IFC Group 1

St. Mary’s Rasharkin 1-7 St. Gall’s 2-20

When Brian Og O’Neill fired to the St. Gall’s net, 20 minutes into this Intermediate Championship, Group 1 encounter at Dreen on Saturday a major upset looked on the cards.

O’Neill’s goal had moved underdogs Rasharkin 1-4 to 0-3 ahead against the pre-match favourites and their high press and impressive work rate was causing problems for the Milltown side.

The visitors finished the half strongly however as they hit five unanswered points in the closing stages to lead by one at the break but at this stage St. Mary’s still looked in with a serious shout.

The hosts would add only two further second half points however as St. Gall’s continued where they had left off at the break as they stepped up several gears to score at will in a one sided second half.

Jack Quinn from a ‘65’ for Rasharkin and Mark Napier from play exchanged early points before Tomas O’Ciarain and Napier again edged the visitors 2 ahead by the 14^th minute.

Tiernan O’Boyle who struck 2 massive long range points for Rasharkin

Rasharkin were working their socks of at this stage and forcing turn overs and Terry McGregor and a massive long range effort from Tiernan O’Boyle had the side’s level with 17 minutes gone.

A point from the impressive James Higgins saw St. Mary’s edge ahead by the 18^th minute, much to the approval of the good home support and when Brian Og finished to the net from close range, the home side were looking good.

A further exchange between Terry McGregor and Niall Falloon kept the gap at four with five minutes remaining to the break but at this point the visitors suddenly found another gear to finish with a flurry.

Gregory McGreevey set the ball rolling with points in the 27^th and 29^th minutes and two from Mark Napier and another from McGreevey saw the visitor’s one ahead at the break.

St. Gall’s continued where they had left off after the break with substitute Cormac Sheehan pointing within 30 seconds and two more from Napier had them four ahead by the 4^th minute.

Fergus Donnelly followed with a goal after the visitors had forced a turnover and when Mark Napier added a second in the 6^th minute it was as good as over.

Mark Napier who was in fine scoring form for the Milltown men

Jack Quinn briefly halter the onslaught when he pointed a 60 meter free in the 11^th minute but St. Mary’s would add only one further score as St. Gall’s continued to dominate proceedings.

Their pace and movement became more and more elusive for the home side as Tomas O’Ciarain 0-3, Cormac Sheehan 0-2 and Gregory McGreevey added points and Fergus Donnelly and Stephen McIlhatton concluded the scoring with Tiernan O’Boyle replying with a consolation score for Rasharkin.

St. Mary’s face another tuff assignment when the entertain Cathaoir an Ri next Saturday and will be hoping to get some of their injured players back for that one as a defeat here would almost certainly put paid to their hopes of qualifying from Group 1.

Rasharkin: 1 Brendan Kelly, 2 Conor Doherty, 3 Aidan McKeever, 4 Daniel Hasson, 5 Connaire Doherty, 6 Tiernan O’Boyle, 7 Jason McGregor, 8 Conor McFerran, 9 James Higgins, 10 Jack Quinn, 11 Brian Og O’Neill, 12 Conor McKillop, 13 Liam Tunney, 14 Caolan Maria, 15 Terry McGregor

Subs: Thomas McMullan, Oisin Doherty

St. Gall’s: 1 Sean McAreavey, 2 Gregory McGreevey, 3 Ewan Rush, 4 Eoghan McCurdy, Aaron Mackle, 6 Gairech MacAdhaim, 7 Michael Marlow, 8 Jack Hopkins, 9 Ethan Walsh, 10 Oran McIlhatton, 11 Tomas O’Ciarain, 12 Daniel Churchill, 13 Mark Napier, 14 Fergus Donnelly, 15 Niall Falloon.

Subs: Cormac Sheehan, Sean Burke, Stephen McIlhatton

Referee: Paul McSparron (Cushendun)

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McKeever Hotels IHC

Group Two – Round One

St Paul’s 0-14 Glenarm 3-21

At Pairc Pol

The men from Feystown travelled to Belfast on Friday evening and delivered an attacking master class against St Paul’s to get their Intermediate Hurling Championship campaign off to the best possible start.

The North Antrim side were on top from the very start and produced one of the best displays of Championship hurling for a few years. The sky-blue shirts swarmed the hosts, executing a flawless attacking game plan that the city dwellers simply had no answer for.

Glenarm laid down their marker immediately. Daniel Black and Paddy McAuley found their range right from the offf striking two great points to split the uprights in the opening minutes. Before St Paul’s could even settle, the Antrim coast men delivered the first heavy blow. In the fifth minute, Aiden Scullion gathered the ball in a heavily trafficked forward area, found a pocket of space dead centre, and ruthlessly rifled the sliotar to the back of the net.

While the hosts leaned entirely on Caolan Ó’Duibhfinn to keep them afloat, Glenarm’s attacking threat was dangerously spread. Every time St Paul’s managed a score, Glenarm replied instantly. Daniel Black kept the pressure on with a superb score off the right, and the stylish Niall McGarel showcased his trademark sharp reflexes, pointing beautifully before instantly intercepting the resulting puck-out to drive over another. By half-time, Glenarm had built a commanding eight-point lead. The veteran Darren Hamill was sensational from placed balls and open play, Liam O’Neill was raising white flags with ease, and Sean O’Boyle was terrorizing the St Paul’s defence with driving solo runs.

Facing into a stiff breeze in the second half, the flow of the game was expected to turn in the hosts’ favour. St Paul’s came out swinging, but Glenarm’s resolute defence forced a string of early wides, breaking the hosts’ spirit. Once the Shane O’Neill’s men found their second-half rhythm, the regained control. Kieran O’Boyle stepped up to thump a monstrous, demoralizing score from well inside his own half. Any faint St Paul’s hopes were extinguished when Sean O’Boyle found space in the box and unleashed a low, left-sided rocket that nearly ripped the net. Desperate for a lifeline, St Paul’s hunted for goals, but they couldn’t find a way past the commanding presence of Michael Abram in the Glenarm goal.

The icing on the cake came courtesy of the man who started the rout. Latching onto a loose ball, Aiden Scullion spun his marker beautifully and squeezed his effort into the top corner for his second, and Glenarm’s third, major of the evening. Despite a late consolation point from St Paul’s Stephen Rooney, the damage was already terminal. Referee Kevin Parke blew the whistle on a resounding, thoroughly deserved victory for Feystown men.

GLENARM:  M Abram; B Hamill, J Scullion, N Rodgers; K O’Boyle (0-1), C Magill, M Furey; C Ward, A Scullion (2-1); N McGarel (0-2), L O’Neill (0-3), D Black (0-3); P McAuley (0-1), D Hamill (0-8, 6F), S O’Boyle (1-1), with Ryan O’Boyle (0-1) coming on as a substitute.

ST  PAUL’S C Murray; L Walsh, D Stevenson, T Auld; T Duff, S Rooney (0-1), C Killyleagh; M Munce, D Quinn; S Munce, S Óg McLaren (0-4, 2F), C Ó’Duibhfinn (0-9, 3F); D Chapman, C Finnegan, and O Donnelly, with B Buns replacing D Chapman at half-time.

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McKeever Hotels Intermediate Hurling Championship 

Group 2 

Cushendun 2-20 Cloney Gaels 0-16 

Friday 24 July 

Brendan McTaggart reports from Cushendun 

With a little over 10 minutes of this championship opener remaining, it looked like the men from Cloney Gaels had created the perfect storm.  Trailing by two but well and truly in the game, they had just scored back to back points after Cushendun defender Matthew McCartin was sent off. 

But, as the old cliché goes, goals win games and it was the men from Cushendun who managed to get those vital scores.  10 points was the difference by the time referee Shane McDonnell called for the sliotar at the end of the hour but there certainly wasn’t 10 points between these sides. 

Going down to 14 men seemed to focus the minds of the Emmett’s and they produced their best hurling of the game.  Harry Kilgore’s goal seemed to kill any momentum the Ahoghill men had built but the home side pushed for the line when the chips were down.   

The Kilgore brothers revelled in the pressure cooker final quarter while Connlaoth ‘Loaf’ McNeill was putting on an exhibition in high fielding and scoring.  He would finish top of the scoring charts with 1-7 while Harry Kilgore’s 1-5 was a massive reason for the Emmett’s recording an opening day win in the championship for the first time in three years. 

The Cloney men were well organised and defensively sound for long portions of the game.  The twice they took their eye off the ball, Cushendun made the most of it by scoring two goals but captain James ‘Bobby’ Magee was excellent at the edge of his own square.  Bernard Graham excelled in midfield and in a free role with both sides looking to play a sweeper while PJ O’Connell was at his impish best.  The miles are on the clock but the natural hurling ability and competitive nature burns as bright as ever.  The introduction of James O’Connell off the bench seemed to coincide with the Ahoghill men sensing a win but his match up with Donal O’Hara was a great sub-plot to the game.  Colla McDonnell topped the Cloney Gaels scoring chart with nine white flags on the evening but his efforts were in vain. 

Cushendun goalkeeper John V Morgan didn’t have a huge amount to do for most of the game but he was called into action late in the game and twice he produced top saves to deny Cloney a way back into the game as the home side saw off the challenge of the visitors. 

The opening goal came in the eighth minute with the Emmett’s leading two points to one.  McNeill it was who applied the finish with an outstanding piece of stickwork with Fiontan McQuillan’s shot evading everyone at the heart of the Cloney defence. 

The visitors responded superbly with a brace of points from Owen Neeson and Eamon Brady, wrestling back any momentum the Cushendun goal may have given them.   

Harry Kilgore and Conor McHugh opened a four point lead but it would be almost 10 minutes before they would register another score.  The Ahoghill men hit four points unanswered in the same period of time, Colla McDonnell (two), Patrick Graham and PJ O’Connell  with the scores to tie the sides as the Cushendun attack faltered.  A run of four wides in a row did little to help their cause. 

The Emmett’s did finish the half strongly however with McNeill, Sean McKay and Calum Kilgore all finding their range. 

Three points separated the sides at the interval with the home side leading 1-9 to 0-9.  Cushendun had the help of a slight wind advantage coming in from the Irish Sea for the second half and when Harry Kilgore split the uprights right from the throw in for his third of the match, it looked like they were going to go through the gears. 

That never materialised.  If anything, the defensive organisation of the visitors was proving a difficult nut to crack for Cushendun.  Colla McDonnell’s accuracy from frees keeping them in touch. 

That four point cushion remained when the home side were reduced to 14 men with a quarter of the game remaining.  McCartin’s second yellow and subsequent red card coming after an altercation with both sides getting involved in some early championship shenanigans. 

Cloney Gaels responded by firing over the next two scores, a Colla McDonnell free and James O’Connell with an exquisite score with what must have been very close to his first touch. 

The home side reorganised and with Harry Kilgore’s goal in the 49^th minute, they got some breathing space.  The Cushendun forward getting on the end of a long ball that evaded everyone and while he still had plenty to do, his finish was out of the top drawer. 

PJ O’Connell scored his second point of the contest to leave just four between the sides with seven minutes remaining and the Cloney hopes were still alive.  That would be their last score of the contest however as a combination of brilliance from the Cushendun midfield and attack along with the reflexes of Morgan in goals kept them at bay. 

Morgan would deny both James and PJ O’Connell, the sliotar heading to the top corner on both occasions but he was equal to their efforts. 

Cushendun tagged on more scores with McHugh, Harry Kilgore, McNeill and substitutes Shane McQuillan and Andrew Breslin adding gloss to the scoreline for the Emmett’s. 

Cushendun will be hoping to keep the momentum going when they welcome St Paul’s to the north coast next Sunday while Cloney Gaels will host Tír na nÓg the Friday before hoping to record their opening win of the campaign. 

TEAMS 

Cushendun Starting XV: John V Morgan; Mark McSparron, Archie McSparron, Paddy Morgan; Jack McKay, Donal O’Hara, Matthew McCartin; Thomas Scally, Calum Kilgore; Harry Kilgore, Conor McHugh, Connlaoth McNeill; Fiontan McQuillan, Sean McKay, Conor Bannon 

• Subs: Shane McQuillan for T Scally (44); Donncha Laverty for F McQuillan (53); Andrew Breslin for D O’Hara (60+2), Sean Hamilton for C Bannon (60+2) 

• Scorers: C McNeill 1-7 (5fs); H Kilgore 1-5; S McKay 0-2; A Breslin 0-1; S McQuillan 0-1 

Cloney Gaels Starting XV: Aiden Graham; Shea Neeson, James Magee, Harry O’Donnell; Diarmuid Graham, Ronan Graham, Eoin Graham; Eamon Brady, Bernard Graham; Conor Paul Crossey, Donal Graham, Patrick Jr Graham; Colla McDonnell, PJ O’Connell, Owen Neeson 

• Subs: James O’Connell for D Graham (41); Patrick Dougan for D Graham (55) 

• Scorers: C McDonnell 0-9 (8fs); PJ O’Connell 0-2; E Brady 0-1, B Graham 0-1, P Jr Graham 0-1, O Neeson 0-1, J O’Connell 0-1 

Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe) 

TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME, FOLLOW THE LINK….

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Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship – Semi Final

Oisins Glenariffe v Eire Og Carrickmore

Date: Saturday 15 November

4pm – @ Owenbeg, Dungiven

Glenariffe Oisins face a tough task when they take on Tyrone champions Carrickmore in Saturday’s Ulster Intermediate Hurling semi-final at Owenbeg.

The Tyrone champions this season collected their sixth county title on the trot when they beat Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon in a closely contested final. The Dungannon side thought they had it won when they held a one point lead going into injury time, but Carrickmore snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when corner forward Seamus Sweeney flashed home and injury time goal to seal the six-in-a-row.

In the Ulster quarter final the Tyrone champions beat Donegal’s St Eunan’s Letterkenny in O’Donnell Park, winning in the end by 1-16 to 1-09 to set up Saturday’s semi-final against the Oisins. There was little between the teams in the opening half with Carrickmore holding a slender two point advantage at the interval at O’Donnell Park. The Donegal side felt they were still very much in the game but Carrickmore increased their lead with  a goal early in the second half and went on to win by seven in the end.

After the game team manager Adrian Slane told  Highland Radio that the winning Ulster was their aim this  seasons. “This is a demon we have to exorcise this time. We have come so close so many times in this competition and we have to get there this time.”

Going into the game Glenariffe have a slight injury worry over centre-forward Conor Patterson, a player whose season has been plagued by hamstring injuries. Brogan O’Connor, who came in for Patterson against Leitrim in the quarter final was unlucky to receive a red card and is out of this weekend’s game after his appeal was turned down by the Ulster council.

Apart from that the Oisins team should be very much along the same lines at the one who started against the Down me two weeks ago in Loughgiel. Alex O’Boyle led he line the last day, as he has done on most occasions all season and his contribution from frees and from open play is again vital. With his brother Michael again to the fore with Orrin O’Connor and Seanie McIntosh carrying the main scoring threat.

David Kearney was the star of the show in defence the last day with his strength and experience a vital factor and considering the physicality of Carrickmore that is likely to be needed again. David moved back into full back in the second half against Leitrim and that is a possible option on Saturday. The young duo of Niall Magee and Callum McIlwaine will again be vital in the half-back line with the midfield pairing of Gillan and Kearney keeping their places in the 8 and 9 shirts.

It has been a traumatic time for the team since their quarter final with the untimely death of Marie O’Hagan, wife of joint team manager Shay. That has no doubt effected the preparations in the week following the quarter final but the past week has seen them training return to full pace with three outings in neighbouring clubs who provided their facilities in Glenravel, Loughgiel and Cushendall.

Carrickmore will provide a tough test in this game and as other Antrim clubs have found they are a good team full of hurling. However if the Oisins produce their best then they are good enough to book that final spot and reach another Ulster final in two weeks’ time.

The Oisins starting line-up in the semi-final was

Oisín: P McMullan, P McIlwaine, M Haughey, C Devlin, David Kearney, N Magee, C McIlwaine, O Gillan, O Kearney, O O’Connor, C Patterson capt, M O’Boyle, A O’Boyle, S McIntosh, Daniel Kearney.