IHC Group 1

Shane O’Neill’s 5-14 St. Gall’s 3-25

Whoever said that this Group 1 game was a dead rubber must have forgot to tell the protagonists, Glenarm and St. Gall’s as they served up a thoroughly entertaining game of fast flowing hurling at Feystown.

Going into this game visitors St. Gall’s were pointless so perhaps personal pride was the prize for a side who had competed well in their group games but just couldn’t get it over the line.

The home side started without a number of regulars who were absent for a various reasons but it was visitors St. Gall’s who came flying out of the start traps and threatened to over run their opponents.

They raced into a 3-9 to 0-3 lead after 20 minutes and at this stage the Feystown faithful would have been forgiven for heading home and when Rory Mulvenna kicked home from close range at the other end, it still looked a lost cause.

St. Gall’s pushed on to lead 3-16 to 1-4 at half time as the home side struggled to contain their pace and fluency as the Milltown Row men scored at will.

The flying Fergus Donnelly set the game alight with two goals in the opening minutes and a third from Sean McAreavey in the 20^th minute and Marcus Donnelly, McAreavey, Oran McIlhatton, Mark Napier, Patrick Friel and Fergus Donnelly amongst the point scorers.

It looked like an exercise in damage limitation as Shane O’Neill’s emerged for the second half but whatever was said at the interval seemed to have lit their fire as they returned as a side barely recognisable.

Barry Hamill had been restored to his familiar place at the heart of the defence as Dan Black and John Scullion got them off the mark with early points and Conal Ward added another before Michael Furey pulled first time to send a ground shot to the net in the 6^th minute.

St. Gall’s reacted with points from Jackson McGreevey, Fergus Donnelly and Sean McAreavey but there was a hunger from the Feystown side that had been missing in the first half.

Daniel Black led the way with a masterful display from mid-field and the points came thick and fast with Black and Niall McGarel leading the charge but it looked to no avail when they trailed by ten with 9 minutes remaining.

Daniel Black followed two well struck points with his side’s third goal as he fired home from the penalty spot to cut the deficit to seven as the Feystown roar gathered volume but a couple of Mark Napier points for the visitors appeared to ease the pressure.

The momentum was very much with Shane O’Neill’s however as Ciaran Magill struck a fourth goal and McGarel fired a low shot through a packed goalmouth for their fifth with time almost up.

Too little-too late as St. Gall’s climbed above their hosts with a five point win as the news filtered through from Waterfoot that Carey Faughs had defeated Oisin’s to top the group and qualify for a semi-final meeting with Cloney Gaels while Oisin’s will meet Tir na nOg in the other semi-final.

Glenarm: 16 Liam Mulvenna, 26 Rory Mulvenna, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 John Scullion, 5 Aidan Scullion, 7 Declan McDermott, 8 Kieran O’Boyle, 9 Daniel Black, 11 Ciaran Magill, 14 Niall McGarel, 18 Matthew Black, 20 Sean O’Hare, 21 Michael Furey, 22 KLieran O’Boyle, 24 Padraig McDermott,

St. Gall’s: 1 Kurtis McGreevey, 2 Daniel Churchill, 3 Niall O’Neill, 4 Ewan Walsh, 5 Gairech MacAdhaim 6 Tomas O’Ciaran, 7 Ryan Irvine, 8 Jackson McGreevey, 9 Oran McIlhatton, 10 Patrick Friel, 11 Cormac Sheehan, 12 Marcus Donnelly, 11 Marcus Donnelly, 12 Ronan Crossen, 13 Fergus Donnelly 14 Sean McAreavey, 15 Mark Napier,

Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfields)

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Intermediate Hurling Championship

Oisins 1-18 Carey Faughs 0-23

Carey held off a late rally from Oisins Glenarife to book their place in the semi-final of the Intermediate Hurling Championship against Tir na nOg in two weeks’ time. The Faughs came into the game knowing that anything less than a win wouldn’t be good enough and for most of the game it looked like they were going canter over the winning line, such was their superiority. However the Oisins, who started without four of their first choice players who will play in next week Minor final against Dunloy, brought two of those players on at half time, and the other two midway through the second half, and suddenly the tide began to turn.

The first two substitutions of Calum McIlwaine and Niall Magee had no apparent effect, and in fact Carey’s lead increased from six to eight, but when Orrin O’Connor and Phelim Ward were introduced suddenly things began to change. When O’Connor batted a high ball to the net on 51 minutes the tempo of the game suddenly increased and when Alex O’Boyle, Oliver Kearney and Seanie Tosh added points in quick succession the gap was suddenly down to just two, with five minutes still to play.

