Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 2

Oisins 4-18 Glenarm 1-11

A great second half performance from Glenariffe Oisins saw them beat old rivals Glenarm in Saturday’s Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 2 games at Waterfoot to keep themselves on track for a semi-final place. There was little between the two teams in the opening half, and though the Oisins led by 2-06 to 0-09, it could have been so much different had the visitors no missed a penalty in the first half and had a late goal ruled out for a throw ball in the build-up seconds before the half time whistle.

When the teams came back out for the second half the Oisins were transformed. They stretched their lead out to seven before Glenarm raised their first flag. After Niall McGarel got the Shane O’Neill’s men restarted with a point from play, the Oisins hit back with 1-2 to all but seal the win. The victory puts them in a strong position as they join Carey Faughs as the only unbeaten teams in the group, but they still have two more games to play, one of them away to last years’ Junior champions Cloughmmills before finishing thier campaign at home to Carey. A win against the St Brigid’s men in Cloughmills would virtually seal a semi final place, but with Carey to face in the inal game nothing is garunteed just yet.

Seanie McIntosh got the first score of the game in the third minute but Niall McGarrel hit back with two in a row for Glenarm and when Aidan Scullion sent over a long range free things looked promising for the visitors. Glenariffe then got a big boost when corner forward Seanie McIntosh got his team’s first goal, drilling the ball home from close range, but Niall McGarel pulled a couple back for Glenarm to keep the gap manageable and the sides were level on eighteen minutes on 1-3 to 0-6.

Four minutes later Alex O’Boyle flicked a ball in to right half forward Kieran McKendry and he fired home from close range and when O’Boyle and Seanie McIntosh added points the home side were flying it. Glenarm did have a couple of goal chances themselves in the final minutes of the half when goalkeeper Michael Abram was called forward to take a penalty, but though his shot was well struck well it went to the right of the upright and wide. In injury time there was another chance for the boys in blue when Aidan Scullion cut in from the right of goal, but in his attempt to hand-pass the ball inside to the unmarked Michael Furey he was adjudged to have thrown the ball to Furey and the goal was disallowed.

Three ahead at the break Glenariffe were quickly into their stirde at the start of the new half and Alex O’Boyle, Brogan O’Connor, O’Boyle again and Oliver Kearney stretched their lead to seven. McGarel came back with one for the visitors but Conor Patterson broke through to fire in goal number three with five minutes still to play.

Dan Black cut through the middle of the Oisins defence to score his team’s second goal and Oisins goalkeeper Paul McMullan saved a penalty from Niall McGarel before the home team hit another run of four unanswered points before Mark O’Neill sounded the final whistle.

OISINS

Paul McMullan, Patrick McIlwaine, Niall Murray, Niall Magee, Calum McIlwaine, Michael Haughey, Daniel Kearney, Oliver Kearney, Odhran Gillan, Kieran McKendry, Alex O’Boyle, Orrin O’connor, Brogan O’Connor, Seanie McIntosh, Conor Patterson.

GLENARM

Michael Abram, Joshua Quinn, Barry Hamill, John Scullion, Aidan Scullion, Darren Hamill, Declan McDermot, Kieran O’Boyle, Daniel Black, Ciaran Magill, Blain McDermot, Michael Furey, Nial McGarel, Sean O’Noyle.

Referee – Mark O’Neill

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Intermediate Hurling Championship

Cloney Gaels 0-21 Cushendun Emmet’s 0-14

Cloney Gaels have one foot in the semi-final of the Intermediate Hurling Championship after they beat Cushendun on Friday evening in poor conditions at Feystown, Glenarm to make it 3 wins out of 3. Cushendun, who are still pointless after three games, did well in the opening half and in the early stages of the second, but when Cloney upped the pace they were able to pull clear and had seven points to spare at the end.

Things have not gone well for the Emmet’s this season and with the Kilgore brothers absent all season and centre back Donal O’Hara out with a broken hand, they faced an uphill struggle after losing their first two games. They started well enough and were 0-2 to 0-1 ahead after seven minutes, Tom Scally and Dominic McQuillan giving them the lead after seven minutes. Cloney began to settle into the rhythm and points from James O’Connell, Ronan Graham and Patrick Graham had them 0-4 to 0-3 ahead after 13 minutes, and it could have been more had it not been for a couple of excellent saves by Emmet’s goalkeeper John V Morgan.

