O’Neills Sportswear ACHL Division 1

Loughgiel 1-23 Dunloy 0-15

Wednesday 24 May

Brendan McTaggart reports from Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel

Loughgiel maintained their 100% league record on Wednesday evening with an impressive win over old rivals Dunloy.  Eleven points separated the sides at the end of the hour with the only goal of the game in injury time from Cahal Hargan.  In the right place at the right time, Hargan fired home for the Shamrocks but their main scoring threat came from the outstanding Shan McGrath.  The inside forward finished with 11 points beside his name, six coming from open play while he, Jack and Dan McCloskey formed a dangerous forward line.  Their movement and pace created space and chances throughout and moved the Cuchullains defence to areas they could exploit. With both teams short a lot of regulars due to county commitments this Sunday against Westmeath it is hard to read much into the result, and it has to be said that the visitors suffered a bit more in this department, with the starting fifteen short nine of the team who started their All Ireland club final against Ballyhale back in January. The Shamrocks also sufferered in this department but a bit less than their visitors and they will have been delighted to maintain their 100% record They lead Ballycran on score difference and they host the Ards men at Fr Healy Park on Sunday week, a game that will be decisive in the league race.

The Cuchullains struggled in the first half against the wind and while they posed more of an attacking threat after the break, Loughgiel’s nine point half time lead rarely looked like being reeled in by the visitors.

The introduction of Chrissy McMahon gave the Dunloy attack more potency while Ryan Mort and Ronan Molloy were always a threat.  Defensively they were overworked with the Loughgiel crisp and incisive passing coupled with the movement of the Shamrocks attacking unit creating space for them to exploit.

Aodhan McGarry top scored for the Cuchullains with four of his five points coming from placed ball while Mort’s contribution of 0-3 was the most from open play for the Cuchullains.

In a first half dominated by the home side, the game lacked any real intensity or fluency for that matter.  Mistakes were prevalent in either side with the Shamrocks reaching double figures for wides in the opening 30 minutes while the number of individual errors from the Cuchullains was inordinate.  Loughgiel did force a number of telling turnovers and capitalise on any indiscretion in the Cuchullains defence and the nine point half time difference certainly didn’t flatter them.  But for the bravery of Eoghan Richmond between the sticks to stop Jack McCloskey from scoring what seemed a certain goal in the 25^th minute.

The Shamrock’s late first half rally put a fairer reflection of the first half on the scoreboard with five points coming from the 28^th minute and the injury time allowed at the end of the half.

Dunloy started the second half with more vigour and played with more decisiveness and desire, scoring five points in the opening six minutes of the half with a pair of frees from Declan McCloskey and Shan McGrath the response for the Shamrocks.  The Cuchullains couldn’t maintain that streak of scoring however to try and put any real scoreboard pressure on Hugh McCann’s side.

By the 39^th minute the nine point Loughgiel lead was restored with Tiago McGarry, Pearce Patterson and McGrath (free) finding their range before Dunloy hit four unanswered points for the first time in the match.  A brace of scores from Aodhan McGarry (one free), Chrissy McMahon and a long range free from Eamon Smyth brought them to within five of the Shamrocks.  It was as close as they would get to their sparring partners however.

The Shamrocks fired over five points unanswered, three from McGrath with one each for Donal McKinley and Declan McCloskey’s fifth point of the evening.

Dunloy continued to look for ways to penetrate an impressive Loughgiel defence and laid an aerial assault on the Shamrocks goals but scores from Smyth and Nicky McKeague (free) was all they had to show for their efforts.

The Shamrock’s margin of victory was given further gloss with their major coming in the fourth minute of injury time.  Dunloy ‘keeper Richmond looked to have cleared the danger among a crowd of players but he was dispossessed with Hargan on hand to fire the sliotar to the back of the net.

Eight from eight for the Shamrocks in the league who travel to Corrigan Park for their next match in a weeks’ time while the Cuchullains will entertain the Johnnies in their next game on 4^th June.

TEAMS

Loughgiel: Chrissy O’Connell; Tiernan Coyle, Daniel McPeake, Caolan Blair; Ben McGarry, Declan McCloskey, Damon McMullan; Ruairi McCormick, Tiago McGarry; Cahal Hargan, Donal McKinley, Pearce Patterson; Jack McCloskey, Shan McGrath, Dan McCloskey

Subs: Rian McKee for D McPeake (HT); Odhran McFadden for J McCloskey (HT); Conor Dickson for D McKinley (51); Nicholas McNaughton for Dan McCloskey (55)

Scorers: S McGrath 0-11 (5fs); Declan McCloskey 0-5 (3fs); P Patterson 0-3; C Hargan 1-00; T McGarry 0-2; D McMullan 0-1; D McKinley 0-1

Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Cahir McCloskey, Conor McKinley, Daire McMullan; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Barry Scott; Tom McFerran, Ciaran Elliott; Aodhan McGarry, Gabriel McTaggart, Ronan Molloy; Ryan Mort, Anton McGrath, Nicky McKeague

Subs: Chrissy McMahon for C McCloskey (HT); Kevin McKeague for B Scott (HT); Barry McCloskey for A McGrath (46); Ciaran McQuillan for Kevin Molloy (54)

Scorers: A McGarry 0-5 (4fs); R Mort 0-3; G McTaggart 0-2; E Smyth 0-2 (2fs); Kevin Molloy 0-1; N McKeague 0-1 (1f)

Referee: Eamonn Hassan (Cloughmills)

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

St John’s 1-13 Ballycastle 4-21

Ballycastle scored a big win over St John’s at Corrigan Park on Sunday, a win that lifts them out of the bottom half of the table.

There was little between the teams in the first half and a Loughlin McCurdy goal, which he toe –poked through a crowded goalmouth put the home team in front after Eoin McAlonan and Rambo McCarry had given the Town an early lead. Tiernan Smyth restored the visitors lead with two points from frees before Domhnal Nugent brought the Johnnies level with a well struck point from distance. Three in a row from Seamus McAuley, Mattie Donnelly and Rambo McCarry open a gap for the visitors but Ruairi Galbraith and Aaron Bradley brought St John’s back to within a point, and though Cian Waldron and Tiernan Smyth hit back for Ballycastle there was just two between the sides at the interval and Sean Wilson and Aaron Bradley (3) hit late points for the Corrigan Park men.

With the breeze behind them in the second half Ballycastle started strongly and points from Cian Waldron and Tirnan Smyth put the gap out to five. Full forward Niall McCallin pulled one back for the Johnnies but two more from Smyth and one each from McAlonnan and Seamus McAuley saw the gap widen. Domhnal Nugent got one back from a free before Ronan McCarry got Ballycastle’s first goal. St John’s captain Nugent hit three points in a row, but Ballycastle were now dominant and a late flurry of goals from Lorcan Donnelly, Seamus McAuley and Donnelly again saw them run out convincing winners.

ACHL Division 1

St. Enda’s 0-12 Loughgiel 2-24

St. Enda’s had no answer to a sharp Loughgiel Shamrocks at Hightown on Wednesday night with the North Antrim men in a strong position at half time when they led 0-14 to 0-2. The home side did improve in the second half, adding a further 10 points but goals from Christy McGarry and Ruairi McCormick ensured there would be no way back for the home side.

Loughgiel took the game to St. Enda’s right from throw in and the points came thick and fast as Declan McCloskey, Daniel McCloskey, Christy McGarry and two from Shan McGrath got them on their way with Cormac Jennings replying for the Hightown side.

Two more from Daniel McCloskey and points from Ryan McKee and Paul Boyle stretched Loughgiel’s lead before Jennings momentarily interrupted the onslaught but the visitors finished the half strongly as McGrath hit three on the bounce with Daniel McCloskey adding two to leave their side in a commanding 10 point lead at the short whistle.

The Glengormley men did much better in the second half and with the elements in their favour they began to find the target but an early goal from McGarry to add to a Rian Gillen point made the chances of a comeback extremely slim.

Ruairi Donaghy led the St. Enda’s charge and would score 0-3 in the second half while Joe Maskey 0-3, Jennings, Eddie O’Connor, Ryan Bogue and youngster Roger Eager were all on target for the home side during a much improved second half.

The visitors were in no mood to let it slip however with Shan McGrath hitting three on the bounce and adding another to bring his second half contribution to 0-4 and Ruairi McCormick’s goal all but finished the game as a contest.

This win moves Loughgiel to the top of the division with 7 wins from 7 starts and they are going nicely at present and despite last night’s defeat, St. Enda’s occupy a fairly comfortable mid-table position and will be happy with aspects of their second half performance.

St. Enda’s: 1 Martin Curran, 2 Conor McAllister, 3 Manus Mullan, 4 Malachi McGibbon, 5 Dara Maguire, 6 Rian Gillen, 7 Eoin Conlon, 8 Brendan Cormican, 9 Ryan Bogue, 10 Cormac Jennings, 11 Ronan Eager, 12 Diarmuid Maguire, 14 Conor Bradley, 15 Ruairi Donaghy, 22 Niall McGivern

Loughgiel: 1 Chrissy O’Connell, 2 Tiernan Coyle, 3 Damon McMullan, 4 Rory McCloskey, 5 Enda McGarry, 6 Declan McCloskey, 7 Caolan Blair, 8 Ruairi McCormick, 9 Ryan McKee, 10 Rian McMullan, 11 Paul Boyle, 12 Christy McGarry, 13 Jack McCloskey, 14 Shan McGrath, 15 Daniel McCloskey

Referee: Lorenzo McMullan

ACHL Division 1

Dunloy 0-17 Rossa 0-22

Rossa travelled to Pearse Park on Sunday and recorded a much needed win over a Dunloy side still missing their county players. The visitors made all the running during a first half in which they dominated and looked well on their way to victory when they led 0-18 to 0-6 at half time.

