O’Neills ACHL Division One 

Rossa 1-19-0-16 Ballycastle 

Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa

Rossa got their hurling league campaign off to a winning start, after holding off a strong Ballycastle fightback to claim a 1-19-0-16 win at Rossa Park on Sunday afternoon. 

The hosts dominated the early exchanges on the scoreboard with Deaglan Murphy converting two frees, popping over from play, assisting a Pearse Short point and then landing a magnificent angled score from out by the sideline. 

Neal McAuley opened Ballycastle’s account from a converted free, with Murphy adding his third placed ball at the other end. 

The elder of the returning Murphy brothers continued to add scores at will, conjuring up another free, younger brother Daire got in on the act  and a further Deagaln score from play opened up a 0-9-0-1 lead. 

Ballycastle would claw their way back into proceedings in the later stages of the half but for the meantime had to time their scores with Tiernan Smyth squeezing a shot inside of the posts. 

Rossa almost claimed the opening goal when Deaglan Murphy slipped a pass inside to Pearse Short, but Short was bottled up by full-back Dermot Donnelly. 

Four unanswered points would follow though, Deaglan Murphy adding another two placed balls, Eoghan McMenamin swung an angled shot over and Stephen Beatty dropped a fine point from range. 

The visitors ended the half in ascendancy with three unanswered scores of their own. Lorcan Donnelly floated a shot over from Dermot Donnelly’s layoff, he then got his angles right shortly afterwards and Cahir Donnelly would provide another before the short whistle, though they did have their work cut-out- trailing 0-13-0-5 at the interval. 

Half-time substitute Tiarnan Murphy clipped over the opening score of the second period and an Eoin Trainor score shortly afterwards had the winning margin at double figures. 

Like the opening half, Neal McAuley got his side up and running from the placed ball- dropping a 65’ over and it was the first of five in a row that halved the deficit for the visitors

Conor Donnelly opened his personal account for the afternoon, Cahir doubled his and further points from Seamus McAuley and Neal McAuley from play made it 0-15-0-10. 

Momentum was momentarily halted thanks to Deaglan Murphy’s seventh converted free of the day, though Neal McAuley responded from the same scenario at the other end. 

McAuley punished a further three infringements in the aftermath as Ballycastle had closed to within two-points with little over five minutes remaining (0-16-0-14). 

Another Murphy free again stopped the visitors momentum and on the 57th minute Rossa looked to have sealed the points when substitute Tiarnan bore down and steered a low shot beyond the reach of Eamonn Elliott. 

Ballycastle rallied briefly through a Seamus McAuley point from play and a sixth converted free from McAuley. 

However, the hosts ended the afternoons scoring through a splendid Tiarnan Murphy attempt that dropped over and point from youngster and substitute Liam McEnhill. 

Donal Armstrong needed to be alert to deny Conor Donnelly in added time and from the resulting 65’, Seamus McAuley floated the ball towards goal and Declan McCartney made a vital stop on the line as Rossa held out for a 1-19-0-16 win and join Sundays other winners on the league summit. 

ROSSA: D Armstrong, C McGuinness, C Orchin, C Boyle, D McCartney, S Beatty (0-1), O McVicker, D Rogan, D Murphy (0-11, 0-8f), C O’Neill, P Short (0-1), Daire Murphy (0-1), D Rocks, E Trainor (0-1), E McMenamin (0-1). Subs: T Murphy (1-02) for C O’Neill (HT), L McEnhill (0-1) for D Rogan (50), M Armstrong for Daire Murphy (55). 

BALLYCASTLE: E Elliott, O Kearney , D Donnelly, R McCook, M McClean, J McShane, R Laverty, S McAuley (0-2), Cahir Donnelly (0-2), J McToal, N McAuley (0-8, 0-6f, 0-1 65’), R McClean, Conor Donnelly (0-1), T Smyth (0-1). Subs: C Butler for R McClean (HT), D Kelly for J McToal (40), A Kelly for R McCook (45), C McAuley for L Donnelly (49), Darragh Donnelly for C Butler (56). 

REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (LÁMH DHEARG)

Division 1-2 Relegation-Promotion Play-Off

Shane O’Neill’s 2-17 Ballycran 2-21

Ballycran and Glenarm served up a superb hours hurling in this Division 1-2 Relegation-Promotion play-off at Dunsilly on Wednesday night with the Down men retaining their division 1 status for next season.

They were pushed to the pin of their collar however by a Shane O’Neill’s side who were playing division 3 and Junior Championship hurling only two years ago and were still in contention for Division 2 honours going into the final game of their league campaign before being piped by Carey Faughs.

The men from the Ards peninsula found themselves in danger of relegation from Division 1 following a league campaign where they were forced to field without their county players but with these men back in harness they were expected to deal comfortably with the men from Feystown.

That notion was quickly dispelled when Glenarm raced into an early two point lead through Niall McGarel and Ciaran Magill by the third minute though Ballycran might well have taken the lead themselves but Christopher Egan struck an upright after 20 seconds.

The Ards men were back on level terms by the 5^th minute as Scott Nicholson and Conor Woods split the posts but Shane O’Neill’s were growing in confidence and Conal Ward pointed them ahead once more.

Paul Sheehan drew the side’s level for the second time and Ciaran Magill set up Michael Furey for the game’s opening goal before Egan replied with a point at the other end as the intensity of the exchanges increased.

The Down men might have been back on terms but Michael Abram pulled off a fine save to deny Egan before McGarel edged the North Antrim men three ahead after 12 minutes.

Ciaran Magill added a point to move his side four in front and at this stage a minor upset looked on the cards but Ballycran hit back with a goal from Ayrton Gleeson after an astute hand pass from Christopher Egan.

The Ards side hit a purple patch with Conor Woods 0-2 and Christopher Egan adding points before Steven Gilliland followed up to finish to the net from close range after Michael Abram had denied Niall Breen.

It was the men from Feystown who would finish the half on the front foot as Dylan McLaughlin, Darren Hamill and Niall McGarel 0-2 closed the gap to two at the short whistle.

Glenarm might well have taken the lead in the opening stages of the second half but Kieth in the Ballycran goals brought off a good save to deny McGarel in the opening minute with Michael Furey denied in the follow up at the expense of a ‘65’.

McGarel was off target from the resulting award but Darren Hamill followed from a great long range effort to reduce the deficit to two once more.

Ballycran looked to be taking control when they hit four unanswered points through Steven Gilliland, Conor Woods, Ethan Bell and a Paul Sheehan free before Hamill interrupted the run with a point for the Feystown side.

It provided only temporary respite however with Ballycran replying through Scott Nicholson, Niall Breen and Paul Sheehan to move 8 clear by the 12^th minute and the game seemed to be slipping away from the division 2 men but they quite simply refused to roll over.

Dylan McLaughlin instigated another comeback with two excellent points and McGarel pointed a 20 meter free before Ciaran O’Boyle got in for a goal in the 21^st minute to cut the deficit to two.

Substitute David Gilliland moved Ballycran three ahead once more and Sean O’Boyle and Dylan McLaughlin for the Antrim side and Woods, direct from a sideline cut and Sheehan from a 60 meter free exchanged further scores as the excitement continued to rise.

Niall McGarel from a a ‘65’ closed the gap to two once more and it still looked anyone’s game but it would be the county Down side who finished the stronger as Paul Sheehan and Christopher Egan added unanswered points in injury time to see them secure their place in the top grade for another season.

Glenarm will be disappointed at the final result but can take great heart from their performance over the hour and will surely be strong contenders in the forthcoming Intermediate championship.

Shane O’Neill’s: 1 Michael Abram, 2 Joshua Quinn, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 JKohn Scullion, 5 Aidan Scullion, 6 Darren Hamill, 7 Declan McDermott, 8 Kieran O’Boyle, 9 Daniel Black, 10 Dylan McLaughlin, 11 Ciaran Magill, 21 Michael Furey, 13 Conal Ward, 14 Niall McGarel, 15 Sean O’Boyle.

