ACHL Division 2

Cloney Gaels 5-13 Carryduff 1-20

Cloney Gaels got back to winning ways following a number of recent defeats to Cushendun, Sarsfields and Glenariffe and a draw with Shane O’Neill’s.

Goals win games is the old adage and on this occasion the Ahoghill side hit five, four in the opening half but despite that they were only four ahead at the interval, thanks mainly to the point scoring of Carryduff’s Darragh Goodwin, who registered 0-4 in the first half.

It was Diarmaid Graham, Fionnbar O’Neill and Colla McDonnell who got Cloney Gaels of to a perfect start with three goals in the opening ten minutes and a fourth from Conor Crossey at the end of the opening quarter saw them 4-4 to 0-11 ahead at the short whistle.

The Ahoghill points came from James O’Connell 0-3 and Noah Friel while Conor McAllister 0-3, Ciaran Goodwin, Eoin Rooney and Gareth O’Lionsigh were the other Carryduff point scorers.

After the break Cloney Gaels were more reliant on their point taking though they did add a fifth goal through Fionnbar O’Neill from the penalty spot with two minutes remaining to ensure there would be no way back for the county Down men.

Colla McDonnell added to his opening half goal with 0-2 in the second half while James O’Connell brought his total for the hour to 0-6 while Eoin Graham, Diarmaid Graham, Dan O’Neill and Owen Neeson were the other point scorers.

Donal Rooney led the Carryduff challenge with half a dozen second half points with Eoin Rooney 0-4 also impressing for the visitors and Conor McAllister getting their goal.

A good win for the Ahoghill side which leaves them in joint second place but the victory was somewhat tempered by the fact that Oisin’s Glenariffe claimed the league title on the same day with a win over Shane O’Neill’s in Waterfoot.

With two rounds of games still remaining these games will turn to Championship preparations and Cloney Gaels will hope to build on Sunday’s win as they finish their league programme with away games away to Cloughmills and at home to Tir na nOg.

Antrim Senior Hurling League- Division Two

Glenariffe 1-20 Glenarm 0-10

Glenariffe clinched the Division 2 Hurling title at Waterfoot on Sunday when they beat North Antrim rivals Glenarm by 1-20 to 0-10 before a good sized crowd.

Despite playing against the strong diagonal wind the Oisins had the better of the early exchanges and led by 0-04 to 0-02 after twelve minutes, two of them coming from Alex O’Boyle and one apiece from Michael O’Boyle and the other from Seanie McIntosh, while Ciaran Magill and Niall McGarel got the Glenarm scores

Three in a row for Glenariffe, two from O’Boyle and one from Daniel Kearney, pushed the Oisins lead out a little further and even though Glenarm had excellent scores from Aidan Scullion, Ciaran Magill and Niall McGarel the Oisins held the upper hand and went in at the interval with a 0-11 to 0-06 lead.

The gap stayed at five during the third quarter but scores by O’Boyle and McIntosh were answered by McGarel and Magill for the visitors, and when second half substitute Orrin O’Connor got in for the only goal of the game the game was as good as over. O’Boyle, though missing a couple of frees, was still the top man and he hit four in a row in the run in to seal the league title.

These two will meet again in the Intermediate Hurling Championship in a few weeks’ time in what no doubt will be a vital game in the round-robin series, and though Shane O’Neills were well beaten in this one they will feel there not as big of a gap between them as Sunday’s result suggests

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Antrim Hurling League Division 2

Glenariffe Oisins 6-31 Padraig Sarsfields 2-07

Glenariffe took a step nearer clinching the Division 2 league title when they scored a runaway win over a badly depleted Sarsfields side on Wednesday evening at McAllister & McVeigh Memorial Park. The Oisins were in total control from start to finish against a Paddies side who were short up to ten players from last season’s side for one reason or another. Things are at a low ebb with the Sarsfields hurlers at the moment and you have to admire the effort they put in to fulfil the fixtures.

Glenariffe started like an express train and after Senie McIntosh and Alex O’Boyle hit early points O’Boyle fired in two goals in a minute and added a second point in the sixth minute before going off injured. The man who replaced him Ronan Leech hit two goals of his own within a minute of coming on so it was more or less game over as the Oisins opened a 4-04 to 00-00 lead after thirteen minutes.

Noah McGivern got the visitors on the scoreboard when he pulled a ground shot to the net on 14 minutes and they got a second two minutes from half time, but in between Glenarrife got a fifth goal through Seanie ‘Tosh’ and a series of points to lead by 5-12 to 2-00 at the break.

