Ballycastle delivered a another fine performance on the road this week, as they beat Portaferry with a clinical display of goal-scoring and relentless point-taking to secure a dominant sixteen-point victory in the Senior Division 1 Hurling League and keep their unbeaten run in the league to six. The visitors signaled their intent from the first whistle, finding the back of the net only five minutes into the contest when Cadhan Crawford gave the Town an early cushion they would never relinquish.
Portaferry struggled to contain the early momentum as the gap widened significantly following a second goal from Conor Donnelly. This strike propelled the Ballycastle men into a commanding eleven-point lead during the opening period. While the hosts staged a minor revival late in the half to narrow the deficit to 0-09 to 2-11, they headed into the changing rooms with a significant mountain to climb.
The second half began with a brief surge from the Down side, as they notched the first two points to bring the game within a single score. However, that was as close as they would get. MacUilín responded with a devastating scoring burst to re-establish control. The decisive blow arrived midway through the half when Lorcan Donnelly raised a third green flag for the visitors, effectively breaking the Portaferry resistance and allowing Ballycastle to reel off a succession of points from all angles.
The men in black and amber retained control during the final quarter as they outscored their opponents ten points to three in the closing stages. By the time the referee blew the final whistle, the scoreboard reflected a comprehensive 3-21 to 0-14 margin. It was a clinical, high-octane performance from the winners, while Portaferry, who were without a lot of their top players because of county duty, will look to find more defensive stability after failing to match the goal-scoring threat of the traveling side.
Ballycastle McQuillans’ formidable start to the Senior Division 1 Hurling League campaign shows no signs of slowing down. They laid the groundwork for their fifth consecutive victory with a devastating opening 20-minute spell against Ballygalget, effectively putting the game to bed before the first quarter had fully concluded.
The Ards Peninsula men, making the long journey up to North Antrim to compete in the county leagues, were simply blown away by the hosts’ early intensity, pace, and clinical finishing.
Right from the throw-in, MacUilín signalled their intent. Diarmaid McShane opened the scoring with a well-taken point, which was quickly followed by a trademark free from the ever-reliable Seamy McAuley. The relentless early pressure paid massive dividends shortly after when Cadhan Crawford rattled the back of the net, giving the home side a 1-02 to 0-00 lead before Ballygalget could settle into the rhythm of the game.
The Ards men eventually managed to get on the board with a point, but it did little to stem the Black and Amber tide. McShane struck for Ballycastle’s second goal of the half to instantly kill off any building momentum from the visitors.
With the forwards clicking perfectly, the scores began to flow from all angles. Reuben McClean and Niall McClean both got their names on the scoresheet, raising white flags from play. Interspersed with another McAuley free, Ballycastle surged to a 2-06 to 0-01 advantage, the Ballygalget point coming from Cathal Coulter.
Even when Ballygalget managed back-to-back points through Michael Dorrian and Oisin Coulter to bring their tally to three, the McQuillans’ response was ruthless. A quick flurry of points from the dangerous attacking trio of McAuley, McShane, and Crawford stretched the lead even further to 2-10 to 0-03.
As the clock ticked toward the 20-minute mark, McAuley remained heavily involved, popping over two more points to keep the scoreboard ticking over. At 2-12 to 0-04 with just 20 minutes played, Ballycastle had built a14-point cushion. As half time approached the home side added four more points to their tally through Ronan McCarry, Seamus McAuley, Cadhán Crawford and Cathair Donnelly, while the visitors came back with a few of their own through Owen McDermot and Cathal Coulter (2) to leave the half time score Ballycaste 2-16 to 0-08
If Ballygalget harboured any hopes of a second-half fightback, they were immediately extinguished as right from the throw-in, Ballycastle went on the offensive, and “Rambo” McCarry made an instant impact by raising a green flag. This third goal for MacUilín pushed the scoreline out to 3-16 to 0-08 and effectively ended the match as a contest. With the result secured, Ballycastle’s forwards put on a shooting clinic, picking off points from all over the park. Cadhan Crawford and Diarmaid McShane kept their personal tallies ticking over with well-struck scores.
The relentless pressure yielded scores from both established marksmen and new contributors. Seamy McAuley continued his exceptional form with a pair of points from play, while Niall McClean and Ardan Kelly also split the posts.
