Senior Hurling League – Division One

Dunloy 0-9 St John’s 1-7

Sunday 1 June

Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy

A 58^th minute goal from Conall Carson proved to be the decisive score of this match as the Johnnies defeated Dunloy by the minimum.  In a match played in horrible conditions more accustomed to early winter than late spring, this was a contest won by the team that made less mistakes. 

The Cuchullains hit an uncharacteristic number of wides in both halves and while St John’s didn’t fare much better, they took the goal chance that came their way.

Defensively, St John’s were solid with Ryan McNulty, Michael Darragh and Conal Bohill all excelling while Kevin Molloy, Deaglan Smith and Oran Quinn performed well for the home side.

Both sides looked to play a short passing game to combat against the elements.  There wasn’t much room for any articulate hurling but both St John’s and Dunloy went about their business with controlled aggression and precision.

The home side started brighter with Nicky McKeague pointing frees either side of an Aodhan McGarry point to give Dunloy a three point lead by the seventh minute.

Oisin MacManus fired over for the Corrigan Park’s side first point of the match in the seventh minute to get the Johnnies firing but despite playing against the wind, Dunloy were making hay. 

Points from the influential Tom McFerran and Ryan Mort stretched the Cuchullains lead to four points by the 10^th minute but it would be over 15 minutes before the home side would register another score.

St John’s fired over four points unanswered in the same time period with Aaron Bradley, substitute Michail Dudley, Shea Shannon and MacManus tying the scores before a Nicky McKeague free in the 26^th minute gave Dunloy a one point lead at half time.

Goal chances were at a premium in the first half with Eoghan Richmond not troubled while Domhnall Nugent did well to deny Nicky McKeague’s rifled effort midway through the half as the rain came down to resemble that of a monsoon.

With the elements showing no signs of improving, both sides work rate never dipped.  Space was in scarce supply in forward areas with MacManus firing over the opening score of the half in the 34^th minute.

Aodhan McGarry split the posts for his second point of the match moments later but that would be the last score of the game for almost 20 minutes.  Dunloy had another half chance of goal with Luke McFerran going close with a drive from distance but Nugent was equal to his shot.

Nicky McKeague stretched the Dunloy lead to two points with four minutes of the hour remaining and with the Cuchullains looking to see out the hour, St John’s found the back of the net.  Running off the shoulder, Conall Carson collected the sliotar and fired to the back of the net to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.

A point from the impressive Aaron Bradley followed to give his side the insurance they needed and while the home side pushed for a goal, a point from substitute Paul Shiels was all they could manage in the time that remained.

With these two facing off in the championship group stage later this year, both will be hoping that they’ll be playing with more fluidity and maybe drier weather.  Winning the two points takes the Johnnies to the top of the table as the league splits ahead of the next round of fixtures.

TEAMS

Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Eoin McFerran, Sean Og Blaney, Oran Quinn; Ben O’Kane, Kevin Molloy, Deaglan Smith; Ciaran Elliott, Ryan McGarry; Sean Martin-McShane, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Aodhan McGarry, Luke McFerran, Ryan Mort

Scorers: N McKeague 0-4 (4fs); A McGarry 0-2; T McFerran 0-1; R Mort 0-1; Paul Shiels 0-1

St John’s: Domhnall Nugent; Ronan Donnelly, Ryan McNulty, Michael Darragh; Daragh McGuinness, Conall Bohill, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson, Shea Shannon; Aaron Bradley, Danaan McKeogh, Oisin MacManus; Conall Carson, Michael Bradley, Ruairi Galbraith

Scorers: C Carson 1-1; O MacManus 0-2 (2fs); A Bradley 0-2; S Shannon 0-1; Michail Dudley 0-1

Referee: Mark O’Neill

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Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

St Enda’s 0-18 Ballycastle 3-15

Ballycastle qualified for the top half of the Division 1 Hurling League when they beat St Enda’s in their final game of the first half at Hightown on Sunday. In a game dominated by a strong wind the McQuillan’s men managed to hold off a fight-back by the home side to squeeze through. Six points separated the side at the end but the Glengormley men were pushing hard in the last quarter and Ballycastle goalkeeper Ryan McGarry had to be sharp to deny heavy St Enda’s pressure in the end.

