ACHL Division 2

Carryduff 3-16 Ahoghill 2-12

A strong second half performance by Carryduff, led by the excellent Conor McAllister saw them overcome the challenge of Cloney Gaels in the ACHL Division 2 in Carryduff on Sunday. The hosts got off to a bright start with McAllister pointing in the first minute and following with a goal with 2 minutes gone.

Cloney responded with a point from Ronan Graham and a goal from Dan O’Neill but the Down men were moving the ball with precision and looked dangerous every time they attacked.

Conor McAllister brought his side’s total to 1-2 with another point before mid-fielder Donal Og Rooney weighed in with three of his own and one from the elusive McAllister and another from Eoin Rooney had the hosts 1-6 to 1-2 ahead by the 14^th minute, the visitors second point coming from Donal Graham.

Two more from Donal Graham and Colla McDonnell for the visitors had the gap down to two by the 20^th minute and that was how it remained at the break with James Lavery, James Woods and Lavery again on target for Carryduff and a Colla McDonnell double and one from Dan O’Neill leaving it 1-10 to 1-8 at the short whistle.

Carryduff got the second half off to a blistering start as Donal Og Rooney converted a ‘65’ in the opening minute and then a shot from McAllister deflected off an Ahoghill stick and finished in the net and the Down men were 6 ahead with only three minutes of the new half gone.

Cloney Gaels looked rattled but they came back with points from James O’Connell and a Colla McDonnell free but Carryduff were slowly getting on top. They replied through the excellent Conor McAllister with two on the bounce and another from substitute Tom Hickson put further distance between the sides.

A pointed free from Colla McDonnell and another from play by Eamon Brady hinted at a comeback from the Cloney Gaels but it would prove to be their final score with 14 minutes remaining.

Indeed it was Carryduff who ensured that there would be no way back going down the finishing straight with the excellent McAllister firing home his side’s third goal and Donal Og Rooney putting the icing on a fine personal performance with a point from distance.

Carryduff:

1 Conor McLornan

2 Fearghal Casey

3 Conor Cassidy

4 Ciaran Goodwin

5 David Morrissey

6 Darragh Goodwin

7 Cillian Ennis

8 James Woods

9 Donal Og Rooney

10 Michael Conway

11 Sean O’Callaghan

12 James Lavery

13 Lorcan McCaughey

14 Conor McAlister

15 Eoin Rooney

Featured Image: Niall Rogers, who had a good game for Shane O’Neill’s

ACHL Division 2

Shane O’Neill’s 1-14 Ballycran 0-19

Shane O’Neill’s, Glenarm and Ballycran served up a fiercely contested division 2 game of hurling at Feystown on Sunday with the Fetstown side desperately unlucky not to get something out of the game.

Trailing by one as the clock counted down the Glenarm side looked to be in for a second goal when youngster, Niall Rogers raced clear on goal where he was taken out by Ballycran keeper, Cathal Lavery but the home side had their appeals for a penalty waved aside and had to settle for a pointed free from Aidan Scullion.

Despite being without the services of Niall McGarel and Ciaran Magill the Glenarm side matched the men from the Ards all the way and the result was in the balance with time almost up.

Ballycran’s Adam Rogan tidies up as Ben O’Boyle moves in to challenge

It was Paul Sheehan who pointed the visitors ahead in the 4^th minute and the Ballycran number 12 would contribute 4 of his side’s first half total and seven in all over the hour.

Aidan Scullion brought matters all square by the 8^th minute, and like Sheehan, would be a major contributor for the Feystown side with his strong performance at mid-field.

Conor Dorrian, playing at full-forward added two further points to 2 from Sheehan as the visitors led 0-4 to 0-2 with Scullion adding to his early point from a well struck free for the home side.

Some of the challenges were not for the feint hearted as Lorenzo McMullan let play flow and the excellent Darren Hamill struck a couple of frees from distance to tie the contest at 0-5 apiece at the end of the opening quarter.

Aidan Scullion and Paul Sheehan exchanged further points before Niall Rogers edged Glenarm ahead after being set up by Ben O’Boyle but the visitors finished the half on top and Ethan Bell, Conor Woods and a great point from Michael Hughes had them one ahead at the short whistle.

Shane O’Neill’s took a time to emerge from the dressing rooms for the second half but when they did they were quickly into the action with Aidan Scullion levelling matters with a point after 30 seconds.

