Ulster Junior Hurling club Championship

Carrickmacross 1-12 Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm 4-27

Shane O’Neill’s, Glenarm produced a performance of awesome scoring power and intensity to sweep aside the challenge of Monaghan champions, Carrickmacross in the quarter-final of the Ulster Junior Hurling club championship in Inniskeen today.

The Antrim champions were slow to start and actually fell behind twice in the opening 4 minutes but once they got going Carrickmacross had little answer to their pace and movement and by half time the Feystown side held a fairly substantial 8 point lead despite having played into a stiff breeze.

Keeper, Eamon Collins gave the Monaghan side the lead when he pointed a long range free in the second minute but Glenarm replied immediately and Niall McGarel raced clear for a splendid goal with only four minutes gone.

The home side hit the front again for the second and last time in the game when a long range free from Oran Kieran sailed all the way to the Glenarm net with keeper Michael Abram seeming to lose site of the sliothar as it dropped out of the blinding sun.

Two minutes later Ciaran Magill, who was to have a massive influence at full-forward levelled matters with a point and Darren Hamill followed from a ‘65’ to move the Antrim men ahead before Rowan McMahon levelled the contest for the second time with Carrickmacross’ first point from play.

The intensity of the Glenarm men and their ability to close down the opposition and deny them time and space was starting to tell and Darren Hamill was first to react as McGarel challenged Eamon Collins for a dropping ball and the Glenarm captain fired to the net in the 10^th minute.

At this stage Carrickmacross were still hanging in there as their free taker, Oran Kieran pointed from 40 meters but Hamill replied again from a 45 meter free and Magill added his second point when he gathered a great save from Collins, to deny Hamill before sending over.

The pressure was starting to pay dividends as Darren Hamill raced through the Carrickmacross defence and rode a couple of heavy tackles before blasting his shot past Collins for Glenarm’s third goal after 15 minutes and already it was looking ominous for the men in green.

The slick movement and passing of the Antrim champions continued to produce opportunities as Daniel Black pointed after another fine save from the excellent Eamon Collins and Kevin O’Boyle followed with another in response to a point from the long striking Kiernan for the home side.

It provided only temporary respite as Dylan McLaughlin, Darren Hamill and Niall McGarel added to the ever increasing Shane O’Neill’s total and Hamill had the last point of the half from a ‘65’ following another splendid stop from Eamon Collins who was performing heroics to keep his side in the game.

With the wind now at their back and holding an 8 point lead it was difficult to see anything but a resounding win for the Feystown side and Daniel Black increased their lead with a point on the restart but they had to be thankful to their keeper, Michael Abram who pulled off a good save to deny Brian Finn as Carrickmacross briefly threatened.

Oran Kiernan pointed the resulting ‘65’ but Glenarm replied with a good point from the lively Ciaran Magill before Darren Hamill fired home his third goal of the game to move his side 4-12 to 1-9 ahead with only 7 minutes of the new half gone.

Things got worse for the Monaghan champions when they lost their free taker and best player, Oran Kiernan to a straight Red and Shane O’Neill’s began to turn the screw with a fine exhibition of point taking.

Hamill from a 60 meter free, Dylan McLaughlin 0-2, Sean O’Boyle 0-3 and Ciaran Magill 0-7, Darren Hamill, Kevin O’Boyle and Niall McGarel were all on target with Carrickmacross replying with a couple of consolation pointed frees from Jamie Guinan.

Both sides emptied their benches with Rory Mulvenna and Sean O’Hare getting a run out for the Antrim champions who now face Sean Treacy’s next Sunday in the semi-final following the Armagh side’s 5-12 to 1-12 win over Coothill Celtic at Breffni Park today.

Sean Treacy’s are likely to provide the Feystown side with a much stiffer test than a limited Carrickmacross produced today but on this form Pat O’Neill and Kevin Mulvenna’s men will be hard to beat and with home advantage next Sunday I would expect them to progress to the final.