Shea Hunter put the gap out to three again and entering injury time O’Connor fired a shot in which hit the Carey goalkeeper on the helmet and deflected over the bar. There was still time to salvage something for the home team but Carey showed great resolve in the run-in to hold on and secure a semi-final place.

Carey flew from the traps and were 0-05 to 0-00 to the good after eight minutes Conor McBride, Paddy Butler, Conal McGlynn (2) and James Black found the target.

Brogan O’Connor and Seanie McIntosh got the Oisins on the scoreboard but two from Conor McBride restored the five point cushion midway through the first half. Glenariffe closed the gap on a couple of occasion but points from Conal McGlynn, Conlith McKinley and James Black stretched the lead to eight, before late points from Seanie McIntosh and Conor Kell hit back to close the half time deficit to six at the short whistle.

When the Oisins hit the first three points of the second half the their fans were suddenly in full voice, but Carey weathered the early storm and three in a row from free taker Conal McGlynn had the gap out to six again and they pushed that gap out to eight as the game entered the closings stages.

When substitution Orrin O’Connor doubled a high ball to the Faughs net, O’Boyle, Kearney and McIntosh followed with points and suddenly just two points separated the team.

The Oisins now looked like they could salvage the game, but the Faughs put their shoulder to the wheel and held out to win by two to secure a semi-final spot.

OISINS

Seanan McToal, Conor Patterson, Niall Murray, Donal Kearney, Michael Haughey, Daniel Kearney, Oliver Kearney, Odhran Gillan, Kieran McKendry, Alex O’Boyle, Ronan Leech, Brogan O’Connor, Dan Mckillop, Seanie McIntosh.

CAREY FAUGHS

Steven Maginn, Zach McCaughan, Sean McBride, Patrick Gillan, Michael McVeigh, James McCouaig, Conal McGlynn, Calum Cane, Caolan McCaughan, James Black, John McBride, Shea Hunter, Conlith McKinley, Patrick Butler, Conor McBride.

REFEREE – Mark O’Neill.

IHC Group 2

Tir na nOg 1-24 Cloney Gaels 3-13

The Intermediate Hurling Championship looks set to go right down to the wire following this high scoring thriller between Tir na nOg and Cloney Gaels at a sun kissed Whitehill on Saturday evening.

Going into this game the Ahoghill side had recorded three wins from three starts and looked odds on favourites to win the group but a power packed performance from the Randalstown side saw them take tonight’s laurels and moves them to the top of the group on score difference.

It was Cloney Gaels who edged the early exchanges as James O’Connell and Donal Graham eased them into a two point lead before Sean Duffin got his side off ther mark from a free in the 6^th minute.

O’Connell from another free moved the Ahoghill men two ahead once more but Duffin’s unerring accuracy from the placed ball would prove significant as the home side took control.

Duffin (f), and two from Eamonn Og McAllister saw the home side hit the front by the 9^th minute and another from the Tir na nOg sharp shooter and one from Ciaran Logan moved them three ahead.

James O’Connell replied from a free and added another from play as the visitors fought to get their own game together but Josh Higgins responded with a good point to edge Tir na nOg further ahead.

The Whitehill side were fighting with a great intensity and desire as Eamonn Og, Aaron McNeilly and Duffin again moved the Og’s five in front by the 21^st minute and further points from Ciaran Logan had them 0-12 to 0-5 in front with five minutes remaining to the break.

Their opponents had been sloppy and untidy in their passing with the ferocity of the opposition clearly knocking them off their stride but they rallied with a point from Owen Neeson and a goal from the strangely quiet James O’Connell to close the gap to three.

Eoin Graham did the spade work as he cut in with pace from the right wing and O’Connell was on hand to apply the finish from close range and put his side back into contention.

Aaron McNeilly and Niall Devlin added late points for the Whitehill side in reply to one from Owen Neeson for the visitors to leave the half time score 0-14 to 1-7 in favour of the home side and it was a lead they richly deserved.

Duffin would increase that lead to five with his 5^th of the evening on the restart and then Aiden Graham pulled off a fine save to deny Darragh Fagan as the home side continued to press.

