Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Shane Uí Neills 0-25      Cloughmills  1-20

Glenarm’s hurlers recorded their second win in three days when they beat Cloughmills in Sunday’s Division 2 League game at Feystown. The victory comes on the back of Friday night’s game with Cloney Gael, which saw them hold out for a win against the Ahoghill side after a keenly contested game. Sunday’s game against Cloughmills was another battle between two teams who fought for every ball over sixty minutes, with a strong wind blowing towards the Feystown Road end which maded conditions quite difficult.

Cloughmills had Michael Dobbin to thank for the majority of their scoreline as he drove over 9 frees and 2 from play, Stephen Smyth hit a tally of 1-02 also.

Shane Uí Neills had Niall Mc Garel firing on all cylinders today as he pointed 8 from open play, plus 2 frees. Team mate Darren Hamill was also a thorn in the away teams side as  he hit 1 from play and 5 from frees, but played his captains role well, as he moved the ball on and repelled quite a few Cloughmills attacks. Barry Hamill, John Scullion, and Ben O Boyle worked hard in defence with Michael Fury tracking back to assist.

For the first fifteen minutes or so the game went as predicted for the home side. Getting the early scores and drowning out any threat. Cloughmills played and score’s in small phases and it wasn’t until the second half that they hit a purple patch.

Liam O Neill pointed early for the hosts, before Michael Dobbin hit two frees for the team from the Ballyveely Road.   

Darren Hamill slotted over a free to level the game before Sean O Boyle and Liam O Neill put Glenarm ahead by two scores. Glenarm’s Niall Mc Garel was a joy to watch as he pointed from out near the sideline. 

Mc Garel added two more long distance efforts to leave the score at -07 to -02.

Stephen Smyth opened his account for the visitors with a nice point before Dobbin adding another free.

A few moments later a perfect cross field ball from Barry Hamill out of defence to his brother Darren who collected the sliotar and split the uprights from forty yards. Mc Garel also lobbed over a fine solo effort as he bounced off a couple of tackles. Hamill then drove over another dead ball effort between the posts.

Cloughmills Stephen Smyth got his second point as he collected a loose ball and scored before Dobbin punished Glenarm with another free.

The scores where coming thick and fast as Mc Garel and Sean O Boyle struck for the hosts, only for Dobbin scoring a free again before James Doherty floated over a point.

Sean O Hare pointed next for the Feystown team but out of the blue Stephen Smyth carved a gap through the Glenarm rearguard and hit a low ball beyond Liam Mulvenna for a goal for the St. Brigids team.

The hosts hit right back with two points from Aidan Scullion and another impressive effort off the stick of Niall Mc Garel.

A free from Hamill was soon cancelled out as Michael Dobbin pointed also from a free to end the first half.

Shane Uí Neills    0-16      Cloughmills   1-09

After the restart Cloughmills  Dobbin continued with two more pointed frees, sandwiched between a reply from Glenarm’s Paddy Mc Auley. Eoin Dobbin reduced the arrears with two points one from play and one from a free by the midfield player.

Niall Mc Garel hit a free for the hosts before Dobbin replied for the visitors.

The main threat for the home team McGarel added to his tally with another dead ball effort, but the Cloughmills purple patch continued as they levelled proceedings with a Dobbin free and a Ryan McFarline point!!

Aidan Scullion, having a quieter game than usual, showed a bit of genius when he rolled a tackle and split the uprights to give the Feystown men back the lead  and further points from Niall Mc Garel and second half  substitute Ryan O Boyle stretched the gap to three.

In another Cloughmills play they levelled this tight battle again as points from McFarline, Ryan Dobbin and Aaron Mc Guckian set up a nail biting finish!

A frantic finish was on the cards but Glenarm responded well and produced the goods late on with Mc Garel hitting the ball with purpose over Cloughmills crossbar to leave the scoreboard level for the fifth time in the game. The home team’s captain Darren Hamill zipped over another free to give his team a one point lead and in the closing minutes Hamill judged a 80 yard free to perfection as the ball went right over the black spot for a two point win, which pleased the home support.

