Three late points, one from substitute Reece Cunning and two from midfielder Jack Martin were the decisive scores that sealed Dunloy’s win over Cushendall in Sunday’s Minor Hurling League game at Pairc Mhuire. The sides had been level on 2-18 apiece at that stage but those three scores were decisive, eve though Fiontan Bradly pulled one back in the last minute to leave just two between the sides.
The first ten minutes saw them level on three points apiece. Cahir McCambride pointed to put Cushendall in front but Dunloy took over at this stage and hit 1-7 without reply, the goal coming from full forward Oisin McCamphill while Luke McFerran, Paudie Martin and McCamphill shared the points
At this stage Cushendall looked dead and buried but to their credit they battled back before the break and points from Fiontan Bradley (2), Ryan McAuley and a goal direct from a free by Thomas McLaughlin left them just three adrift at the half time whistle.
Jack Martin pointed to put four between the sides, but it was Cushendall’s time for a spell of dominance and they hit six of the next seven points, four of them from Bradley and two from Charlie McAuley to level matters once again.
It stayed that way as both teams added two apiece but Dunloy got back in top and points from Ryan Scott and Paudie Martin and a goal from Aidan Richmond. Six behind Cushendall fought back again and incredible spell of scoring from Fiontan Bradley, which yielded a goal and three points brought them back level on 2-18 apiece.
It looked anybody’s game at this stage but Dunloy steadied the ship and sealed the win with the late run of points
Ballycastle and Glenariffe shared the spoils in Sunday’s Minor hurling League game on the second pitch at Pairc MacUílin after a highly entertaing game. When Conor Donnelly and Cadhan Crawford hit two superb late points to edge Ballycastle ahead in injury time it appeared that the Town had grabbed the win, but there was still time for the Oisins to save the game and free taker Phelim Ward grabbed the equaliser with the last poc of the game.
Ballycastle’s Conor Donnelly in action against Glenariffe’s Niall Magee
With Crawford and Donnelly in top form Ballycastle had the better of the things in the early stages and they went 0-7 to 0-2 ahead, with the two top scorers grabbing two apiece and Niall McClean getting the other, while the Oisins two points came from Phelim Ward frees.
The visitors were in need of a lift and it came in the form of a goal from centre back Niall Magee who soloed out of defence, laid off a pass and got the ball back before firing low to bottom corner of the Ballycastle net, and with Ward adding two more from frees the sides were suddenly level. Ballycastle pushed on again however before the break and two more from Conor Donnelly and one from Crawford had them three ahead at the interval. 0-12 to 1-6
Oisins’s centre back Niall Magee fires a low shot to the Ballycastle net
Matthew Donnelly increased the Ballycastle lead to four when he pointed in the second minute of the new half, but the Oisins were thrown a lifeline when Calum McIlwaine fired in a goal soon afterwards. Three points in a row followed from the Glenarife boys which put them two in front, but Conor Donnelly, Cadhan Crawford and Arden Kelly came back with points apiece to tie things up again. The late points from Donnelly and Crawford appeared to have won it for the Town with two great points but Ward tied it all up with a late free to earn his team a share of the spoils,
Ballycastle’s Cadhan Crawford soloes towards the Oisins goal
St. Paul’s visited Slemish Park on Sunday morning and left with both points after an excellent game of hurling with an All Saints side who were in contention right up to the final minutes.
A superb goal from Shea Burns, midway through the second half swung it St. Paul’s way and with Odhran Donnelly in great form from the placed ball the visitors pushed on for the win.
In the end the Shaw’s Road side were good value for their victory as they struck the woodwork on several occasions while All Saints keeper, Pearse Martin was in fine form for the home side.
It was All Saints who got off to the perfect start when Jakub Kaczmarek fired to the St. Pauls net in the opening minute but the visitors failed to panic and slowly played their way back into the game.
Darragh De Brun and Odhran Donnelly led the visitor’s comeback and by half time the sides were level at 1-3 to 0-6 with Conor O’Hara and Conall Boyd on target for the home side.
It was the Ballymena youngsters who made the better start to the second half as Keeper, Pearse Martin stepped forward to send a 60 meter free between the uprights and when Conall Boyd followed with another from a free they were two ahead
Another Boyd free extended that lead to three but St. Paul’s were quick to respond and Shea Burns soloed 40 yards before firing an unstoppable shot to Pearse Martin’s net and bring his side level for the second time
Odhran Donnelly edged the Shaw’s Road side ahead from a free and it was a lead they would not lose as the Red &White hoops started to take control with Donnelly striking a number of excellent frees.
Darragh De Brun and Donnelly added points going down the home straight and the flying De Brun saw a well struck goal attempt come back of the crossbar while All Saints continued to fight but were wasteful in their shooting.
