McKeever Hotels Intermediate Hurling Championship

– Group 1, Round 1

Kickhams Creggan 0-24
Naomh Bríd Cloiche an Mhuilinn (Cloughmills) 0-16

Kickhams Creggan made it one win from one in Group 1 of the McKeever Hotels Intermediate Hurling Championship with a hard-earned seven-point victory over Naomh Bríd Cloiche an Mhuilinn on a glorious summer afternoon in Creggan.

Played under blue skies with barely a breath of wind to influence proceedings, conditions were ideal for hurling and both sides served up an entertaining contest played at genuine championship intensity.

The final scoreline may suggest a comfortable afternoon for the home side, but that does little justice to the contribution of the visitors. Cloughmills enjoyed plenty of possession throughout the opening period and matched Creggan in terms of work rate and endeavour. However, the crucial difference between the teams was their efficiency in front of the posts.

Both sides showcased their ability to strike excellent points from distance, with some superb long-range efforts keeping the sizeable attendance entertained. While Cloughmills created their fair share of opportunities, they were unable to convert enough of them, whereas Creggan were far more economical with the chances that came their way.

Conor McCann top scored for the Kickham’s with 0-8 and Ruairi McCann 0-5, Thomas McCann, Kealan McCann, Sean McAuley and Sean Duffin contributed handsomely for the Staffordstown Road side.

That clinical edge allowed the Kickhams men to gradually build momentum during the opening half. Despite the evenly contested nature of the game, they went in at the interval with an impressive 0-14 to 0-07 advantage, a lead that perhaps didn’t fully reflect how competitive the exchanges had been.

Cloughmills emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and immediately put the Creggan defence under pressure. Their bright start suggested a comeback could be on the cards as they won good possession and carried the fight to the home side. Unfortunately for the visitors, their finishing continued to let them down at crucial moments, with a number of promising attacks ending without reward.

Michael Devlin led the Cloughmills scoring charge with a total of 0-8 from both play and frees and Ryan McFarlane, Reece Watt, Geoffery Laverty, Ryan Watson and Eoin Dobbin all raised white flags for St. Brigid’s.

Creggan, meanwhile, showed the composure expected of a side with championship ambitions. They remained patient, defended resolutely and continued to take the scores that presented themselves, ensuring they kept Cloughmills at arm’s length whenever the visitors threatened to gain a foothold.

While Creggan deserved their victory through their greater accuracy and game management, Cloughmills can take encouragement from many aspects of their display. Their ability to compete in possession and create scoring opportunities will give them confidence heading into the remaining group fixtures, though improving their shooting efficiency will be high on the list of priorities.

For Creggan, this was another polished championship performance. Their sharp shooting, disciplined defending and ability to make the most of scoring opportunities proved decisive on the day and leaves them in a strong position as the group stage continues.

Kickham’s: Cormac Rice, Jake McAteer, Aidan McKeown, Paedar McGuckian, Sean O’Boyle 0-1, Kealan McCann 0-2, Sean McAuley 0-1, Ronan McCann 0-1, Lee Johnston 0-1, Sean Duffin 0-2, Ruairi McCann 0-5, Dan Doran 0-1, Conor McCann 0-8, Kevin Rice 0-2,

Subs: Sam maguire, Aidan McIlveen, Michael Maher, Shea Devlin, Ryan McGrath

St. Brigid’s: Christopher mcKernan, Johnny Duffin, Sean mcKendry, Rian Dobbin, Kevin O’Boyle, Ruairi Laverty, Reece Watt 0-1, Ryan McFarl;ane 0-2, Geoffery Og Laverty 0-2, Stephen Smyth 0-1, Michael Devlin 0-8, Seamus Duffin, Ryan Watson, Eoin Dobbin 0-2, James O’Boyle 0-1.

Subs: Cathaoir McFerran, Jack McDowell, Conor Laverty, Conor McKendry, Aaron McGuckian, Michael Reid, Darra Watterson, Corey Blair

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)

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McKeever Hotels IHC Group 2

Cloney Gaels 7-22 Tir na nOg 1-13

Cloney Gaels produced a performance of passion, pace and skill to brush aside Tir na nOg in this McKeever Hotels Group 2, Round 2 encounter in Cloney on Friday night.

Tir na nOg went into this one following a Round 1 win over Glenravel while the Ahoghill side lost to Emmet’s Cushendun in their opening encounter but when Colla McDonnell fired to the net for the home side in the 7^th minute there only looked like being one winner.

Their Randalstown visitors had led briefly through a Kevin Sheerin goal to go 1-1 to 0-3 ahead but Colla replied with the hosts first major, almost immediately and from there on it was mostly one way traffic.

PJ O’Connell added a second in the 10^th minute as the Ahoghill side began to find their rhythm to add to points from Diarmaid Graham, Dan O’Neill and Ronan Graham to move them 2-4 to 1-2 ahead.

Sean Duffin, almost single handed kept the Tir na nOg score board ticking from frees but the Whitehill number 20 was given little time or space from a tight marking Cloney side who had matters wrapped up by the halfway stage when they led by 4-10 to 1-5.

Colla McDonnell, who was excellent for the hosts, got their third goal and their fourth came from Ronan Graham with some of their combination play in the build-up right out of the top drawer.

It didn’t get any better for the men in Blue on the restart as Colla McDonnell set up James O’Connell for a fifth goal after Sean Duffin  had added to his personal tally for the visitors from another free.

Colla, PJ O’Connell 0-2, Dan O’Neill and James O’Connell weighed in with points to move Cloney 5-19 to 1-9 ahead by the 9^th minute with Duffin’s accuracy from the placed ball responsible for most of the visitor’s scores.