As the half progressed, Conor Boyd injected further energy into the attack, floating over a fine point from play. Reuben McClean swiftly followed suit, pushing the scoreboard to a staggering 3-24 to 0-09.
To their credit, the Ards men kept battling despite the massive deficit. Their persistence finally paid off when their full-forward Daniel Tonery managed to breach the Ballycastle defence and fire home a goal, bringing their tally to 1-09
Ballycastle, however, had the final say in this segment of the game. Connor Donnelly got his name on the scoresheet with a point, and Conor Boyd capped off an excellent cameo by pointing for the second time. Overall another good win for the Town, though they will be well aware there are much tougher contests to come in the near future. However it is fair to say that five wins from five would have been above anyone’s expectations.
Ballycastle will face Down opposition again next time out when they travel to Portaferry next Friday evening, with a 7-45 throw-in.
Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Cushendall
Goals were the difference between these two north Antrim giants as Cushendall recorded their fourth league win of the season. Majors from Joseph McLaughlin in either half and another from Ed McQuillan were the foundations for Cushendall to control this contest against Dunloy.
In a low scoring affair, both sides were guilty of overplaying with the home side proving to be more clinical when it mattered. Dunloy will look at their profligacy in front of the target when they review this game. A serious number of wides and efforts dropping short while the delivery into their forwards lacked any real precision for long periods. A lot of that was down to the work rate and intensity of the Ruairi Og’s however who were on top in the middle third, dictating the game and kept the visitors at arm’s length.
Dunloy couldn’t match the Ruairi’s ball retention and ability to break lines at speed. Despite a slow start, once they clicked into gear, Cushendall were defensively on top and always threatening at the other end of the pitch. The home side never scored in the opening 14 minutes with the Cuchullains settling well and there was just a point between the sides at half way mark but the second half belonged to the Ruairi’s.
While Dunloy settled more quickly into the game than Cushendall, they didn’t make the most of it. They recorded three points before Fred McCurry opened the scoring for Cushendall, those coming from Ciaran Elliott, Chrissy McMahon and a ’65 from Nicky McKeague.
Dunloy would go 12 minutes without registering another score however with Charlie McAuley adding a point before the opening goal of the game in the 18th minute. Ed McQuilland with the break before playing a brilliant pass finding the run of Joseph McLaughlin on his left. ‘Pep’ still had word to do with a scrambling Dunloy defence but he finished superbly.
The remainder of the half was fairly even with Eamon Smyth, Aodhan McGarry and McKeague (free) finding the target for Dunloy while a brace of white flags from Neil McManus (one free) left the half time score 1-4 to 0-6 in Cushendall’s favour.
Cushendall started the second half superbly and had their second goal three minutes after the restart. McQuillan and Joseph McLaughlin combining once again before Pep fired the sliotar beyond Ryan Elliott in the Dunloy goals.
A brace of points from McManus (frees) and Oisin Woodhouse got the score board ticking for Cushendall while Paudie McGilligan (two) and McKeague (’65) points left five between the sides going into the final 10 minutes.
The third Cushendall goal put the game beyond Dunloy’s reach and while McQuillan finished superbly, it owed much to the indecision in the Cuchullains defence. McQuillan reacted fastest to the loose ball and made no mistake. Points followed from McManus (’65) and Woodhouse to open a 10 point lead for the Ruairi’s by the 57th minute.
Dunloy laid siege on the Cushendall goal with a series of high balls into the Cushendall defence but the Ruairi’s dealt with everything that came their way. Points followed from McMahon and McKeague (’65) either side of a point from substitute Joseph McNaughton in the time that remained as Cushendall were well worth their margin of victory at the end of the hour.
Cushendall’s next match will be next Friday night when they travel to face their neighbours, Glenariffe while Dunloy will travel to Rossa Park on the same night.