Cloney Gaels replied with a point from Eamonn Brady but significantly the visitors hit four wides in an 8 minute period where they dominated possession and Eamonn Og McAllister responded with one at the other end before Dan O’Neill finally opened the visitors second half account.

It brought a response from the men from Ahoghill and James O’Connell finished a good move with his side’s second goal to close the gap to the minimum as Emmet Murray replace Niall Devlin in the Tir na nOg side.

Aaron McNeill and Sean Duffin from a free and Owen Neeson and James O’Connell for the visitors exchanged points to keep the gap at one before the Randalstown side stepped it up a gear once more.

Eamonn Og, Sean Duffin 0-2 (f’s) and Ciaran O’Neill struck four on the bounce and then an indirect free from distance by McNeilly fell invitingly for Eamonn Og McAllister who kicked to the net from close range.

It was as good as over at this stage with Josh Higgins and Sean Duffin adding late points but Cloney fought to the end and were rewarded with a late goal from Eoin Graham.

This win moved Tir na nOg to the top of Group 2 on score difference with today’s opponents joined on four points by St. Paul’s, who defeated Cushendun and Sarsfield’s who beat Glenravel.

So it will go down to the final day of the season with Cloney Gaels entertaining Sarsfields on the 21^st September and Tir na nOg away to St. Paul’s on the same day and at the same time.

Tir na nOg: Kevin Sheerin, 2 Manus Smith, 3 Christy Sheerin, 4 Brandon McLarnon, 5 Caoimhin Duffin, 6 Sean Duffin, , 18 Aaron McNeilly, 8 Daniel Martin, 9 Ciaran McKeown, 10 Darragh Fagan, 11 Ciaran Logan, 12 Ciaran O’Neill, 13 Eamonn Og McAllister, 14 Niall Devlin, 15 Josh Higgins.

 Subs: Emmet Murray for Niall Devlin, Neil Shannon for Ciaran McKeown, Conor McCamphill for Josh Higgins

Cloney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham, 2 Harry O’Donnell, 3 James Magee, 4 Bernard Graham, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Neil O’Connell, 7 Diarmaid Graham, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Dan O’Neill, 10 Donal Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Patrick Graham, 13 James O’Connell, 14 Eoin Graham, 15 Owen Neeson

Subs: Conor Crossey

Referee: Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel)

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IHC Round Robin 3

St Brigid’s Cloughmills 3-11 Glenariffe Oisins 3-22

Glenarife Oisins qualified for the semi-finals of the Intermediate Hurling Championship when they travelled to Cloughmills on Friday evening and beat the Biddies by eleven points to keep their 100% record intact. A brilliant second quarter which saw them hit 3-6 without reply in last ten minutes of the opening half put the Glensmen in a strong position, and though they lost their way badly during the third quarter they had done enough to seal the win.

Man of the match Seanie McIntosh played a leading role for the Oisins, as indeed did Orrin O’Connor, but Cloughmills matched them in the early stages, and indeed had the home team taken the chances they created in those early stages then it could have been a different matter. Point from the O’Connor brothers Orrin and Brogan matched scores from Stephen Smith and Kevin O’Boyle for the home side before three in a row from McIntosh, and Oliver Kearney (2) started to open a gap.

Callum McKendry and Eoin Dobbin picked off points for the Biddies and they should have had a good few more at this stage had they have taken a succession of chances they created. The game was still close on twenty minutes but the visitors finished the first half strongly, McIntosh starting the run with a goal and a point inside a minute. Orrin O’Connor and McIntosh added point before Conor Patterson cut in from the left corner and fired a shot across the Cloughmills goalkeeper Christopher McKernan to help his side to a 2-13 to 0-06 half time lead.

When Orin O’Connor and Seanie Tosh got the first two points of the second half to stretch the gap to fifteen it all appeared to be plain sailing for the Oisins, but they lost their way badly, only scoring two more points during the next fifteen minutes, while Cloughmills started to claw their way back. Points from Liam Kearns and Eoin Dobbin were followed by a goal from Martin Dobbin from a penalty. Dobbin and McIntosh exchanged points before Corey Blair got his team’s second goal with a precise finish just below the crossbar.

The Oisins still had a good cushion, but they were struggling to reproduce the flowing hurling of the first half, but McInotsh came to his team’s aid when the pressure was on and fired in his team’s third goal on 51 minutes.

Cloughmills hit back inside a minute with their third goal, again from Corey Blair, but Glenariffe gained the upper hand again in the run-in, hitting five points without reply to seal a semi-final place and stretch the winning margin to eleven.