They were finally rewarded when Conall Boyd pointed a 27th minute free to leave just a goal in it but the excellent De Brun replied with a point at the other end to conclude the scoring and ensure there would be no way back for the boys in black.
All Saints: 1 Pearse Martin, 2 Finn Connon, 3 Patrick Murphy, 4 Oisin Doherty, 5 Caolan Laverty, 6 Robert Crooks, 7 Conan McKeown, 8 Sean McDermott, 9 Harry Connon, 10 Ciaran Logan, 11 Jakub Kaczmarek, 12 Connor O’Hara, 13 Michael Connolly, 14 Jason McGregor, 15 Antoin Martin, 16 Conall Boyd, 18 John Ireland, 17 Sean O’Brien
St. Paul’s: Ciaran O’Carrol, 2 Conor Daley, 3 Bobby Jack Bennett, 4 Padraig Keenan, 5 Cian McCann, 6 Padhraic McKevitt, 7 Liam Murray, 8 Ewan McGreevey, 9 Garett Cowan, 10 Nathan O’Neill, 11 Micael Valley, 12 Odhran Donnelly, 13 Oisin De Brun, 14 Shea Burns, 15 Darragh De Brun
Subs: Ciaran De Brun, Gerard Maguire, Brogan McEvoy, Daire Maguire, Ronan Smith
League leaders Bredagh withstood a strong second half rally from Glen Rovers, Armoy to claim both points and maintain their place at the top of division 3 in a hard hitting contest in Armoy on Sunday.
The slick moving Down side were quickly into their stride as Ryan Curran set up Eoin Kennedy for a goal in the third minute after Ben Christie had opened their account from a first minute point.
Emmet O’Hara got Glen Rovers off the mark with a 7th minute point but Ben Christie restored the visitors four point advantage, two minutes later.
Armoy were enjoying their share of possession but dropped a number of long range attempts short into the hands of Bredagh keeper, Ian Galway who was safe and assured throughout the game.
Eoin Boyle finally got the distance right as he pointed for the home side in the 13th minute but it brought another response for a visitor’s side whose slick passing was opening up the Armoy defence.
Rory McCamphill, Paul McGarry and Lawrence Smyth hit three on the bounce to move the visitors six ahead with Trevor Linton seeing his well struck free come off the post at the other end.
A couple of late points from Emmet O’Hara for the home side closed the gap to five at the break but Bredagh were fully deserving of their lead as the sides changed ends for the second half.
Rory McCamphill from a free and Tarlach McBride from a similar scenario exchanged early points but a great long range effort from Liam Hogan and another from Ryan Curran had the visitors seven ahead with only six minutes of the new half gone.
The hits were going in hard and fast as Armoy started to disrupt the fluency of the county Down side and Emmet O’Hara saw his shot come back of a post before PJ McBride and Tarlach McBride from a free closed the gap to two.
Eoin Kennedy edged the visitors five ahead again at the end of the third quarter but Glen overs were enjoying more of the play and Trevor Linton (f) and Ian Galway from a ‘65’ exchanged further scores.
Two further points from Hogan and Christie for the visitors looked to have put the result beyond doubt but Armoy kept plugging away and Thomas Burns was on hand to fire to the net from close range after The Bredagh defence failed to clear a Tarlach McBride free that dropped short.
There was only three in it now and that lead was reduced to two when McBride fired over and the momentum was now very much with the home side but Bredagh refused to panic.
Fortune fell their way when they were awarded a free about thirty yards from their own goal and keeper Ian Galway became their hero as his massive shot sailed all the way to the Armoy net with Eoin Kennedy possibly getting a touch.
This win keeps Bredagh top of the league with four wins from four starts, two ahead of Rasharkin who have six points but a game in hand.
Rasharkin travel to Ballymena to meet All Saints and Bredagh entertain St. Brigid’s Cloughmills before travelling to Dreen to meet St. Mary’s on Sunday the 12th of May and that one could go some way in deciding who will claim top spot come the end of the season.
Brendan McTaggart reports from Healy Park, Loughgiel
Photos by Michael Corcoran
Both teams joined forces before the game to highlight their support for Gaels Against Genocide in Gazza
Loughgiel took the honours at Healy Park on Sunday afternoon with three to spare over Dunloy. It took an injury time penalty save from Chrissy O’Connell to prevent the Cuchullains gaining a share of the spoils however, the Loughgiel shot stopper denying Aodhan McGarry’s effort with what was the last puck of the game.
To those who are engrossed in the game, there aren’t many things that are bigger than hurling but there can’t have been many disappointed to see Paul Boyle back out on the pitch. The Loughgiel man playing his first competitive game since coming through complications, Boyle was outstanding in the first half. Raising five white flags in that opening 30 minutes, Boyle getting game time in his legs against good opposition with no adverse effects will have been exactly what Darren Gleeson and the Antrim management team will have been hoping for.