Cushendun then had their best spell of the game and four points on the trot from Sean McKay, Dominic McQuillan, Tom Scally and Conor McHugh had them two clear by the 20^th minute. A point on the run by Donal Graham and a great effort from a free from inside his own half by Fionnbar O’Neill put Cloney level. Two points from Conlaoth McNeill put the Emmets two ahead but four on the spin from James O’Connell had the Ahoghill men 0-11 to 0-09 in front by the time referee Paddy Tumelty blew the half time whistle.

The Emmet’s started the second half really well and a pointed 65 from ‘Loaf’ McNeill and one from play by Tom Scally had them level by the 35^th minute. It looked like we were in for a close contest, but Cloney took control again and four points without reply, three of them from James O’Connell and one from Patrick Graham, opened a three point gap. Another excellent save by Morgan in the Emmet’s goal was followed by a point from a ‘Loaf’ McNeill free and the Cushendun men were still within reach, but they managed just one more point as a James O’Connell inspired Cloney side pulled away, O’Connell getting three more points and Eamon Brady one to end up seven clear at the end.

CLONEY GAELS

Aiden Graham, Bernard Graham, Patrick Dougan, Bernard Graham, Fionnbar O’Neill. Neill O’Connell, Danny O’Neill, Eamon Brady, Connor Crossey, Donal Graham, Ronan Graham, Patrick Jr. Graham, Owen Jr Neeson, Owen Graham, James O’Connell.

CUSHENDUN EMMET’S

John V Morgan, Mark McSparran, Archie McSparran, Pearse McKeegan, Sean McKay, Jack McKay, Calum Kilgore, Aidan McSparran, Andrew Breslin, Conor McHugh, Tom Scally, Alex McMullan, Dominic McQuillan, Conrad McDonnell, Conor Bannon.

Referee – Paddy Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)

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IFC Group 2

Tir na nOg 0-19 Sarsfields 1-18

Tir na nOg looked to be heading for their third win in three outings in Group 2 when they led Sarsfields 0-11 to 0-6 in Ahoghill at the halfway stage on Thursday night and indeed the Whitehill side could have been further ahead.

When Sean Duffin converted a ‘65’, 2 frees and two from play to move the Randalstown side 11 ahead after only five minutes of the second half it wasn’t looking good for a Sarsfield’s side missing several of the McKernan clan.

The McKiernan who was on duty, Donal finally got the Stewartstown Road side off the mark with a pointed free after seven minutes but there was little indication at this stage of what was about to unfold.

Two minutes later, county player, Niall McKenna drilled his shot to the net and it was ‘game on’ as the men from the Bear Pit came to life as they hit five on the bounce with Tir na nOg visibly rattled by the intensity of their opponents.

Sean Duffin, who had been their go to man tried to steady them but the momentum was now very much with the West Belfast side as they pushed on to win by two points.

The first half belonged to Tir na nOg as they dominated this Group 2 game, played at the neutral venue of Cloney, with Sean Duffin in fine scoring form and the big number 11 would contribute 0-8 of his side’s first half total with Ciaran Logan 0-2, Com Duffin and Daragh Fagan their other first half scorers.

Niall McKenna, Donal McKernan 0-3, Gary Lennon and Fionn Jemfrey were the Sarsfields first half marksmen but Tir na nOg might well been further ahead as they missed quite a few scoreable chances.

What was about to unfold in the second half could not have been predicted as Sean Duffin added to his ever increasing total with the first three of the second half to move the Whitehill side into what looked like an unassailable position.

Ace free taker, McKernan got proceedings under way before his side struck with a well worked goal by Niall McKenna to light a fuse that their opponents were unable to extinguish.

Donal McKernan added a couple of frees and Anthony McGarrigle, McKenna and Fionn Jemfrey added further points as the gap slowly closed before Sean Duffin briefly stopped the onslaught with a pointed free in the 18^th minute.

Sarsfield’s were now playing with a determination and belief that had been missing earlier in the game as Gary Lennon landed a great long range point before McKenna struck a beauty over his shoulder to move his side two ahead at the end of the third quarter.