After the break it was the turn of Cuchullian’s to dictate matters as they outscored the visitors 0-11 to 0-4 but it was the Shaw’s Road side who held on for their first win of the present league campaign.

Aodhan O’Brien top scored for Rossa with 0-8 (4 frees) and Darra Rocks 0-4, Aidan Orchin 0-2, Dominic McEnhill 0-3, Eoghan McMenamin 0-2, Eoin Trainor 0-2 and Seaghan Shannon were the men on target for the Blue & Gold’s.

ACHL Division1

Cathaoir an Ri 1-10 Ballygalget 1-18

Twenty minutes into this fiercely contested ACHL Division 1 clash in Ballyvoy, Cathaoir an Ri must have felt they were on course to get their first win of the season when they led visitors Ballygalget by 1-10 to 0-10.

They would not score again however as events swung dramatically in favour of the ‘Ards’ men who would score 1-8 to 0-0 in the closing stages.

The deluge that fell for half an hour before throw in finished just in time for referee Fionntan McCotter to get the game underway on a pitch made heavy from the falling rain and it was the Ballyvoy side who were first on the scoreboard when Connor McBride pointed a 25 meter free.

The visitors replied through Eoin Pucci and Daniel Toner to take the lead but Cathaoir an Ri responded with two of their own with Shea Hunter and Conlith McKinley the marksmen to take the lead for the second time by the 10^th minute.

Ballygalget were trying to move the ball around but their short game was being thwarted by a combination of the poor conditions and an aggressive press by the home side but Daniel Toner escaped his marker to level matters for the third time.

The Carey men were starting to enjoy a bit of success however and a couple of points from McKinley and another from a Connor McBride free had them two in front by the 20^th minute, the Ballygalget point a great long range effort from Ciaran Watson.

A Connor McBride pointed free for the home side and a reply from Eoin Pucci for the visitors had last year’s division 2 champions one ahead at the break and they had just about done enough to deserve their lead.

Pucci hit two more on the restart to move the Down men ahead and then brought a smart save from Daniel McBride as Ballygalget opened on the front foot but Cathaoir an Ri replied through Connor McBride and Caolan McCaughan to retake the lead once more.

Things were certainly livening up and some of the challenges were not for the faint hearted as Jordan Doran fired over a massive point from over 70 meters and Eoin Coulter was guilty of a bad miss before the visitors were awarded a penalty.

Up stepped Marc Fisher but his shot cannoned off the crossbar and over for a point and it looked to be swinging the way of the men from the Ards peninsula.

Back came Cathaoir an Ri and the visitors defence failed to deal with a dangerous dropping ball into the danger area and in the frantic scramble that ensued Conlith McKinley got the vital touch to send to the net and restore his side’s lead.

It should have got even better for the Ballyvoy men but Connor McBride pulled his shot agonisingly wide of the upright as he found himself on a one to one with advancing keeper Eoin Clarke.

It was to prove a turning point as the home side had Sean McBride dismissed for a second Yellow card offence and as a bit of space began to open up Ballygalget took advantage and began to move the ball around with confidence.

Jordan Doran, Daniel Toner and Michael Og Dorrian fired over points and when Toner cut in from the left after finding himself in space and rifled his shot past Daniel McBride it was as good as over.

Marc Fisher added another long range point and Eoin Pucci and substitute John McManus concluded the scoring with another excellent score to see his side home with a somewhat flattering eight points to spare.

Cathaoir an Ri: 1 Daniel McBride, 2 Daniel Hill, 3 Sean McBride, 4 Colm McBride, 5 Michael McVeigh, 6 James McCouaig, 7 Zach McCaughhan, 8 Eoin Hill, 9 James Black, 10 Caolan McCaughan, 11 Shea Hunter, 12 Conlith McKinley, 13 Connor McBride, 14 Daniel Martin, 15 Sean McLaughlin, Subs: 19 Fiachra McVeigh.

Ballygalget: 1 Eoin Clarke, 2 Michael Toner, 3 Peter McManus, 4 James Higgins, 5 Caolan Coulter, 6 Marc Fisher, 7 Joseph Smyth, 8 Eoin Coulter, 9 Jordan Doran, 10 Eoin Pucci, 11 Ciaran Watson, 12 Michael Og Dorrian, 13 Tim Prenter, 14 Owen McDermott, 15 Daniel Toner. Subs: John McManus, Daniel Doran, Ryan Watson

Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfields)