Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 1

Cloney Gaels 3-26 St. Paul’s 2-16

Cloney Gaels hit an impressive 3-26 as they overcame the challenge of Visitors St. Paul’s in the opening Group 1 game of the Intermediate Hurling Championship in Ahoghill on Sunday.

The final score-line was a little unkind to a St. Paul’s side who played some excellent hurling but didn’t have the accuracy of a free scoring home side who denied them space at the other end of the field.

Cloney Gaels led 1-13 to 1-9 at the end of a fairly even opening half with both sides missing good goal opportunities but the turning point came 7 minutes into the second half when Colla McDonnell fired to the corner of the visitors net.

Patrick Graham hit a third for the Ahoghill side at the end of the third quarter to put it out of reach of the visitors who kept battling to the end and were reward with a consolation goal from Patrick Doyle in injury time.

It was visitors St. Paul’s who were first on target with Declan Chapman pointing them ahead in the opening minute with Ronan Graham striking the equaliser from 60 meters with four minutes on the clock.

A James O’Connell free and another by the same player from a ‘65’ had Cloney Gaels two ahead by the 8^th minute with Conall Duffy replying to close the gap to one.

Duffy then saw his effort on goal come back of an upright and Aiden Graham pulled off a good save to deny Lorcan Phillips who was quickest to react on the follow up and it seemed to bring the home side to life.

James O’Connell from a free, Dan O’Neill and Colla McDonnell added points and then Graham hit a great effort from out on the left to move the home side five in front by the 13^th minute.

Caolan O’Duibhfinn wasted a good opportunity to bring the visitors back into contention before Eamonn Brady raced through for a good point at the other end and when Eoin Graham fired to the net at the end of the opening quarter, the Gaels had moved 9 ahead.

It was just reward for the Cloney number 14 who’s pace and strong running had opened up the St. Paul’s defence on at least three previous occasions with St. Paul’s calling full-back Frankie Sewell ashore soon after and introducing Caoimhin Killyleah with Bairre Burns moving to full-back.

It brought about improvement as the Shaw’s Road side began to enjoy some success with Sean Munce, Conall Duffy, Caolan O’Duibhfinn and Lorcan Phillips adding points in reply to one from Diarmaid Graham for the home side.

Further points from Declan Chapman and a 31^st minute goal from the same player had it back to five at the halfway stage with James O’Connell keeping the score board ticking for the Gaels.

Phillips hit another point, 30 seconds into the second half to close the gap to four and James O’Connell and O’Duibhfinn  exchanged pointed frees before Patrick Graham moved Cloney five ahead once more.

McDonnell’s goal in the 7^th minute came after a bad miss from James O’Connell and saw the Ahoghill men find another gear as O’Connell 0-2 and Bobby Magee extended their lead to 9 by the 12^th minute.

St. Paul’s were still contesting every ball and replied with points from Caolan O’Duibhfinn and Stephen Rooney but when Patrick Graham got in for Cloney Gaels third goal it looked as good as over.

James O’Connell, Colla McDonnell, Eoin Graham and substitute, Jack McFall added to the Cloney total with four on the bounce before Patrick Doyle pulled one back for the visitors with six minutes remaining.

O’Connell from a free and Fionnbar O’Neill with a massive point, Eoin Graham and Dan O’Neill concluded the scoring for the home side with Caolan O’Duibhfinn from a free and Doyle’s injury time goal putting a better look on the final score-line.