Shane Uí Neills

Liam Mulvenna, Liam Og Mc Loughlin, Barry Hamill, Ryan Mc Loughlin, Ben O Boyle, John Scullion, Michael Fury, Conal Ward, Aidan Scullion -02, Sean O Boyle -02, Niall Mc Garel -08 2f, Liam O Neill -02, Paddy Mc Auley -01, Darren Hamill -01 5f, Sean O Hare -01.

subs

Ryan O Boyle -01, Rory Mulvenna for Ryan Mc Loughlin, Declan Mc Dermott for Ben O Boyle.

Anthony McNeill.

Cloughmills

Chris Mc Kean, Jack Mc Dowell, Corey Blair, Sean Mc Kendry, Johnny Duffin, Ruairi Laverty, Rian Dobbin -01, Eoin Dobbin -01 1f, Aaron Mc Guckian -01, Ryan Mc Farline -02, Michael Dobbin -02 9f, James Doherty -01, Stephen Smyth 1-02, Shemus Duffin, James O Boyle.

Subs

Liam Kearns, Michael Reid, Conor Mc Kendry, Dara Watterson.

REITEOÍR  Coly Thompson  St. Johns

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Antrim Hurling League – Division 3

Glenravel 0-12 Davitts 2-11

Two late goals in the closing minutes of this  game rescued the league points for Davitts who turned round a two point deficit with as many minutes left of ordinary time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Fr Maginn Park. Ahead by one or two points for most of the game Davitt’s looked to be on course for a narrow victory but Glenravel drew level on fifty one minutes when Luke Loughlin fired over and when Oran Kerr and Joe McKay followed up to give the Glensmen a two point lead it looked like the league points would remain local. But in a cruel twist of fate for the home side as the clock ticked over to added time a speculative ball in from the visitors came off the upright and it was Davitt’s who pounced first to drive the sliothar to the net to put them one point up. Glenravel put on the squeeze in time added on but a long ball down field landed kindly for Leigh O’Grady and he duly delivered the fatal blow that put the game beyond doubt.

Throughout the game, freetaking was pivotal and Davitts lead scorer Christopher Gallagher proved unerring from distance with a tally of seven points from placed balls. Glenravel might look back at a lack of discipline that gave him that opportunity but in a strong cross field wind, Gallagher didn’t have many easy chances and did prove the difference between the teams in the end. Both sides are languishing in the drop zone of Division 3 so league points are like gold dust at this stage. That gold dust sprinkled profusely over the West Belfast men who will return to the city with a spring in their steps. Both teams still have work to do to escape the Division 3 gallows.

GLENRAVEL 1.Chris Quinn, 2. Ronan McCormick, 3. James Duffin, 4. Brian O’Neill, 5. Michael McDonnell, 6. Rian Lennon, 7. Caolan Lennon, 8. Luke Loughlin, 9. Declan McAuley, 10. Conleth O’Loan, 11. Ciaran Laverty, 12. Conor Duffin, 13. Odhrán McAleenan, 14. Jason Patton, 15. Joe McKay,

16. Eoin McCusker, 17. Declan Traynor, 18. Niall McKeown, 19. Ciaran, 20. Eoin Duffin, 21. Cormac McKeown, 22. Harry Fyfe, 23. Oisin McKeown, 24. Eoin Butler, 25. Conor Laverty, 26. Daragh Donaghy, 27. Ronan Donnelly, 28. Fergus Donaghy.