Both teams actually played better against the strong wind, the visitors winning the toss and deciding to play against it, and they went ahead with a Neal McAuley point in the first minute. However St Enda’s came back with three quick points through Cormac Jennings, Brendan Cormican and Eddie O’Connor to go two clear. At this stage it looked like the home side were going to steadily pull away but three brilliantly taken points by Tiernan Smyth swung the game in Ballycastle’s favour

Free taker Ruairi Donaghy pulled one back for Naomh Eanna but two from Niall McKenna, and a goal from Tiernan Smyth, which was set up by McKenna, put Ballycastle four ahead by the twentieth minute. The smart money would have been firmly on the visitors at this stage, but St Enda’s dominated the last ten minutes of the half hitting seven points, while conceding just one to turn the game on its head. Two of the points came from Niall O’Connor which Ruairi Donaghy, Joe Maskey, Ciaran McAllister, Niall O’Connor and Cormac Jennings got the others, while Conor Donnelly got the Ballycastle score in the final minute of the half to leave the teams tied on 0-12 to 1-09 at half-time.

St Enda’s moved ahead early in the second half with two points from Ruairi Donaghy free to one from play by Seamus McAuley but the game was to swing dramatically in Ballycastle’s favour in a seven minute spell that saw them grab 2-02 without reply. Tiernan Smyth started the run when fired home following a great save by St Enda’s keeper Niall McGivern to deny Arden Kelly what seemed a certain goal. Two minutes later came the second goal which was blocked down into the net by Conor Donnelly and when Niall McKenna and Neal McAuley added points the ‘Town’ were seven clear entering the last quarter.

As it turned out they needed all of those seven points as St Enda’s threw everything they had at them in a bid to salvage the game. They hit four points down the home straight, and had a few good goal chances, including one from a penalty that was mishit, and two late points from Conor Boyd, one of which was from deep in his own half, and one from Cahair Donnelly, secured the win for the Ballycastle men.

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ACHL Division 1

Rossa 0-14 Ballygalget 1-16

Ballygalget started and finished strongly at Rossa Park on Sunday to record their second win of the season and inflicted a second defeat on high riding Rossa in an entertaining contest in windy conditions.

It was the home side who had that wind in their favour in the opening half but they were rattled by a Caolan Coulter goal for the visitors after 2 minutes and it would prove an important goal in the end.

Rossa did make a positive response with points from Aodhan O’Brien 0-2, Thomas Morgan and Eoin Trainor to lead by the 11^th minute before Coulter levelled matters with a neat, over the shoulder reply.

The Shaw’s Road side attempted to respond but Eoin Clarke in the Ballygalget goals brought off a good save to deny O’Brien before James Connolly pointed from out near the sideline to restore the Rossa lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Back came the men from down the ‘Ards’ and John McManus, Caolan Coulter and Shea Pucci hit three on the bounce by the 21^st minute before Connolly responded with his second of the evening for the Rossa Park men.

The visitors were playing controlled hurling into the breeze and making better use of their opportunities and Oisin Coulter, Tim Prenter and Shea Pucci added points.

Thomas Morgan replied for Rossa with Eoin Pucci responding immediately for the visitors and Tim Prenter replied to a massive point from Gerard Walsh to leave it 0-9 to 1-8 in favour of the county Down side as Kevin Parke called for half time.

Now playing into the breeze, Rossa looked to have a bit to do if they were to maintain their recent good form and Aodhan O’Brien gave them a great start to the second half when he pointed after 30 seconds.

Back came Ballygalget with points from Caolan Coulter and Shea Pucci to extend their lead to three with only three minutes of the new half gone and it was going to take a massive effort if the home side were to overturn this lead.

Both sides then began to exchange scores with Eoghan McMenamin’s point bring a reply from Eoin Pucci and Gerard Walsh’s score bring another reply from the same player.

The tit for tat exchanges continued with Gerard Walsh, Deaglan Murphy and Thomas Morgan sending over for the home side and Eoin Pucci, Tim Prenter and Shea Pucci keeping the score board ticking with points at the other end.

