not often a man can score a hat-trick and end up on the losing side but that is exactly what Conal McGuigan experienced in this one as he was on hand yet again in the dying moments to prod home among a melee of bodies. It would prove only to be a consolation and perhaps rather fittingly, Michael Devlin finished the scoring on the stroke of full-time with another expertly despatched free from range.

Both camps will have positives to take from today. For Cloughmills, they displayed a super resiliency and fighting spirit in order to take the two points from a perilous position. Although Lámh Dhearg will no doubt be somewhat disheartened with their second-half performance, they proved what a threat they can be in the first and made life very difficult for their hosts with solid performances across the pitch. Group Two of the Junior Hurling Championship is now beginning to take shape with Cloughmills atop of the pile on four points, followed closely by Glenarm. The next round of fixtures will certainly be an intriguing prospect with the top two and bottom two facing off.

Teams:

Naomh Bríd Cloughmills

C McKernan; M Dobbin, S McKendry, R Watt; J Duffin, C Laverty, A Smiley (0-02;) R Laverty, G Óg Laverty; J Doherty (0-03,) M Devlin (0-07,) E Dobbin (0-01;) C Blair (1-00,)  L Kearns (0-03,) S Smyth (1-04)

Lámh Dhearg

R McClennigan; M McGuigan, J Brady, T McKenna; S.P Gibson, P Mervyn, F Mervyn; A McGuigan, C Boyd (0-01;) D Murray, O Waldron (0-07,) N McGarry (0-01;) A Ferris, P Fitzsimmons, C McGuigan (3-00)

Andersonstown Social Club Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 1

Creggan 3-18  Glenravel 4-06

The scoreline suggests a facile victory for the favourites and the issuing of six yellow cards and one red would suggest a feisty, bad tempered affair but in reality neither are true. This was a hard fought game where both teams could only be separated by a single score for long periods. The home side started very strongly in the first ten minutes and finished strongly the last five minutes amassing 2-07 in that fifteen minute ensemble and that effectively is where the game was won and lost. The visitors clawed themselves back into the game after a slow start and had their free taking been more successful, especially in the first half, the outcome could have been a lot different.

Glenravel struggled to get up to game pace in the opening exchanges resulting in several frees which Oran McCann gladly accepted. His third free on ten minutes came one minute after Morgan Nelson had netted for Creggan leaving them 1-03 ahead; the visitor’s having failed to raise a flag of any colour in those opening ten minutes. James Duffin opened Glenravel’s account in the eleventh minute and Niall Donnelly followed up shortly after to ease the away fans’ nerves. Sean Duffin increased Creggan’s lead but back came Glenravel as Conor Deery found the net after a goalmouth scramble to leave just two points between them.  That lead was doubled when Oran McCann and Morgan Nelson pointed but James Duffin reduced the deficit to three, before Kealan McCann had the final score of the first half to send his team in ahead by four points 1-07 to 1-03.

Glenravel needed a good start to the second half but it was again Creggan out of the blocks quickest with Oran McCann popping over three frees and when Morgan Nelson goaled after four minutes of the half it looked all over with Creggan now in a commanding lead 2-10 to 1-03. The visitors however hit a purple patch with three goals in five minutes, Declan Traynor, Martin Scullion and Conor Deery the providers. Now we had game on our hands with the home side just edging it on the scoreboard 2-10 to 4-03. Connor Deery was put onto free duty for the Green & Whites and would record the next three points for Glenravel, two from placed balls but after each score Creggan recorded points of their own to keep the visitors at bay. Tiernan McLarnon, Kevin Rice, Dermot Carey and Liam McCann replied to each of Deery’s points and with five minutes left they were two ahead 2-14 to 4-06. At this point, Creggan were dealt a blow when they were reduced to fourteen men and an upset to the form book looked possible. But the headcount reduction seemed to spur Creggan on to greater things and in the final minutes they ran amok with some fine free flowing hurling to record 1-04 without reply. Captain Ruari McCann pointed to put them three ahead and Glenravel decided to chase the game by putting full back Shane Woulahan on the edge of the square. That backfired when Creggan’s full forward Kevin Rice found space and the net with only a couple of minutes left. That goal killed any fight back Glenravel might have mustered. Creggan went to score three further points from Oran McCann (0-02) and Diarmaid Mulholland to leave the eventual winners 3-18 to 4-06.