Ballycran: 1 Stephen Kieth, 2 Brad Watson, 3 Cormac McAlister, 4 Aaron Dorrian, 5 Brett Nicholson, 6 Sean Ennis, 7 Michael Hughes, 8 Scott Nicholson, 9 Ethan Bell, 10 Niall Breen, 11 Conor Woods, 12 Paul Sheehan, 13 Steven Gilliland, 14 Ayrton Gleeson, 15 Christopher Egan

Referee: Tarlach Conway

FOR MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/fpLVtGNNFLYvUK

ACHL Division 1

Loughgiel 1-22 v O’Donovan Rossa 2-11

 5rd July 2024

Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran at Fr. Healy Park, Loughgiel

Tonight’s division 1 encounter between Loughgiel and O’Donovan Rossa was pulled forward on agreement but Jim Close from O’Donovan Rossa had to stand in as the referee due to a planning error.

Although this was the end of the league matches for both sides and neither were in a position to alter the final league outcome, both sides gave spectators an engaging game under changing conditions.

Loughgiel won the spin of a hurley and chose to play towards the road end into the cool breeze and it would be Loughgiel’s Darragh Patterson that would get the ‘Fridge Raiders’ scoreboard stirring with an opening point. Eoin McGarry set Patterson up for his second point from a pass under pressure, but it would be Roan McGarry that would shake the goal net within the first three minutes to give Loughgiel their only goal from a perceptive pass from Maol Connolly.

Rossa would climb into the driving seat for the next two points from frees by Diarmaid Rogan as Close spotted a push on the back on Rogan and an accidental trip by Rory McCloskey on Rossa’s Eoin Trainor.

The hosts would put Rossa under pressure for the next fifteen minutes and run up six points before Rossa’s Ruairi Murray set off on a solo run and pointed without taking the sliotar into his hand. Rossa’s Dominic McEnhill emulated Murray’s stroke as he pointed off the stick too from a neat pass from Owen May.

In the midst of Loughgiel’s six-point run, a notable point came from Ronan Fitzgerald. Not so much the finish but how it was built up from a Chrissy O’Connell puck out to Christy McGarry, then finding Daragh Patterson weaving into an open space, offloading to Fitzgerald who was on one of his blazing runs.

Scores stood at around the 20-minute mark, Loughgiel 1-11 Rossa 0-04.

Both sides would run up a further two points apiece before Close blew for the break. Rossa’s Diarmaid Rogan dropped over a 65 then Loughgiel’s Paul Boyle pointed straight from an O’Connell puck out. Rossa’s Owen May had an untimely fall as he met Loughgiel’s full back Tiernan Coyle and referee Close awarded a free that found the ball net from Rogan again, but Coyle would have the last laugh as he dispossessed Niall Devlin of the sliotar, went on a solo run that ended with his own point.

The second half witnessed no significant rain and a significant drop in the wind. Initially the change seemed to favour the visitors, Rossa making the scoreboard tally up five points and a goal from Declan McCartney shortly after the throw-in as he blazed a trail across the perimeter of O’Connell’s square finding a gap to deliver the sliotar.

Loughgiel’s Christie McGarry claimed the sliotar from a towering catch delivered by Tiernan Coyle that would keep the Shamrock’s three points ahead but a rallying call from Rory McCloskey to get active seen Loughgiel grind out three more points for a scoreline Loughgiel 1-17 Rossa 1-11.

Around the twenty-minute mark, Rossa’s Dominic McEnhill delivered the sliotar into the Loughgiel net from a spell of dogged ground work by Rossa around the 20m line on the low side of the pitch.

With just the three points in the game, Loughgiel’s substitutes Pearce Patterson and Daniel McPeake would bring new energy into the Shamrock’s side and pointed a piece along with a steal of a point by Christy McGarry as he intercepted the sliotar by hand as it was traveling between two Rossa players.

Loughgiel’s Seamus Dobbin would have the honours of the last point in tonight’s league match to close out the game Loughgiel 1-22 Rossa 2-11 in a fine game of hurling to end the league for both teams.