Two more from Anthony McGarrigle and another converted free from Donal McKernan with five minutes remaining seemed to have sealed it for the Belfast side before Tir na nOg staged a late rally.

Sean Duffin led the way with three pointed frees as the hits went in hard and fast to close the gap to the minimum but Sarsfields replied through their own marksman, Donal McKernan to ease home by two.

The proverbial game of two halves with Tir na nOg dominant in the opening half but perhaps too reliable on Sean Duffin for scores. They missed a few during the opening period and those misses would come back to bite them.

Sarsfields tightened up in the second half with Mark McCavanagh outstanding in defence and Niall McKenna coming into his own as they slowly reeled in a Tir na nOg side who faded remarkably.

This win moves Sarsfield’s level with Tir na Nog on 4 points from 3 starts while Cloney Gaels join them on 4 but have a game in hand against Emmets on Friday night in Glenravel.

Tir na nOg: 1 Kevin Sheerin, 2 Manus Smith, 3 Christy Sheerin, 4 Ciaran O’Neill, 5 Daniel Martin, 17 Colm Duffin, 7 Sean McKinley, 8 Emmet Murray, 9 Ciaran McKeown, 10 Josh Higgins, 11 Sean Duffin, 12 Oliver McAtamney, 13 Aaron McNeilly, 14 Darragh Fagan, 15 Ciaran Logan,

Sarsfields: 1 Andrew McStay, 2 Malachy Campbell, 28 Nicolas O’Mullane, 4 Mark McCavanah, 5 Gary Lennon, 6 Eoghan Rogers, 7 Michael Johnston, 8 Anthony McGarrigle, 11 Niall McKenna, 13 Donal McKiernan, 14 Jack Daniels, 15 Fionn Jemfrey, 27 James Cunningham,

Referee: Colm McDonald

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Intermediate Hurling Championship – Round Robin 2

Cushendun Emmet’s 1-10 Tir na nÓg Randalstown 4-10

Tir na nÓg moved to the top of the Group 2 in the Intermediate Hurling Championship when they travelled to Cushendun on Saturday evening and beat the Emmett’s by three clear goals, a defeat that puts them joint top with their South West neighbours Cloney Gael. However it also deals a severe blow to Saturday’s opponents who are still looking for their first point of the campaign after their second defeat in a row. The Cushendun men are not gone yet but they must win their last three games of the round-robin section and hope other teams do them a favour by taking points of the two top teams along the way.

Tir na nÓg took the lead in the first minute when Darragh Fagn pointed from play, but the Emmet’s hit back with three in a row through Conor Bannon, Dominic McQuillan and Conlaoith McNeill to lead by two after five minutes play. The scoring dried up for the home side at this stage and by the time Callum Kilgore got their next point ten minutes later the Randalstown side had come back with three of their own, two of them from Ciaran Logan frees and the other from Fagan, his third of the game.

The second part of the opening half saw Tir na nÓg get on top, and when Eamon Og McAllister struck for their first goal on 17 minutes they began to open up a gap and when Fagan, McAllister and Logan all added points they were 1-07 to -05 ahead with time almost up in the opening half. Just before the break the home side were awarded a free thirty metres out from goal and sensing they were up against it ‘Loaf’ McNeill stepped up and fired to the ball to the net to cut the gap back to 1-05 to 1-07 at the interval.

With just two points between the sides as they came out for the second half Cushendun must have felt they were back on track, but they were dealt a double blow in the opening minutes of the new half when Darragh Fagan and Eamon Og McAllister grabbed two quick goals and Fagan also added a point to put nine between the sides.

The Emmet’s began to edge their way back with two points from Callum Kilgore, one from ‘Loaf’ McNeill and another from Conrad McDonnell. However just when it appeared they were getting themselves back into the game the Randalstown men struck for goal number four, Daniel Martin delivering the killer blown this time around.

Cushendun fought back and cut the gap a bit with three unanswered points, but the goals were the killer and they now face a very tough battle, and a few favours from other clubs, to get themselves back into the race. Their next outing is away to second placed Cloney Gaels in Ahoghill, while Tir na nOg have a home game against Sarsfields the day before.

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