TEAMS
CUSHENDALL: Conor McAllister; Conor McCann, Martin Burke, Francis McCurry; Scott Walsh, Stephen Walsh, Austin Birt; Callagh Mooney, Charlie McAuley; Ed McQuillan, Joseph McLaughlin, Neil McManus; Oisin Woodhouse, Thomas McLaughlin, Fiontan Bradley
Subs: Liam Gillan for S Walsh (52); Joseph McNaughton for T McLaughlin (53)
Scorers: J McLaughlin 2-00; N McManus 0-5 (3fs, 1’65); O Woodhouse 0-3; E McQuillan 1-00; F McCurry 0-1; C McAuley 0-1; J McNaughton 0-1
DUNLOY: Ryan Elliott; Aaron Crawford, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eamon Smyth, Eoin McFerran, Aodhan McGarry; Jack Martin, Paudie McGilligan; Nigel Elliott, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Ciaran Elliott, Barry Scott, Chrissy McMahon
Subs: Paul Shiels for J Martin (HT); Oisin McCallin for B Scott (HT); Francis McMullan for T McFerran (57)
Scorers: N McKeague 0-4 (3’65s, 1f); C McMahon 0-2; P McGilligan 0-2; E Smyth 0-1; A McGarry 0-1; C Elliott 0-1
Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)
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Above – Alex O’Boyle who scored 2-12 in Oisins win over St Enda’s at Hightown
Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Naomh Eanna 2-13 Glenariffe 3-17
Newly promoted Glenariffe Oisins secured a massive lifeline in their fight for Antrim Hurling League Division 1 survival on Sunday, engineering a stunning second-half comeback to defeat St Enda’s at Hightown on a final scoreline of 3-17 to 2-13. Despite coming close in a couple of their other games this was only their second win of the league campaign, and though the season has a long way to go it is important for the Oisins to get points on the board. The game itself was a tight, tit-for-tat encounter in the first half, but after the break they turned things around to turn it into a commanding seven-point victory. The comeback was spearheaded by a virtuoso scoring display from Alex O’Boyle, who finished the afternoon with a staggering personal tally of 2-12.
It was St Enda’s who burst out of the traps early on. After Glenariffe hit two early wides, the home side punished them. Cormac Jennings opened the scoring in the fourth minute, and just sixty seconds later, Killian Jennings rattled the back of the net to give St Enda’s a dream 1-1 to 0-0 start. Glenariffe looked to their talisman to keep them in touch, with Alex O’Boyle converting two frees either side of a Manus Mullan point. By the 15th minute, St Enda’s held a four-point cushion. However, the Oisins eventually found their rhythm from open play. A quick-fire trio of points between the 18th and 20th minutes from Alex O’Boyle, Oliver Kearney, and Aaron Cosgrove dramatically narrowed the gap. Despite a strong finish to the half from St Enda’s—with Dara Maguire, Killian Jennings, and Manus Mullan all raising white flags—Alex O’Boyle’s dead-ball accuracy ensured the visitors were breathing down their necks at the interval, trailing slightly at 1-07 to 0-09.
The opening quarter of the second half was a tense, point-for-point shootout. St Enda’s kept their noses in front, largely through the frees of Luke O’Connor, while Glenariffe responded through Orrin O’Connor, Calum McIlwaine, and the relentless Alex O’Boyle. By the 15th minute, a score from open play by Cormac McCann had St Enda’s marginally ahead at 1-13 to 0-13, but the game was about to be flipped on its head. In the 18th minute, a Glenariffe free dropped short, and Oliver Kearney was on hand to force the ball to the net, giving the Oisins the lead for the first time in the match.
That crucial goal opened the floodgates. Oliver Kearney added a point, followed swiftly by one from Michael O’Boyle. From there, Alex O’Boyle completely took over the contest. In the 23rd minute, he found the net from play, pushing the visitors into a commanding lead. Just four minutes later, he struck for his second goal of the afternoon, effectively ending the contest as Glenariffe surged into a 3-16 to 1-13 advantage.
To their credit, St Enda’s kept fighting until the final whistle. Cormac McCann grabbed a consolation goal in the 28th minute, but the damage had already been done during Glenariffe’s devastating ten-minute scoring burst. Fittingly, Alex O’Boyle had the final say, tapping over a late free in the 35th minute to cap off a brilliant individual and team performance. For St Enda’s, it was a frustrating afternoon where an early lead evaporated under intense second-half pressure. For Glenariffe Oisins, this was an important victory. Grabbing their second win of the season away from home is a big boost for the club in the league campaign.
For the victorious Glenariffe Oisins, Alex O’Boyle led the scoring with an incredible 2-12, including nine frees. He was supported by Oliver Kearney who tallied 1-02, while Aaron Cosgrove, Orrin O’Connor, Calum McIlwaine, and Michael O’Boyle all contributed 0-01 each.