Morgan’s point on 25 minutes left just a goal between the sides but that would be as close as Rossa got with Eoin Pucci and Odhran Birt ensuring there would be no way back with late points for the visitors.

An entertaining game of hurling but it was the visitor’s ability to control the pace of the game in the opening half that would decide matters on the day.

They had excellent performers in Caolan Coulter, Sheas Pucci, Eoin Pucci, Tim Prenter and John McManus while Aodhan O’Brien, Eoghan McMenamin, Thomas Morgan and Gerard Walsh caught the eye for Rossa.

Referee: Kevin Parke (St. Enda’s)

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ACHL Division 1

Naomh Éanna 1-15 O’Donovan Rossa 1-18

Photographs: JJ Lawell

A Pearce Short goal eight minutes from time was the decisive score as Rossa overcame the challenge of St. Enda’s in a well-contested game at Hightown on Wednesday.

There was little between the sides during a contest where the points were important for contrasting reasons with Rossa keen to maintain their place at the top of the table while Naomh Eanna wanted to climb out of the bottom 3.

Naomh Éanna got off to a flying start with Niall O’Connor and Joe Maskey firing over early points at Hightown.

Deaglan Murphy replied for Rossa from a free, but Naomh Eanna were flying and added points through Cormac Jennings and Frank Kane as they dominated the early exchanges.

Rossa began to grow into the contest however and replied with a hat-trick of scores from Murphy – one from play – to draw level before edging ahead with points from James Connolly, Eoghan McMenamin and Seaghan Shannon.

Maskey ended a barren 17 minutes for the hosts from a free after they had shot a number of wides, but McMenamin and Murphy hit back at the other end.

The hosts looked in for a goal late in the half but Brendan Cormican screwed his shot wide when a goal looked on  and Rossa went in at the break with a 0-10 to 0-6 lead after Jennings and Murphy traded late scores.

Murphy extended the Rossa lead from a free early in the second half, but Naomh Eanna grabbed the goal they needed as Ruairi Donaghy got onto a long delivery and despite being closed down, he created the space to fire home.

Cormac Jennings followed with a point as Naomh Eanna started to threaten with Murphy replying at the other end but it was the hosts who were calling the shots and Maskey, O’Connor and Luke O’Connor were all on target as the Hightown side hit the front again.

Rossa replied and points from Murphy and Joe Mulholland tipped the balance back in their favour, but Donaghy levelled again from a free.

It was all to play for heading into the final quarter, with Murphy hitting three of the next four points from placed balls, while he was denied a goal by Niall McGivern.

However, that goal would arrive in the 52nd minute as a Mulholland shot was parried by McGivern but Short was first react to the break as he finished to the net.

Donaghy and James Connolly swapped points, but another Donaghy free and Cormac Jennings’ fourth from play left three between the sides as the clock ticked down.

Naomh Éanna pressed hard in the closing stages but a number of high deliveries failed to produce the goal they needed and they had a late appeal for a penalty waved aside as Rossa held on for the win that keeps them top of the table.

Naomh Éanna: N McGivern; R Eager, D Maguire, O Ó Quinn; E Conlon (0-1), N O’Connor (0-2), M McGibbon; C O’Connor, C McAlister; R Donaghy (1-3, 0-3f), M Mullan, J Maskey (03, 1f); F Kane (0-1), C Jennings (0-4), B Cormican.

Subs: D Maguire for M Mullan (HT), L O’Connor (0-1) for B Cormican (35), R Gillan for F Kane (49), E O’Connor for O Ó Cuinn (53)

Rossa: D Armstrong; O McVicker, C Orchin, N Crossan; C McGuinness, G Walsh, A O’Brien; J Mulholland (0-1), E Trainor; S Shannon (0-1), P Short (1-0), D Rogan; E McMenamin (0-2), J Connolly (0-2), Deaglan Murphy (0-12, 9f, 1×65).

Subs: Daire Murphy for D Rogan (43), T Morgan for S Shannon (43), L Carr for E Trainor (56), C Walsh for Deaglan Murphy (60+1)

Referee: Piarais McCaffrey (St Gall’s)

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