Glenravel cannot now qualify from this group and have only one game left on Sep 17th against Sarsfields whereas Creggan still have a chance to make it into the knockout stages but will have a couple of tough encounters at home to Sarsfields before their final game away to Glenariffe which could be pivotal in deciding who goes through from group 1.

Creggan:: Brendan Prenter, Aidan Maguire, Thomas McCann, Jake McAteer, Aiden McKeown, Liam McCann, Tiarnan McLarnon, Kealan McCann, Ruari McCann, Morgan Nelson, Oran McCann Sean, Duffin, Diarmuid Mulholland, Kevin Rice, Dermot Carey

Glenravel:: Ronan Donnelly, Caolan Mullan, Shane Woulahan, Joe Martin, Conleth O’Loan, Eoin McCusker, Michael McDonald, Declan Traynor, James Duffin, Ciaran McIlfatrick, Martin Scullion, Rian Lennon, Brian O’Neill, Niall Donnelly, Connor Deery.

Referee:: Brendan Toland

Andersonstown Social Club Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 1 

Sarsfields 0-19-0-22 St Galls 

Kevin Herron reports from the Bear Pit 

St Galls made it three wins from three and seized control of Group 1 in the Intermediate Hurling Championship with a hard fought 0-22-0-19 win over Sarsfields at the Bear Pit on Friday evening. 

The Milltown men started and ended the first half brightly with four converted Jackson McGreevy free’s helping them to a 0-09-0-06 lead at halfway. 

Sarsfields reduced the deficit after some early second half pressure, but five-points in succession saw St Galls open up a seven-point gap and despite the best attempts of talisman Niall McKenna and Kevin McKernan- the hosts were unable to salvage a share of the spoils. 

St Galls made a fast start in the Bear Pit as Tomas O’Ciarnan floated over the opening score and Mark Napier stroked a second following a nice piece of play with Fergus Donnelly. 

An angled reply from Niall McKenna got the hosts up and running for the evening and McKenna would stroke over successive placed balls, the first from a 65’ and the second a free after he himself was held back by Joseph McDaniel- dissent led to the free being moved forward and McKenna made it three scores on the spin to nudge the hosts in front. 

The Stewartstown Avenue side extended their lead through a fine effort from Enda McCartan and McKenna flicked over his fourth of the half after Caolan McKernan fed him a terrific pass. 

Patrick Friel responded for St Galls and the Milltown outfit reduced the score to the bare minimum through a converted Jackson McGreevy free.

McGreevy added two further frees in succession to edge his side 0-06-0-05 ahead, but Sarsfields restored parity through an angled Daniel McKernan point. 

It was St Galls who would end the half on the front-foot with three scores in succession giving them a 0-09-0-06 lead at the break. 

Tomas O’Ciaran doubled his tally for the half, Jackson McGreevy sent over a long range free, and Mark Napier stroked over from the dead ball after he was caught late by Donall Moran. 

The visitors extended their advantage after the restart, Jackson McGreevy dropped a 65’ over the bar and Tomas O’Ciarnan picked off his third point of the evening in the aftermath. 

Niall McKenna made a timely interception and shot high between the posts to settle the Paddies. 

Points were traded between Mark Napier and Anthony McGarrigle before Gregory McGreevy produced a fine score to move his side 0-13-0-08 to the good. 

The Paddies moved to within two-points of St Galls with three scores in a row, Niall McKenna added two further frees to his growing tally and in-between time; Daniel McKernan burst forward from deep and popped the ball to McGarrigle for his second of the half. 

Any confidence the hosts had gained were quickly extinguished however as St Galls hit back with five-unanswered points. 

Gregory McGreevy doubled his tally for the evening and back-to-back frees followed from Jackson McGreevy and Mark Napier. 

A side-line cut from McGreevy then landed to Ciaran McCaffery to steer a shot between the posts and McGreevy would then land his first point from play to move the visitors 0-18-0-11 up with less than a quarter of an hour remaining. 

By this stage in their opening round draw with OIsins, Sarsfields were well on the comeback trail it would take a repeat display for a similar outcome at the conclusion. 

They did respond positively with four scores in a row to move back to within three points. Niall McKenna was on-hand to convert two frees and in-between times the McKernan brothers conjured up points, Caolan sending over a magnificent long-range effort and older brother Kevin also dropping over an impressive point. 

Gregory McGreevy put an end to the hosts momentum with his third point of the half, though Niall McKenna added back-to-back frees to move his side to within two of the visitors (0-19-0-17). 