This win sees Cloney Gaels join Tir na nOg and Sarsfields at the top of the table. The Whitehill side recorded a facile win over Con Magee’s at Whitehill while Sarsfields had three to spare over Cushendun at the ‘Bear Pit’

Cloney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham, 2 Harry O’Donnell, 3 Patrick Dougan, 4 Bernard Graham, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 James Magee, 7 Diarmaid Graham, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Daniel O’Neill, 10 Donal Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Patrick Graham, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Eoin Graham, 15 James O’Connell

Subs: Shea Neeson, Jack McFall, Neill O’Connell, Eoin Neeson, Charlie McCloskey

St. Paul’s: 1 Chris Murray, 2 Ciaran O’Carroll, 3 Frankie Sewell, 4 Tiarnan Auld, 5 Thomas Duff, 6 Stephen Rooney, 7 Marcas Munce, 8 Sean Lawell, 9 Bairre Burns, 10 Caolan O’Duibhfinn, 11 Lorcan Phillips, 12 Declan Chapman, 13 Conall Duffy, 14 Patrick Doyle, 15 Sean Munce

Subs: Ciaran Killyleah, Declan Quinn, Liam Walsh, Callum Murray

Referee: Darren McKeown

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Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 1 – Round 1

Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm 0-24 St Brigid’s Cloughmills 0-21

Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm were pushed to the pin of their collar before getting the better of St Brigid’s Cloughmills in the opening round robin game of the Intermediate Hurling Championship at Feystown on Saturday afternoon.

Going into the game every pundit was predicting a convincing win for the Glenarm men, especially after the great display they put up in the relegation-promotion final against Down side Ballycran just over a week and a half ago. However Cloughmills were up for the task and for most of Saturday’s game they held the upper hand for long periods.

Glenarm, were really up against when they had a man red carded early in the second half, but to their credit they stepped up to the plate when the odds appeared to be stacked against them, and with ace forward Niall McGarel pulling the strings they eventually gained the upper hand to win by three in the end.

Tempers flared in the dying minutes as both teams pushed hard for the win but common sense soon returned and both will live to fight another day (pardon the pun). The win was vital for the Shane O’Neills side who travel to Carey Faughs in their next game in two weeks, time. Cloughmills came out on the wrong side of things in the end, but they can be proud of their performance today. They have home advantage next time out when they face St Gall’s and going by Saturday’s performance a win is certainly not out of the question there.

A Dylan McLaughlin point in the first minute gave Glenarm an early lead, but they would not get their noses in front again until the final quarter when they eventually got on top going down the home stretch. Jimmy Doherty and Marty Dobbin came back with points for the Biddies, and though McGarrel replied right away for the home side, three points in as many minutes from Eoin Dobbin, Marty Dobbin and Liam Kearns gave Cloughmills the upper hand again.

McGarrel was causing lots of problems for the opposition and two more points by him and one each from Ciaran Magill and Dylan McLaughlin got the home side back on terms. However every time they got level again Cloughmills got their noses back in front, and they went in at the break holding a deserved 0-13 to 0-11 lead.

When Eoin Dobbin stretched that lead to three a minute after the restart Glenarm’s task was getting much more difficult. Things went from bad to worse when a Glenarm player received a straight red card, but strangely enough it appeared to be the wake-up call they needed and soon afterwards they started to claw their way back. Two points from McGarrel and one from Dylan McLaughlin brought them level, but each time they tied things up, the Biddies found an answer and Eoin Dobbin, James Doherty and Liam Kearns all took turns in answering McGarrel points to push their team into the lead again.

A great long range point from a free by Darren Hamill eventually gave the home team back the lead and though Clouhmills did manage to draw level again, the home side landed the last three scores of the game through McGarrel (2) and Sean O’Boyle to clinch a vital win.

GLENARM

Michael Abram, Joshua Quinn, Barry Hamill, John Scullion, Aidan Scullion, Darren Hamill, Declan McDermott, Kieran O’Boyle, Daniel Black, Dylan McLaughlin, Ciaran Magill, Blain McDermott, Michael Furey, Niall McGarel, Sean O’Boyle.

CLOUGHMILLS

Christopher McKiernan, Rian Dobbin, Sean McKendry, Johnny Duffin, James Doherty, Ruairi Laverty, Geoffrey Og Laverty, Stephen Smyth, Kevin O’Boyle, Martin Dobbin, Callum McKendry, Liam Kearns, Reece Watt, Corey Blair, Eoin Dobbin.