It was just a matter of how many it would finish as PJ O’Connell doubled on a dropping ball to beat Matthew Dipnel in the Tir na nOg goals and the same player got on the end of a long ball from ‘Soda’ Graham to bring his personal tally to three and move his side 7-18 to 1-10 ahead and out of site.

Both side gave game time to their respective benches as Duffin continued to excel from the placed ball for the visitors with James O’Connell and Dan O’Neill adding points for the home side.

The biggest cheer of the evening came for a point from Harry O’Donnell, the Ahoghill corner back had given another strong defensive display but in a rare forage forward he got his name on the Ahoghill score sheet.

Aiden Graham, James Magee, Bernard Graham, Eoin Graham, Dan O’Neill, Ronan Graham, PJ O’Connell and Colla McDonnell were excellent for a Cloney Gael’s side who were strong in every department while Oliver McAtamney, Caoimhin Duffin, Ciaran O’Neill, Eamon Og McAllister and Sean Duffin were best for a Tir na nOg side who never really got going.

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

Subs: Conor Crossey,Ryan McPeake, Noah Friel,

Tir na nOg: Matthew Dipnell Declan Mallon Oliver McAtamney Daniel McLornan Daniel Martin Caoimhin Duffin Ciaran O’Neill Connor McCamphill Emmett Murray Tiernan Bonnes Eamon Og McAllister Sean Duffin, Kevin Sheerin Sean McKinley Caleb Smith

Subs Darragh Fegan Conor O’Neill Ciaran McCamphill Colm Duffin

Referee: Colm McDonnell (St. Gall’s)

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McKeever Hotels Intermediate Hurling Championship

Tir na nÓg 3-10 Con Magees 0-16

Last year’s Intermediate Hurling finalists Tír na nÓg went into this game firm favourites against newly promoted Glenravel having won the Junior Hurling crown last year but with almost twenty minutes gone the visitors were ahead 0-07 to 0-01 playing into a breeze. As with last year’s final in Loughgiel, wayward shooting by the Whitehill men saw them stuggling against a team plying their trade a division below them this season. In the end goals wins games and the home side bagged two a few minutes either side of half time and with four minutes of the game remaining an attempt for a point was held up in the wind and dropped fortuitously into the Glenravel net  and that is effectively what separated the teams in the end.

It took the home side fourteen minutes to register their first point by Tiarnan Bonnes but by then Conleth O’Loan, Declan Traynor and Declan McAuley had pointed for the visitors. Glenravel would add to that tally with four consecutive points in four minutes to put them six ahead. Cormac McKeown got two of them with Caolan Lennon and Callum Higgins providing the other two. Randalstown enjoyed a dominant spell as they tagged on three points from Kevin Sheeran, Ciaran Logan and their top scorer Eamon Óg McAllister. It looked like they would grab the game by the throat at that stage but Glenravel were winning the defensive battles with James Duffin, Rian Lennon and Nathan Unwin impervious in the battle. Another defender Michael McDonald provided the score of the half from long range and Cormac McKeown followed up to put Glenravel ahead by five with three minutes of the half left to play. It was at this point that Caleb Smith pounced for TNN’s first goal and that was quickly followed by a point from Tiarnan Bonnes to leave the minimum between the sides at the break with Glenravel just nudging it 0-09 to 1-05.

On the re-start Eamon Óg McAllister goaled to put the home team ahead for the first time but Cormac McKeown reduced the gap to the minimum. Tír na nÓg were then awarded a penalty for a clumsy tackle in the square but Glenravel’s keeper Chris Quinn saved brilliantly putting the ball out for a 65 which Eamion Óg converted to put two between them again. Conleth O’Loan again reduced the gap to a single point but Ciaran Logan replied for the home side in what had become a tit for tat affair on the scoreboard.  When Cormac McKeown and substitute Luke Loughlin pointed for Glenravel they headed into the final ten minutes with both sides level. Eamon Óg and Daniel McLarnon restored the home team advantage and then with four minutes remaining the fortuitous goal dropping into Glenravel’s net from Eamon Óg sealed the deal for the home side. The same player pointed just after to put six between the sides, a lead Glenravel had enjoyed half an hour earlier.  The Glensmen finished strongly with three further points from Ciaran McCann, Cormac McKeown and Declan McAuley but they couldn’t find that elusive goal to level the match so TNN ran out winners on a 3-10 to 0-16 scoreline.

Tír na nÓg

1. Matthew Dippnall
2. Caoimhin Duffin
3. Ciaran O’Neill
4. Connor McCamphill
5. Daniel Martin
6. Ciaran Logan
7. Eamon Óg McAllister
8. Tiarnan Bonnes
9. Kevin Sheerin
10. Sean McKinley
11. Caleb Smith
12. Daniel McLornan
13. Neil Shannon
14. Dara Martin
15. Conor O’Neill

• Eamon Óg McAllister (11): 2-2
• Tiarnan Bonnes (12): 0-4
• Caleb Smith (15): 1-0
• Ciaran Logan (10): 0-2
• Kevin Sheerin (13): 0-1
• Daniel McLornan (17): 0-1

Glenravel

1. Chris Quinn
2. Eoin McCusker
3. James Duffin
4. Brian O’Neill
5. Michael McDonnell
6. Rian Lennon
7. Nathan Unwin
8. Ronan McCormick
9. Calum Higgins
10. Fergus Donaghy
11. Caolan Lennon
12. Cormac McKeown
13. Conleth O’Loan
14. Declan Traynor
15. Declan McAuley

Scorers:

• Cormac McKeown: 0-6
• Declan McAuley: 0-2
• Conleth O’Loan: 0-2
• Michael McDonnell: 0-1
• Caolan Lennon: 0-1
• Calum Higgins: 0-1
• Declan Traynor: 0-1
• Luke Loughlin: 0-1
• Ciaran McCann: 0-1

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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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