On the St Enda’s side, Killian Jennings and Cormac McCann both found the net to finish with 1-01 apiece. Luke O’Connor was their top point scorer with 0-05, including four frees. Cormac Jennings and Manus Mullan added 0-02 each, while Christopher Roberts chipped in with a point from a ’45 and Dara Maguire scored 0-01 from play.
The Antrim Division 1 League served up a classic West Belfast derby on Sunday as St. John’s hosted their arch-rivals, O’Donovan Rossa. Marking the first game back at Corrigan Park since recent pitch repairs, the fresh turf played host to a fiercely contested, hard-hitting encounter where absolutely no quarter was asked or given.
St. John’s capitalized on a stiff breeze in the opening period to build a six point lead, and despite a valiant second-half fightback from Rossa, which saw them close the gap to the minimum at one stage, a dramatic injury-time goal from Conor Johnston ultimately sealed the win for the home side.
St. John’s came out of the blocks flying. Seconds after the throw-in, Caoimhin Hanna split the posts to open the scoring, quickly followed by a point from their ever reliable free taker Oisín MacManus
Rossa settled into the game shortly after, with midfielder Liam McEnhill registering their first score. Moments later, after a driving break involving McEnhill and Corey Walsh scooped the ball over the bar to keep the visitors right in the mix.
However, St. John’s soon took control of the half. MacManus kept the scoreboard ticking over, while McEnhill continued a strong individual performance with his second point of the day. Diarmaid Rogan landed a superb long-range effort for Rossa on the 12-minute mark, but St. John’s responded emphatically. After MacManus converted a 50-meter free, the home side executed the move of the half: Goalkeeper Domhnall Nugent claimed a great catch and initiated a full-length of the field passing move that ended with Hanna grabbing his second point to make it 0-8 to 0-3.
Rossa fought back through the stick of Deaglan Murphy , who landed a free on 17 minutes, and a massive 60-metre point from the left flank by Aidan Orchin before Murphy added another 40-meter free shortly after.
Despite Rossa’s efforts, St. John’s finished the half incredibly strong. Ruairi Galbraith hit two beautiful scores, including a fine effort from the right corner, before Michael Bradley extended the lead from the left side. Deaglan Murphy and Oisín MacManus traded late frees, sending St. John’s into the dressing room with a comfortable six-point cushion.
Half-Time Score: St. John’s 0-13 – 0-07 Rossa
With the breeze now at their backs, Rossa emerged for the second half with renewed intensity. Gerard Walsh struck early with a long-range free, but St. John’s immediately answered through a great dead ball strike of their own from McManus and a towering point from midfielder Aaron Bradley .
Refusing to back down, Diarmaid Rogan provided a massive spark for Rossa. He slotted a point from the right wing, cleanly won the resulting puck-out, and fired over again in quick succession to narrow the deficit.
As the half wore on, the tension in Corrigan Park was palpable. A long free from deep inside St. John’s territory by McManus set up another score for the home side, but Rossa’s Deaglan Murphy began to punish St. John’s indiscretions as he nailed three crucial frees—two consecutively, and another on the 22-minute mark—to drag Rossa right back into the contest, reducing the gap to just two points.
Needing a response, Oisín McManus stepped up for St. John’s, cutting sharply to his left into space and floating over a vital point to make it 0-17 to 0-15.
Rossa threw everything forward in the dying minutes and managed to claw the gap back to a single, precarious point. But as the clock ticked into the second minute of injury time, St. John’s delivered the final, fatal blow when Conor Johnston carved through the Rossa defense and, while falling forward, managed to brilliantly bat the ball into the back of the net.
The injury-time goal proved to be the ultimate decider, quelling the Rossa comeback and ensuring the bragging rights—and the league points—remained at Corrigan Park.
St. John’s – 1 Domhnall Nugent, 2 Michael Darragh, 3 Cónall Morgan, 4 Lorcan McCallin, 5 James Wilson, 6 Enda McGurk, 7 Ronan Donnelly, 8 Caoimhin Hanna, 9 Aaron Bradley, 10 Shea Shannon, 11 Conor Johnston, 12 Michael Bradley, 13 Dónall Carson, 14 Oisin MacManus, and 15 Ruairi Galbraith.