DAVITT’S 1.Antoin McLoughlin, 2. Oisin Heaney, 3. Michael Og Rowntree, 4. Nathan Maginn, 5. James Winters, 6. Christopher Gallagher, 7. Oskar Deevy Persson, 8. Peter Carleton, 9. Cormac Maguire, 10. Marcas Toner, 11. Paul Reid, 12. Caoimhin Rainey, 13. Michael Glennon, 14. Eugene Gallagher, 15. Padraig Keenan,

17. Liam McCaffrey, 18. Conor Hosford, 20. Leigh O Grady, 24. Anthony Rowntree.

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

St John’s 1-16 Cushendall 3-15

The Antrim Hurling League Division 1 clash at Corrigan Park saw Cushendall emerge victorious over county champions St John’s with a final score of 3-15 to 1-16. The visitors opened the scoring in the very first minute with a point from play by Oisin Woodhouse. St John’s quickly responded on three minutes with a fine individual point from play by Donall Carson. Cushendall kept the pressure on with a good long-range effort from Sean McAfee on four minutes, followed by another score from St John’s shortly after. Nicholas McLaughlin added to Cushendall’s tally with a point from play on nine minutes, while Fiontan Bradley slotted over a free on the 11-minute mark. St John’s found their rhythm again when Oisin Donnelly registered a good score from the left side on 13 minutes, quickly followed by a massive long-range point from Shea Shannon inside his own half. As the half progressed, both sides traded frees, with Oisin MacManus splitting the posts for St John’s on 22, 23, and 31 minutes, while Fiontan Bradley answered for Cushendall on 25 and 34 minutes. Thomas McLaughlin added a score from play for Cushendall at 32 minutes, but Shea Shannon closed the half for St John’s with a point following an interception, leaving the half-time score at St John’s 0-09 to Cushendall 1-06.

Cushendall exploded out of the blocks in the second half, with Fiontan Bradley pointing a 65 in the opening minute and Cathal McAuley launching a great long-range point just seconds later. St John’s stayed in the fight thanks to a great individual point from play by Donall Carson on six minutes. After Ryan McCambridge added a point for Cushendall on nine minutes, St John’s struck back decisively on 12 minutes with a well-worked team goal finished to the net by Oisin MacManus. The sides continued to trade blows; Fiontan Bradley pointed a free on 14 minutes, and Shea Shannon responded with a good individual score for St John’s moments later. Thomas McLaughlin and Fiontan Bradley added points from play for Cushendall approaching the nineteen minute mark, and a pivotal moment arrived on 20 minutes when the St John’s goalkeeper made a brilliant point-blank save, only for Fiontan Bradley to finish the rebound into the net for a crucial Cushendall goal. Heading into the final stretch, Shea Shannon kept St John’s ticking over with a long-range free and another point from play, while Oisin MacManus added a free and a final point from play. Darach Bradley also registered a point for Cushendall on 24 minutes, cementing a strong performance and securing the win for the visitors in a high-scoring encounter.

St John’s: 1 Barry Mc Fall, 2 Michael Darragh, 3 Conall Morgan, 4 Lorcan McCallin, 5 Enda McGurk, 6 Sean Wilson, 7 Caolan Wilson, 8 Caoimhin Hanna, 9 Aaron Bradley, 10 James Wilson, 11 Shea Shannon, 12 Oisin Donnelly, 13 Donall Carson, 14 Adrian Downey, 15 Oisin MacManus,

16 Conor Flannery, 17 Michael Bradley, 19 Ronan Donnelly, 19 Daire King, 20 Caolan McCallin, 23 Ruairi Galbraith, 30 Fearghal MacManus.

Cushendall: 1 Conor McAlister, 2 Aodhan Campbell, 3 Liam Gillan, 4 Francis McCurry, 5 Charlie McAuley, 6 Conor McCann, 7 Alex McCambridge, 8 Ryan McCambridge, 9 Nicholas McLaughlin, 10 Fergus McCambridge, 11 Sean McAfee, 12 Oisin Woodhouse, 13 Thomas McLaughlin, 14 Christy McNaughton, 15 Fiontan Bradley,

17 Fintan McKillop, 18 Senan Black, 19 Ryan McAuley, 20 Darach Bradley, 21 Killian McNaughton.

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McMullan Cup semi final – U16 Hurling

Dunloy 5-25 Ballycastle 1-14

Ronan Elliott put on a scoring show that saw the corner forward finish with a personal tally of 3-12 as Dunloy showed their full intent to march into next Sundays McMullan Cup final at Feis na nGleann

Ballycastle will see the slow start they made to allow Dunloy to run up a six point lead by the fourth minute of the game before they got going. To their credit the Ballycastle lads never stopped working throughout the game keeping touch with the free taking of Patrick Campbell.

It was a blistering start that give Dunloy the foothold in this game as within four mins Padai O’Kane (2), Cillain Cunning (2) & Ronan Elliot had spilt the posts to give the home side a five point lead.

Ballycastle did steady the ship as they got their first score on the board after six minutes from midfielder Sean McHenry. Both teams would trade points for the next five minutes with Patrick Campbell and Ronan Elliott with Cillian Cunning hitting another long range score.

The first goal was always going to be crucial and it was the home side who claimed it. Cillian Cunning found Padai O’Kane who soloed through the defence to unselfishly lay it off to Harry Blaney to fire home from close range, leaving James Moloney with no chance.

Ballycastle’s Peter Laverty responded with a point but they were not making enough inroads into the home sides lead. Ronan Elliott added to his tally with two more points on the seventeenth minute.

Ballycastle hit a purple patch in this period with three unanswered points all from the impressive free taking of Patrick Campbell and then one from Peter Laverty. But Dunloy again dealt the killer blow on the twenty third minute when Padai O’Kane made a great run through the Ballycastle defence to pop it off to Ronan Elliott to fire low to the net to stretch out the lead.

Ballycastle did raise their own green flag though a Patrick Campbell long range effort on the twenty fifth minute but this was wiped out soon after via the impressive Ronan Elliott to really put a stamp on the game.

The visitors opened up brightly with the first two scores from Peter Laverty & Conal Kelly but Dunloy then went on a run of five scores in a row with a well taken Padai O’Kane goal and four points with Cillain Cunning to give the midfielder a personal tally of 0-06, all from play, by the end of the game.

Ballycastle did struggle to find scores in the second half but it wasn’t without the work rate they put in. Midfielders Sean McKendry & Peter Laverty and Oran Baudant worked hard at centre half to create scoring chances but found the Dunloy back line too strong. Aaron Richmond & Iarfhlaith O’Kane putting in a good hour.

The second half scoring though belonged to Ronan Elliott who added 1-07 to his first half total of 2-05. His accuracy from the placed ball was perfect along with his work rate.

The home side seen out the match with a flurry of scores to leave the final score 5-25 to 1-14.

A very good contest between the sides, despite the scoreline, with Dunloy now advancing to the McMullan Cup final on the 5^th of July in Dunloy.

Dunloy

1. Tom Richmond
2. Noah Bradley
3. Aaron Richmond
4. Iarfhlaith O’Kane
5. Lorcan Martin
6. Oisin O’Brien (0-01)
7. Cayden McGuckian
8. Cillian Cunning (0-06)
9. Padai O’Kane (1-04)
10. Harry Blaney (1-00)
11. Peader Doherty
12. Blaine Mullan
13. Caden Doherty
14. Pearse McMullan (0-01)
15. Ronan Elliott (3-12)

Ballycastle

1. James Moloney
2. Tom Busby
3. Ruairi Laverty
4. Conal McAuley
6. Oran Baudant
7. Aodhan Black
8. Sean McHenry (0-03)
9. Peter Laverty (0-02)
10. Ronan McBride
11. Patrick Campbell (1-06)
12. Conal Kelly (0-01)
13. Eli Quinn
14. Dara McShane
15. Toirdhealbhach Ni Giolla Dhuinn

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