REFEREE – Colm McDonald (St Gall’s)

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Ulster Intermediate Hurling Club semi-final

Kickham’s Creggan 1-15 Eire Og Carrickmore 4-11

Antrim champions, Kickham’s, Creggan made their exit from the Ulster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship when they fell to a slick Eire Og, Carrickmore at a windy Owenbeg on Saturday.

The Antrim champions won the toss and elected to play into the strong breeze in the first half and it is a decision they will possibly rue as the Tyrone side struck with four first half goals to lead 4-7 to 1-8 at the interval.

It has to be said that at least two of them were of their own making but they never recovered from the Eire Og first half onslaught despite performing better in the second half.

Conor McCann pointed the Kickham’s into an early lead as he sent over in the second minute but it would be the only time they would be ahead as Carrickmore replied with a point from Oisin Daly before Sean Og Grogan struck with the game’s opening goal in the third minute.

Grogan had acres of space as he received the sliotar to the left of goal and he drilled his shot into the right hand corner of Cormac Rice’s goal to give his side a lead they would never lose.

McCann replied from a 5^th minute free but Carrickmore were winning a lot of dirty ball and pressurising the Creggan defence who were continuously being turned over.

Conn Sweeney and Ruairi Slane added points before Sean Og Groggan added his second goal of the game in the 8^th minute after robbing Aidan McKeown as he attempted to make a clearance.

Conor McCann replied with a point for the Kickham’s but their attack were being forced to feed on crumbs as the Carrickmore work rate continued to knock them out of their stride.

The Antrim champions appeared to be gathering some traction when Conor McCann pointed a 17^th minute free and Kevin Rice sent a sideline cut between the uprights before McCann and Rice combined for the later to fire past Conor McElhatton from close range in the 19^th minute.

Rice’s goal left just two between the sides but before the Creggan cheers could die down Carrickmore replied with their third goal from Justin Kelly and again the Creggan defence were nowhere to be seen.

McCann replied with his sixth of the evening from a 60 meter free but Eire Og were growing in confidence and playing some great hurling as Conn Sweeney and Dermot Begley from a free moved them five ahead by the 23d minute.

The Tyrone side continued to press and added their fourth goal of the evening when a long range effort from Conn Sweeney dropped into the corner of the Creggan net.

By half time they led 4-7 to 1-8 with Conor McCann and Oran McCann adding late Creggan points but with the wind in their favour after the break they would have harboured hopes of a comeback.

It never looked like materialising and indeed it was Carrickmore who struck the first two points of the second half through Bryan McGurk and the superb Dermot Begley.

Conor McCann from a 20 meter free and Kevin Rice from his second sideline cut of the evening cut the gap to nine by the 13^th minute and two more from the Creggan number 14 and another from substitute Tiarnan McLarnon had it back to six but even at this stage the Kickham’s needed a goal and it never looked like materialising.

Indeed it was Carrickmore who had the ball in the net when Aidan Kelly finished a Sean Og Grogan cross home but the score was ruled out for ‘square ball’,

Creggan pressed to the end but a couple of points from Liam McCann and a Ruairi McCann ‘65’ was all they could manage and it’s Eire Og Carrickmore who go through to the final where they will meet Satanta of Derry, who defeated Middletown in the other semi-final.

Creggan: Cormac Rice, Aiden Maguire, Aidan McKeown, Jake McAteer, Sam Maguire, Kealan McCann, Liam McCann, Sean Duffin, Ruairi McCann, Morgan Nelson, Kevin Rice, Oran Mccann, Thomas McCann, Conor McCann, Diarmuid Mulholland. Subs Used: Ethan Carey-Small, Tiarnan McAteer.

Carrickmore: Conor McElhatton, Michael Kelly, Oran McKee, Dean Rafferty, Jonathan Muroe, Dermot Begley, Anthony Crossan, Bryan McGurk, Ruairi Slane, Conor Grogan, Justin Kelly, Con Sweeney, Cormac Munroe, Sean Og Grogan, Seamus Sweeney.

Subs Used: Aidan Kelly, Tony Hughes, Enda Grimes

Referee: James Connors (Donegal)