Things were certainly livening up as Conor Dorrian restored the visitors lead but almost immediately Glenarm hit the front for the second time in the game. Young Niall Rogers showed electric pace as he cut in along the bye-line before placing Paddy mcAuley who finished to the net

The visitors were back on terms however by the fifth minute as Michael Hughes from distance and Sheehan from a pointed free fired over but half time substitute Sean O’Hare split the posts at the other end to edge the Feystown men ahead once more.

Glenarm’s Darren |hamill rises to claim the sliotar

Paul Sheehan and Aidan Scullion exchanged further points to leave the gap at one but Glenarm will reflect on a dominant period where the hit four wides in quick succession that could have put a bit of distance between the sides.

Still they maintained that narrow lead after Conal Ward replied to a superb side-line cut from Sheehan with 9 minutes remaining as Ballycran threw the Miskillins, Jake and Paul into the action.

The Ards men were beginning to get on top and Paul Sheehan (f), Conor Dorrian and Conor Woods were all on target before Aidan Scullion replied with a great long distance effort to leave just one between the sides with three minutes remaining.

Then came the Rogers incident with Lavery perhaps lucky to stay on the field for his challenge and the award a free rather than a penalty which Scullion pointed.

It would be Ballycran who would grab the initiative as the game edged into extra time with Conor Woods and the impressive Sheehan on target to see their side home by two points

Shane O’Neill’s: 1 Michael Abram, 2 Ciaran McLoughlin, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 Sean Scullion, 5 Kieran O’Boyle, 6 Darren Hamill, 7 Michael Furey, 8 Conal Ward, 9 Aidan Scullion, 10 Ryan McLoughlin, 11 Dylan McLaughlin, 12 Sean McDermott, 13 Niall Rodgers, 14 Ben O’Boyle, 15 Paddy McAuley

Ballycran: 16 Cathal Lavery, 2 Dominic McGrath, 3 Brad Watson, 4 Adam Rogan, 5 Manus Gilmore, 6 Michael Hughes, 7 Steven Gilliland, 9 Sean McCarthy, 10 Ethan Bell, 11 Conor Woods, 12 Paul Sheehan, 13 Dara Rogers, 28 Conor Dorrian, 15 Eoin Kelly

Subs: 19 Jake Miskimmin, 29 Paul Miskimmin

Referee: Lorenzo McMullan

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/dkDif8SRDPJ9HN

ACHL Division 2:

Cushendun 1-22 Randalstown 1-08

Venue: Cushendun

Referee: Paddy Tumelty

Cushendun made it two wins from two in their Antrim Hurling League Division 2 campaign with a dominant 1-22 to 1-08 victory over Tir na nÓg Randalstown on home turf. After weathering an early storm against the breeze, the hosts took total control in the second quarter and dictated a largely one-sided second half to run out comfortable winners.

Randalstown played with the advantage of the breeze in the opening half and were first on the scoreboard through a Tiarnan Bonnes free in the 3rd minute. Cushendun quickly responded with a free from Conlaoth “Loaf” McNeill and a score from play by Fiontan McQuillan to edge ahead, before Emmet Murray leveled proceedings in the 8th minute.

The visitors briefly seized the momentum on the 14-minute mark with a spectacular individual goal. Sean Duffin picked up the ball 40 yards out, evaded three Cushendun tackles on a driving run, and coolly placed the sliotar into J.V. Morgan’s right-hand corner to make it 1-02 to 0-02.

However, Cushendun’s response was immediate and emphatic. Callam Kilgore and Pierce Bannon hit quick-fire points to steady the ship, leaving the sides effectively level as the game entered the second quarter.

The turning point arrived in the 22nd minute. After Randalstown goalkeeper Kevin Sheerin produced a brilliant diving save to deny a Callam Kilgore strike, Fiontan McQuillan was perfectly positioned to tap the rebound into the net from close range. Further points from Connor McHugh and McNeill helped the hosts build a 1-08 to 1-04 lead by the interval. Given they would have the wind at their backs for the final 30 minutes, Cushendun were firmly in the driving seat.

Conlaoth McNeill put on an exhibition of shooting, landing seven points in the second period alone—including a string of accurate frees—to continually keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Randalstown’s best chance to spark a revival came in the 13th minute when Declan Mallon found himself one-on-one with J.V. Morgan, but the Cushendun stopper produced a crucial save with his feet to deny the goal.

From there, the home side cut loose. Connor McHugh and Fiontan McQuillan kept the pressure on, while Callam Kilgore, Shane McQuillan, and Thomas Scally all added their names to the scoresheet as the half wore on. Randalstown battled hard but could only muster four points in the second half—two from Bonnes and one each from Emmet Murray and Caoimhin Duffin.