Carrickmacross: 1 Eamon Collins, 25 Niall Bermingham, 3 Ciaran Guinan, 4 Lee Butler, 5 Ryan Nelson, 6 Oran Kiernan, 7 Jack Guinan, 8 Jamie Guinan, 9 Stephen Corrigan, 11 Brian Finn, 12 Eoghan Hoey, 13 Rowan McMahon, 15 Niall Keenan, 19 Darragh Waters, 21 Ciaran Slevin, 26 Michael Maguire, 27 Daithi Butler, 29 Aodhan Browne, 2 Darragh Cassidy.

Glenarm: 1 Michael Abram, 25 Conal Ward, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 Liam Og McCaughan, 5 Padraig McDermott, 6 Declan McDermott, 7 Aidan Scullion, 8 Daniel Black, 9 Kieran O’Boyle, 10 Sean O’Boyle, 11 Darren Hamill, 12 Dylan McLaughlin, 13 Kevin O’Boyle, 14 Ciaran Magill, 15 Niall McGarel

On Sunday Glenarm hurlers take thier first step in their bid to get back to the summit of Ulster Junior hurling when the they travel to Inniskeen to take on the Monaghan representatives Carrickmacross in the quarter finals. We take a look back at their Antrim win and go back even further to remember their last Ulster sucess 18 years ago.

Antirm Junior Hurling final recap

Shane O’Neill’s 1-21 Rasharkin 0-16

Glenarm produced a strong finish to finally banish their junior championship blues.  Eight points separated the sides at the end of the hour as the Shane O’Neill’s saw off the dogged resistance of Rasharkin in the final quarter. It was the Glenarm mens’ first Junior title in 65 years, though they have won Intermediate and Intermediate Reserve titles in the interim, but the Junior had eluded them.

On Sunday they make a journey into the unknown when they travel to Inniskeen to take on Monaghan’s Carrickmacross.

Carrickmacross were actually beaten in the Monaghan SHC final by Castleblaney but are nominated for the Ulster Junior Championship while Castleblaney will play in the Ulster Intermediate Club Championship and will face Clooney Gaels

Castleblayney charged to the Monaghan senior hurling championship title with a 16 point win over Carrickmacross back in August.

Blayney were always in control sealing victory 2-23 to 1-10 in O’Neill Park. Castleblayney led by 12 points at half-time 1-14 to five points and Brian McGuigan’s 10^th minute goal set Blayney on their way with Stephen Lambe and Fergal Rafter adding points.

James Slevin grabbed a goal three minutes after half-time for Carrickmacross to give them some hope, but McGuigan grabbed a second goal seven minutes later to keep Blayney’s dominance in the game.

Treanor, Niall Garland, Rafter and Paudie Heaven all added scores for Blayney who ran out 16 point victors, 2-23 to 1-10.

Shane O’Neill’s will start this one as favourites following a season where they have accounted for nearly everyone who has come before them.

They won division 3 of the Antrim ACHL, suffering only one defeated in their 11 starts and went on to top their championship qualifying group before defeating Glen Rovers, Armoy in the semi-final.

They went on to beat St. Mary’s Rasharkin in the final at Dunsilly by 8 points but certainly didn’t get it all their own way against a Rasharkin team who fought to the death.

With just one point between the sides at the half time whistle, a goal was always going to be a massive score and it proved to be the case with Kevin O’Boyle making the most of indecision in the Rasharkin defence with a little over ten minutes of the final remaining. 

The major gave Glenarm the confidence they needed to push for home with Nial McGarel producing an awesome display of point taking at the death.  He would finish with four points with two of those coming after the Glenarm goal when they pushed for victory.

Shane O’Neill’s are well balanced mix of youth and experience with Michael Abram in goals, Barry Hamill and Declan McDermott anchoring a solid defence who have the potential to attack.

Daniel Black at midfield was the Saffron Gael man of the match in the Antrim final and has a solid partner in Kieran O’Boyle while in attack former Antrim player, Darren Hamill and Dylan McLaughlin have the experience for the big occasion while Niall McGarel and Kevin O’Boyle add pace and scoring power.

Carrickmacross are something of an unknown quantity and with Inniskeen likely to have suffered from the effects of this week’s rain conditions could be a great leveller but I would expect Shane O’Neill’s to win with something to spare with a big travelling support there to cheer them on. However Sunday’s opponents were beaten Ulster finalist last year and Castleblaney have shown with their wins over Con Magees in the 2015 semi-final and Cushendun in 2018 final, hurling in Monaghan is strong at this level.

Glenarm’s venture into Ulster will the first since the opening round of the competition in 2004 when they went all the way, beating St Malachy’s Portadown in the Ulster final at Casement Park. They didn’t actually win the Antrim title that year, but because they were beaten in the Antrim final by Loughgiel 2nds team, they went through as Antrim representatives, as a senior club were not allowed to enter.

The men from Feystown have waited a long time to get back to this level, and suffered a series of Antrim final defeats along the way. They made no mistake this time and will travel to Inniskeen determined to keep this run going.  

Shane O’Neill’s v Rasharkin: Michael Abram; Ben O’Boyle, Barry Hamill, Conal Ward; Padraig McDermott, Declan McDermott, Aidan Scullion; Daniel Black, Kieran O’Boyle; Sean O’Boyle, Darren Hamill, Dylan McLaughlin; Kevin O’Boyle, Ciaran Magill, Niall McGarel

Subs: Kevin O’Boyle for B O’Boyle (34); Liam Og McLaughlin for C Ward (inj); Sean O’Hare for D Black (inj)

Shane O’Neill’s manager Pat ‘Boone’ O’Neill speaks with Brendan McTaggart after masterminding his side to Junior Championship glory….

There were fewer happier men on the Dunsilly pitch at the final whistle than Glenarm manager, Pat ‘Boone’ O’Neill.  He had just masterminded the Shane O’Neill’s to junior success and he said the final was everything they were expecting: “It was a tough game.  It was a typical final where everyone lifts their game and some go into their shell but as the game wore on we improved.

“Rasharkin played well.”

Kevin O’Boyle’s goal was ultimately the turning point for Glenarm.  It breathed oxygen into their ranks and the Shane O’Neills never looked behind them.  ‘Boone’ told us that in a game of this nature, a goal was always going to be decisive: “It came at the right time.  It was the sort of game that a goal was always going to be decisive and so it proved.  Thank God we got the goal.”

With that little bit of breathing space on the score line, the Glenarm players gew in confidence.  None more than Niall McGarel.  The Glenarm manager continued: “We have a lot of young players and we knew it was going to be a bit of a grind.  We have the hurlers, we hoped their ability would come through and it did.

“Niall’s a special talent and when we need needed him he stood up.  I thought Daniel Black had a magnificent game in midfield.”

Having tasted defeat at the same stage just 12 months ago, O’Neill told us the pain of that defeat was still fresh in their minds: “We were hurt last year.  It was bad enough losing the final but to lose it the way we performed, we didn’t play the way we can play but Glenravel were the better team on the day last year but we regrouped.  We did a lot of hard work in the gym through January and we knew we’d be back here and deliver this time.”

Saturday’s win signalled a 65 year wait since their last junior title and 24 years since their last championship win.  It’s fair to say few would begrudge them their celebrations and the Glenarm manager was already thinking on Ulster: “This is our first championship in 24 years.  We won an Intermediate Championship in 1998 and haven’t won one since.  It’s worth the wait but I never thought it would be as long as it was but that’s hurling for you.  There’s a lot of disappointments when you’re involved in this sport but this is a good day for Shane O’Neill’s.

“We’ll celebrate and regroup but we’ll look forward to Ulster and give it a good rattle.”