The second half saw a better showing from the men from the Bear Pit and Donal McKernan came much more into the game, hitting a series of good points while Enda McCartan got one as well. The Oisins, who can win the league on Sunday if they beat Glenarm in their home fixture, kept knocking over the scores, with substitute Daniel Kearney getting their sixth goal.

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ACHL Division 2

Shane O’Neill’s 3-14 Ahoghilll 2-17

Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm and Cloney Gaels, Ahoghill fought out an entertaining draw at Feystown on Wednesday night. The visitors made the early running and led 1-4 to 0-3 after 9 minutes but Shane O’Neill’s settled and were back on level terms by the halfway stage.

It was nip and tuck throughout the second half with the lead changing hands on several occasions but 2 late converted frees from Niall McGarel looked to have given the home side the points before James O’Connell struck an injury time equaliser for the Cloney side from a close range free.

Patrick Graham got Cloney off to the perfect start when he hammered the sliotar to the net after 30 seconds as the visitors opened up the home defence with a slick build-up right from the throw-in.

McGarel replied immediately from a pointed free and added another in the second minute to close the gap to the minimum but the Gaels responded through a James O’Connell free and points from Niall O’Connell, Patrick Graham and James O’Connell had them 1-4 to 0-2 ahead after 8 minutes.

The visitors short passing game and smart movement was causing problems for the home side but they responded through their best forward, Niall McGarel with Donal Graham firing back immediately for the Ahoghill side and Colla McDonnell and James O’Connell adding further points to moving them four ahead.

A Michael Furey point for Glenarm and another pointed McGarel free kept Shane O’Neill’s in touch and then Declan McDermott got on the end of a sharp interchange to beast Aiden Graham in the Cloney goals from close range and the sides were level.

James O’Connell from play and then from a converted free concluded the visitors first half scoring with Ciaran Magill and Niall McGarel replying for the Feystown side to leave it 1-7 to 0-10 at the short whistle.

Cloney Gaels opened the second half as they had the first with James O’Connell moving them ahead once more from a free after 4 minutes but they were rocked back on their heels when Aidan Scullion got through for Glenarm’s second goal of the evening with 9 minutes gone.

Eoin Graham and Donal Graham responded with point for the visitors as the intensity of the game increased and play swung from end to end.

The balance of play appeared to have swung decisively in the way of the home side when Declan Dermot fired home his second and Glenarm’s third goal at the end of the opening quarter and points from the same player and Niall McGarel looked to have put them in a commanding position.

To their credit Cloney Gaels found a response as James O’Connell and Ewan McGregor pointed and when the excellent Patrick Graham finished to the net with five minutes remaining they were ahead once more.

Play swung from end to end during those closing five plus minutes with Darren Hamill striking a fine long range point for the home side and Niall McGarel edging them ahead with two converted frees and Donal Graham and James O’Connell replying from that late free leaving it all square as Declan McGarry sounded his full-time whistle.

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Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

Cloney Gaels 1-15  Oisins 3-19

Despite missing a number of regulars Glenariffe bounced back from thier midweek mauling by Cushendun and got back to winning ways in Sunday’s early throw-in away to Cloney Gaels in Ahoghill.  Seanie McIntosh opened the scoring with a free and despite blustery conditions proved to be accurate from placed balls throughout the game. The away team established an early 6-2 lead with fine scores from distance, the pick of them being from a Niall Magee solo run out of defence and then a sublime finish.   Cloney were keeping in touch with James O’Connell proving to be accurate when given the chance.  The young Oisins then began to dominate with three goals, Jack Leech one of the goal scorers finished a well worked attack to leave the home side even further adrift at half time.    

Ahoghill rallied at the start of the second half to narrow the gap with some good scores and began to give the home support reason to cheer.  With momentum building it took a diving save from S McToal to keep Ahoghill from making further inroads into the Glenariffe lead.  However Michael O’Boyle chipped over a fine point which was followed up by Oliver Kearneys 3rd of the day to leave the result in no doubt and see Glenariffe run out as comfortable winners. 

1. S McToal 2. P McIlwaine 3. C Devlin 4. J Kearney 5. C McIlwaine 6. N Magee 7. R Leech 8. O Gillan 9. O Kearney 10. M O’Boyle 11. B O’Connor 12. O O’Connor 13. S McIntosh 14.  D Kearney 15. J Leech