Loughgiel Scorers:

Tiernan Coyle 0-01, Ruairi McCormick 0-01, Seamus Dobbin 0-01, Christy McGarry 0-03, Paul Boyle 0-04, Darragh Patterson 0-02, Ronan Fitzgerald 0-02, Eoin McGarry 0-01, Maol Connelly 0-01, Roan McGarry 1-04 (4f), Pearce Patterson 0-01, Daniel McPeake 0-01

O’Donovan Rossa Scorers:

Declan McCartney 1-00, Diarmaid Rogan 0-07 (5f 1×65), Ruairi Murray 0-02, Dominic McEnhill 1-01, 24 0-01

Photos from Friday evening’s game can be found in the photo album by clicking on the link here…

https://myalbum.com/album/xeh6swDig2dMNm/?invite=f8fdee10-64e3-46b1-97ac-aeaa1b24cd38

Follow Michael G Corcoran @keep_clickin on X (formerly Twitter) for match Gifs when available.

Follow The Saffron Gael @TheSaffronGael on X for links to match reports

ACHL Division 1

Rossa 0-14 Dunloy 2-28

With the division 1 league title out of reach of both sides this meeting of Rossa and Dunloy at Rossa Park on Sunday was more about pride and preparation for the forthcoming Senior Hurling championship and on the evidence of this encounter the Cuchullian’s look more likely contenders.

Both sides have been hampered during the league by the number of County players they have had away on duty and the return of a number of these players has added strength and depth with Cuchullian’s buzzing throughout Sunday’s encounter.

They looked well on their way to victory when they led 1-15 to 0-9 at the halfway stage with Conall ‘Cobbie’ Cunning getting the first half goal and showing deadly accuracy from both play and frees.

The Antrim star would end the contest with 1-10 to his name with the free taking of Dermot Rogan and the contributions of Michael Armstrong, Gerard Walsh and Aidan O’Brien keeping Rossa’s hopes alive as the game went into the second half.

The visitors were in no mood to take their foot of the pedal during a second half where they showed an intensity and scoring ability that the opposition just couldn’t live with on the day.

A second goal from Nicky McKeague put the icing on a fine performance where the visitors looked to be on a mission to make up for lost time and send out a message that they will be serious contenders again when the championship comes around.

Cobbie, Kevin McKeague, Keelan Molloy, Sean Elliott, Nigel Elliott, Anton McGrath, Deaglan Smith and Nicky McKeague were in sparkling form for the Cuchullian’s who might just be running into form at the right time. Dermot Rogan 0-5, Michael Armstrong 0-2, Aidan O’Brien 0-2, Gerard Walsh 0-2, Stephen Beatty and Stephen ‘Spud’ O’Neill were best for a Rossa side who have work to do before the championship gets underway.

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

Ballycastle 3-25 St Enda’s 2-17

Ballycastle won the first game of the second half of the Division 1 league when they beat St Enda’s by eleven points in a high scoring game at Pairc MacUilin on Wednesday evening.

A Seamus McAuley goal gave the home side and early lead but St Enda’s bounced back right away with a goal from corner forward Eddie O’Connor put them in front. Another goal by O’Connor and a point from midfielder Niall O’Connor gave the Glengormley side the upper hand but a run of points from Conor Boyd (3), Lorcan Donnelly and Croistai McAuley (2) gave the Town a good cushion.

On twenty minutes corner forward Joe McToal cut in along the endline and fired low to the St Enda’s net and just before the break McToal set up Seamus McAuley for goal number three after match referee  Ciarn McCloskey played a good advantage and Ballycastle led by 3-15 to 2-10 at the half way stage.

St Enda’s pulled a point back at the start of the second half through Cormac Jennings, to reduce the gap back to seven but points from Tiernan Smyth and Croistai McAuley pushed the gap out to nine by the 37^th minute. Jennings, who had a very good second half for the visitors, got the next three points for St Enda’s but Conor Boyd and Seamus McAuley were answering those score to keep the gap around the nine point margin. A superb point by second half substitute Neal McAuley was followed by one from a free by Smyth and one from play Jack Magowan, which put twelve between the sides, and though Nial O’Connor brought it back to ten for the visitors, full forward Lorcan Donnelly got the last score of the game to wrap up a convincing win.

For more pics from this game click on the link below

https://myalbum.com/album/QYQZ76DtDz2Ktu/?invite=491e4bb9-de88-4b73-ba91-6690445e576b