Ultimately, Cushendun’s second-quarter surge and relentless second-half accuracy proved far too much for the visitors, sealing a comprehensive 14-point victory to maintain their perfect start to the season.

---

Scorers:

Cushendun: *

Conlaoth “Loaf” McNeill: 0-09

• Fiontan McQuillan: 1-03
• Callam Kilgore: 0-03
• Connor McHugh: 0-04
• Pierce Bannon: 0-01
• Shane McQuillan: 0-01
• Thomas Scally: 0-01

Tir na nÓg Randalstown:

• Sean Duffin: 1-00
• Tiarnan Bonnes: 0-04 (frees)
• Emmet Murray: 0-02
• Connor McCamphill: 0-01
• Caoimhin Duffin: 0-01 (free)

ACHL Division 2

St. Mary’s Ahoghill 4-24 St. Brigid’s Cloughmills 2-16

A clash of colours at Cloney on Sunday failed to disrupt the clash of the ash as Cloney Gaels overcame the challenge of St. Brigid’s Cloughmills in a high scoring and thoroughly entertaining game of hurling.

Referee Darren McKeown was quite happy to let the game go ahead as both sides took the field in very similar strips and the St. Gall’s official did a good job of identifying the players as the game got underway.

Playing with a strong wind in their favour it was the Ahoghill side who made the early running and points from Dan O’Neill 0-2, Ronan Graham 0-2 and Colla McDonnell in response to one from a Michael Devlin free had them 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after 12 minutes.

A great point from distance from Bernard Graham saw Stephen Smyth reply from an equally impressive effort but Ahoghill were enjoying the better of the exchanges and Dan O’Neill and Eoin Graham extended their lead before Rian Dobbin replied with the ‘Biddies’ third of the afternoon.

The Ahoghill pressure was beginning to tell however as Colla McDonnell fired to the net in the 19^th minute and points from Bernard Graham, McDonnell and O’Neill moved them 11 ahead.

Michael Devlin struck another good free into the wind for the visitors and then replied to two more from Dan O’Neill to keep his side’s challenge just about alive.

Cloney’s final score of the half came from the lively Dan O’Neill but two in reply from Kevin O’Boyle and Eoin Dobbin left it 1-15 to 0-8 ahead at the break and given the strength of the breeze, it didn’t look an insurmountable lead.

St. Brigid’s needed a good start to the second half if they were to claw back the Cloney lead but it was the Ahoghill side who made a blistering start to the second half with PJ O’Connell finishing to the net after 30 seconds.

Seamus Duffin replied with a point at the other end but Cloney Gaels continued to look dangerous and Christopher McKernan in the St. Brigid’s goals brought off a great save to deny Dan O’Neill.

The visitors were doing everything in their power to get themselves going and Eoin Dobbin struck a fine point from distance but it brought another decisive response from the Cloney side as PJ O’Connell finished to the net from close range.

O’Connell was making his first start for Ahoghill in more than a year and while he might not be as fast as he once was, he certainly hasn’t lost his instinctive poaching qualities as he got his second and his team’s third goal and it looked as good as over with 13 minutes remaining.

To their credit St. Brigid’s continued to battle with Stephen Smyth pointing and then getting in for a goal as they began to enjoy a wee bit of success.

A second goal by James O’Boyle had the gap back to seven but the ‘Gaels’ continued to find their range with Patrick Graham, PJ O’Connell and Eoin Graham splitting the posts.

Substitute Rian McFarlane and the sweet striking Mickey Devlin add points for the ‘Biddies’ but O’Connell completed his hat-trick for the home side with time almost up and his return to the Cloney side will provide them with a massive boost as the season progresses.

Ahoghill: 1 Aiden Graham, 2 Shea Neeson, 3 James Magee, 4 Harry O’Donnell, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Diarmaid Graham, 7 Bernard Graham, 18 Eamonn Brady, 9 Ryan McPeake, 10 Patrick Graham, 11 Patrick Dougan, 12 Eoin Graham, 17 PJ O’Connell, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Ronan Graham, 15 Dan O’Neill.

Subs: Jack McFall

Cloughmills: 1 Christopher McKernan, 2 Jack McDowall, 3 Sean McKendry, 4 Aaron McGuckian, 5 Johnny Duffin, 6 James Doherty, 7 Dara Watterson, 8 Geoffery Og Laverty, 9 Eoin Dobbin, 10 Michael Devlin, 11 Kevin O’Boyle, 12 Rian Dobbin, 13 James O’Boyle, 14 Seamus Duffin, 15 Stephen Smyth

Subs: Rian McFarlane, Ryan Watson, Corey Blair

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/ZmLpEqJvsxovpY