Glenariffe are top of the group and sure of a semi-final place, but if Carey beat them in their final game in two weeks’ time they would move above them on the head to head. Cloughmills have all their games played but if Glenariffe win that last game against Carey then the Biddies would move above the Faughs on the head to head.

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Andersonstown SC AntrimIHC, Group One 

St Gall’s 2-15

Carey 2-20

Carey Faughs got themselves back to winning ways with a hard earned victory over a battling St. Gall’s for who qualification is now beyond reach following this defeat at Milltown on Friday night.

The home side looked to be heading for their first Group 1 win when they led the Ballyvoy side by 2-10 1-9, six minutes into the second half following a goal from the penalty spot from Ryan Ervine.

Ronan Crossen received his marching orders for his reaction to the foul that led to the penalty and when Patrick Friel followed him after being shown a second yellow the game began to turn in favour of the ‘Faughs’.

The hosts had been the better side in the opening half and were dictating matters until that double dismissal with the visitors taking full advantage of the extra men.

Immediately after Ervine’s success from the spot, Mark Napier had added a point to move St. Gall’s five ahead but Callum Cane’s second goal of the evening midway through the second period swung the momentum in favour of the Carey men.

Top-scorer Conal McGlynn hit the first two of his nine points for Carey with Conlith McKinley and Shea Hunter on target.

St Gall’s were their equal during this period with Patrick Friel, Cormac Sheehan and two from Marcus Donnelly – the second after a superb team move – ensuing the sides were level at 0-4 apiece after 14 minutes.

Then came the game’s opening goal as a ball inside broke to Callum Cane who found the St Gall’s net.

 It brought an immediate reaction from the hosts and after Fergus Donnelly hit back with a point, St Gall’s struck with an excellent goal of their own as Ronan Crossen spun his marker and raced towards goal from the left and fired past Stephen McGinn to give his side the lead.

Points from Tomás O’Ciarán and Cormac Sheehan followed before McGlynn hit back with one for Carey and the Milltown side were starting to take control.

They hit a number of wides at this stage and Carey took advantage with Fiachra McVeigh and John McBride replying at the other end to leave just one in it at the break when St. Gall’s might have been further ahead.

Cormac Sheehan and Caolan McCaughan traded points within the opening five minutes of the restart before a huge moment that would see this game turn on its head.

Ronan Crossen received Red for his reaction to the penalty that Ervine fired past McGinn after consultation with his umpires, referee Barry Winters dismissed the St. Gall’s man but allowed the penalty to stand.

McGlynn and Mark Napier swapped points as Carey then began to chip at the lead with Cane and Patrick Butler on target.

A pointed free from O’Ciarán kept the gap at three with 43 gone, but after Friel picked up his first yellow for a foul which McGlynn punished, the North Antrim men struck with a second goal as a long ball broke to Cane who finished first-time for his second of the evening.

Friel was then issued a second yellow in the space of just two minutes for a late hit on James Black and now St Gall’s were one behind on the board and two short in personnel.

Carey took advantage to push the gap out to five with McGlynn (two), Hunter and Cane pointing, but to their credit, St Gall’s did not give up and they managed to get to within a goal with two to play.

McGlynn gave Carey a bit more breathing space from a free before St Gall’s sub Sean McAreavey tried his luck from a 20-metre free that flashed outside the post and a further McGlynn free sealed victory for a Carey side who are back in the qualification mix with St Gall’s now out of the race.

St Gall’s: K McGreevy; D Churchill, E Rush, G Mac Adhaimh; P Friel (0-1), T O’Ciarán (0-3, 2f), R Irvine (1-0 pen); J Hopkins, F Donnelly (0-2); N O’Neill, M Donnelly (0-4), R Crossen (1-0); C Sheehan (0-3, 2f), E Walsh, M Napier (0-2, 1f).

Subs: O McIlhatton for C Sheehan (46), S McAreavey for F Donnelly (54)

Carey Faughs: S McGinn; Z McCaughan, S McBride, P Gillan; J McCouaig, J McBride (0-1), S Hunter (0-2); E Hill, C McCaughan (0-2); C McGlynn (0-9, 8f), J Black, F McVeigh (0-2); C Cane (2-2), C McKinley (0-1), P Butler (0-1).

Sub: S Mathers for E Hill (58)

Referee: Barry Winters (Dungannon)

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