Paul Boyle who made a welcome return to action on Sunday – Pic by Michael Corcoran
Both sides free takers were their top marksmen, Nicky McKeague for Dunloy and Maol Connolly for the Shamrocks with four of the goals split evenly in the opening half.
Loughgiel were ahead by a point when Rian McMullan found the back of Eoghan Richmond’s net. McMullan’s finish was top drawer but it was matched by the pass and vision from Christy McGarry to find him in space.
With Loughgiel threatening to put daylight between the sides, Dunloy found the back of Chrissy O’Connell’s goals twice in the space of four minutes. Anton McGrath with the Cuchullains first major and again, it was another excellent strike. Collecting a pass from Aodhan McGarry, McGrath held off two Loughgiel defenders before dropping the sliotar low and firing to the bottom corner.
Loughgiel’s lead was out to three before Deaglan Smith fired Dunloy’s second. Forcing a turnover in the Loughgiel defence, Smith and Eoin McFerran combined with Smith making no mistake.
The Dunloy full forward was having a lively start to the match, himself just coming back from injury and he would finish the half with 1-3 beside his name.
Aodhan McGarry’s frees in the first half along with the brilliance of Boyle at the other end of the pitch kept the scoreboard ticking for both sides with Loughgiel edging clear again before their second goal came in the 28th minute.
It was Christy McGarry who applied the finish to take his first half tally to 1-2 but it came from the work rate and desire of Rian McMullan down the Loughgiel left to create the chance.
Five points separated the sides at half time, the home side 2-13 to 2-8 clear and on the evidence of the first half, it was a fair reflection of what had transpired. Loughgiel’s forwards and delivery into the attacking areas were on point with 2-10 of their scores in the opening half coming from open play.
Dunloy looked to tighten up their defence in the second half and restricted the Loughiel forward line with a zonal approach that stifled any room for the Shamrocks to flourish. The introduction of Phelim Duffin into the full back line also helping the Cuchullains cause in the second half.
Loughgiel’s defence was equally as miserly at the other end of the pitch. Counting the end of the first half, they kept Dunloy scoreless from play for 33 minutes although the Cuchullains did manage to keep the scoreboard ticking with some excellent free taking from Nicky McKeague.
The lead remained at six points with 15 minutes of the hour remaining, Maol Connolly’s sixth free of the match turning out to be his last and the Shamrock’s last score for 15 minutes however as Dunloy looked to eat into their lead through frees from McKeague.
The Cuchullains looked to have scored another major but a scrambled effort from substitute Barry Scott was cleared off the line by a retreating Tiernan Coyle.
Two points separated the sides in the last minute of the game when Loughgiel fired what was the games decisive and winning score. Eoin McGarry breaking free from a ruck and sped towards the Dunloy goal. It wasn’t the easiest of angles but the Loughgiel substitute managed to find the bottom corner with a super strike.
McKeague’s eighth free of the half and a rifled effort from McGrath brought Dunloy to within three as the clock ticked into the fifth minute of injury time. The Cuchullains looked for a goal to bring the scores level and when Deaglan Smith broke free, had a sight of the Loughgiel goal. He was brought down inside the square and referee Darren McKeown awarded the penalty, much to the dismay of the Loughgiel players.
Aodhan McGarry’s effort was struck well but O’Connell was equal to his effort and cleared the sliotar with what was the last puck of the game.
The game ended with some unsavoury scenes at the end with handbags being produced from both sides but it was all fairly innocuous with Darren McKeown restoring calm before leaving the pitch.
Subs: Seamus Dobbin for T McGarry (47); Eoin McGarry for R McMullan (50); Odhran McFadden for R McCormick (inj); Cahal Hargan for D McMullan (inj)
Scorers: M Connolly 0-6 (6 f’s); P Boyle 0-5; C McGarry 1-2; R McGarry 1-1; E McGarry 1-00; D McMullan 0-2; C Dickson 0-1; D McCloskey 0-1
Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Eamon Smyth, Karl O’Kane, Oran Quinn; Kevin McKeague, Kevin Molloy, Conor McKinley; Tom McFerran, Aaron Crawford; Eoin McFerran, Aodhan McGarry, Paul Shiels; Nicky McKeague, Anton McGrath, Declan Smith
Subs: Phelim Duffin for K O’Kane (HT); Barry Scott for E Smyth (42); Gabriel McTaggart for P Shiels (52)
Scorers: N McKeague 0-8 (8 f’s); D Smith 1-4; A McGrath 1-3; A McGarry 0-3 (3 f’s)