The Paddies were unable to apply any further pressure as they fought to maintain their slim deficit. 

Tomas O’Ciarnan and Jackson McGreevy (free) had inched St Galls three-points clear, only for Kevin McKernan to land back-to-back scores, the first a long-range effort from play before doing similar from a free. 

The insurance score arrived in the form of a Fergus Donnelly point that had St Galls 0-22-0-19 ahead. 

In the closing minutes Sarsfields pushed for an equaliser, but lady-luck deserted them and they were unable to land a late-goal as St Galls held on for a third win in the Group- which puts them in firm control with a game remaining against Oisins at the beginning of September.  

Sarsfields: D Ward, D Johnston, J Cunningham, R Carson, D McGuinness, E Rodegrs, D Moran, E McCartan (0-01), K McKernan (0-03, 0-01f), A McGarrigle (0-02), D McKernan (0-01), M Rea, D McKernan (snr), N McKenna (0-11, 0-08f, 0-01 65’), C McKernan (0-01). Subs: B Jackson for M Rea (HT), G Lennon for B Jackson (45). 

St Galls: K McGreevy, L O’Ciarnan, J McDaniel, D Wilson, N O’Neill, R Irvine, C McCarthy, J Hopkins, J McGreevy (0-10, 0-08f, 0-01 65’)T O’Ciarnan (0-03), G McGreevy (0-03), P Friel (0-01), F Donnelly (0-01), M Napier (0-03, 0-02f), C McCaffery (0-01). 

Referee: Colum Cunning (Dunloy)

Andersonstown Social Club Intermediate Hurling Championship

Cushendun 3-22 St Paul’s 1-13

Cushendun bounced back from their midweek defeat at Ahoghill to beat St Paul’s in Sunday’s Senior Hurling Championship game at CushLig an Airgid in the Intermediate Hurling Championship.

After falling behind to a free by Conall Duffy for St Paul’s the home team levelled through Conor McHugh and it was score for score during the next ten minutes with Duffy and Murray on target for St Paul’s while Harry Kilgore, Loaf McNeill and John V Morgan hit the target for the Emmet’s.

Points from McNeill and Harry Kilgore put the home team a point ahead but Sean Munce brought St Paul’s level on fourteen minutes, but the next ten minutes saw the Emmet’s get on top. Loaf McNeill edged them back ahead on sixteen minutes before grabbing the first goal of the game, when he drove a 20 metre free all the way to the net. Calum and David Kilgore added points to put the gap out to six, and though Conall Duffy pulled one back for the visitors, David Kilgore popped over a point before finishing a flowing move with his team’s second goal one minute from half time. Declan Chapman came back with two quick points for St Paul’s to keep his team in touch, but there was still seven points between the sides by the time Ciaran McCloskey blew the half time whistle.

 Kevin Murray cut the gap back to six with a pointed free from distance at the start of the second half, but Cushendun came back with five unanswered points, three of them from Conlaoth McNeill, and one each from Pearse Bannon and David Kilgore to stretch the advantage to eleven. Anthony Gallagher and Seán Mac Corraidh pulled two back for the Shaw’s Road men but the rest of the game was dominated by the Emmet’s. Pearse Bannon and David Kilgore popped over points, and though Murray replied with one from a 65, four in a row from Matthew McCartin, Conlaoth McNeill, Conor McHugh, Conrad McDonnell and Pearse Bannon put the game beyond St Paul’s reach

Full forward Seán Mac Corraidh got his customary goal for the visitors two minutes from time with a great finish, but Pearse Bannon had the final say for the home team to seal a 3-22 to 1-13 win.

CUSHENDUN

Gareth McGhee, Sean Hamilton, Aidan Corbett, Jack McKay, Tom Scally, Donal O’Hara, Archie McSparran, Oisin McMahon, Matthew McCartin, Conor McHugh, Harry Kilgore, David Kilgore, Calum Kilgore, Conlaoth McNeill, John V Morgan.

ST PAUL’S

Kevin Murray, Caoimhin Killyleagh, Fiontan Gallagher, Conor Gallagher, Tiernan Auld, Frankie Sewell, Marcas Munce, Conall Finnegan, Sean Lawell, Caolan Duibhfinn, Anthony Gallagher, Declan Chapman, Conall Duffy, Seán Mac Corraidh, Sean Munce.

Referee – Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel)