Casement SC JFC Group 2

St. Brigid’s 0-15 All Saints 0-9

St. Brigid’s Cloughmills made it two wins from two starts in Group 2 of the Casement SC Junior Hurling Championship when they overcame the challenge of All Saints in the wind and rain and descending darkness in Rasharkin on Friday night.

The ‘Biddies’ always held the upper hand against a relatively young All Saints side who gave it everything over the hour but were unable to convert good second half possession into scores.

Cloughmill, with the wind and rain behind them, raced into and early 0-4 to 0-1 lead with Eoin Dobbin, Ruairi Laverty, Michael Devlin and Liam Kearns their marksmen and All Saints solitary score coming from a Ciaran Neeson free.

Neeson hit his second point of the evening from another free in the 8^th minute and when Joseph O’Rawe sent over a good point to close the gap to one by the 11^th minute we looked to have a contest on our hands.

Eoin Dobbin and Ciaran Neeson exchanged further frees to keep the gap at one at the end of the opening quarter but Dobbin converted two frees and then a ‘65’ to move St. Brigid’s four in front by the 22^nd minute.

The Ballymena side were enjoying their share of possession but finding it hard to break down a resolute St. Brigid’s defence and were relying on the free taking of Ciaran Neeson for scores and he pulled one back from a 45 meter free in the 22^nd minute.

There was only three between the sides at this stage but the minutes leading up to half time would prove crucial for the ‘Biddies’ as they out-scored the opposition 0-5 to 0-1 with Eoin Dobbin hitting three and Mickey Devlin and Stephen Smyth on target while All Saints solitary response came from another Neeson free.

With the increasing wind and driving rain in their favour for the second half 7 points didn’t look an insurmountable lead and when Eoin McGuigan opened the scoring with an All Saints point in the first minute it was looking better for the Slemish Park side.

Two in quick response from Mickey Devlin dampened the early All Saints enthusiasm however and while they enjoyed quite a bit more possession during the second period they could not turn that possession into scores.

All Saints hit a series of wides while a number of attempted deliveries overshot their target and it was 11 minutes before Eoin McGuigan would raise the Ballymena side’s second white flag.

The scoring dried up after this as both sides struggled to deal with the worsening conditions and the descending darkness before Neeson struck the game’s final point from a free in the 24^th minute.

The question on everyone’s lips after was, why was these games (7 in all) fixed for a Friday night and at this time of the night instead of on Sunday when there is only one game down for decision.

I didn’t have the answer but this result ensures that St. Brigid’s Cloughmill’s will qualify for the play-offs as Group winners while All Saints now meet Gort na Mona in a battle for second place in Ballymena on Saturday 2^nd September.

St. Brigid’s Cloughmills: 1 Chris McKernan, 2 Sean McKendry, 3 Kevin O’Boyle, 4 Stephen Martin, 5 Pearse Smyth, 6 Corey Blair, 7 Johnny Duffin, 8 Martin Dobbin, 9 Joe Smyth, 10 Rian Dobbin, 11 Ruairi Laverty, 12 Michael Devlin, 13 Liam Kearns, 14 Eoin Dobbin, 15 Stephen Smyth

All Saints: Ciaran Cassley, 2 Kevin Brady, 3 Colum Neeson, 4 Archie McGreevey, 5 Conor O’Rawe, 6 Luke O’Rawe, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Padhraig Magill, 9 Damian Gillan, 10 Jack Magill, 11, Eoin McGuigan, 12 Liam Cassley, 13 James O’Boyle, 14 Ciaran Neeson, 15 Joseph O’Rawe

Referee: Darren Mullan

Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship – Group 2

St Brigid’s 1-8 All Saints 4-19

Last year’s Devenish All Stars top scorer Ciaran Neeson gave another exhibition of score taking as All Saints travelled to Musgrave Park on Saturday afternoon and beat St Brigid’s convincingly in the first round-robin game of the competition. The Ballymena man was in top form as he hit scores from all angles and distances against last year’s Junior B champions, who found the going tough at the higher level.

Neeson got the first point of the game in the opening minute bfore cutting through the St Brigid’s defence soon afterwards and surprisingly firing wide, with the goal at his mercy. However he made up for his rare mistake on seven minutes when he picked up a long ball from centre back Luke O’Rawe before finishing superbly to the net.

St Brigid’s top score Fintan Cleary got his team on the scoreboard a minute later and the full forward appeared to get a hurl to a lobbed shot by David Prenter soon afterwards to flick to the All Saints net, and suddenly it was all square. However the Ballymena men soon regained control and a series of points by Neeson, a goal from a penalty from the same player, plus well taken point from Liam Cassley had them 2-9 to 1-3 ahead at half time, despite playing into a fresh breeze.

James O’Boyle increased the All Saints lead early in the second half and Neeson added one from a free before Liam Cassley cut in along the endline and finished to the net from a narrow angle for his team’s third goal. Cleary (2) and Eoghan McMainnin came back with points for St Brigid’s, but James O’Boyle grabbed goal number four for Ballymena to stretch their lead even further.

Neeson hit a few more quality points, one in particular from inside his own 45 meter line a real stand out score, and to their credit St Brigid’s kept battling away as Cleary, Owen McCarney and Oisin McDonnell got on the scoreboard, but All Saints were home and hosed from a long way out and their outing against Cloughmills in two weeks’ time should be a very interesting contest.

One St Brigid’s player who really caught the eye in the game was goalkeeper Brian McGurk. To be honest he didn’t really have much chance with the goals that beat him, but his catching under the high ball, and his poc-outs, were superb.

Casement Social Club JHC Group 1 

Lámh Dhearg 5-15-6-11 Rasharkin 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Lámh Dhearg began their Junior Hurling campaign with a hard fought 5-15-6-11 win over Rasharkin in an 11-goal thriller at Hannahstown on Friday evening. 

The hosts had lost the subsequent league fixtures between the sides, but were boosted by the return of Declan Lynch, Michael Herron and Aidan McGuigan from injury. 

Fionn Mervyn floated over the opener for the Hannahstown side, though Conor McKeever replied and a score from Donagh Quigg edged the Dreen ahead. 

An angled Adam Murray point tied things up and Murray then found the first goal of the game with a floated shot that dropped over Liam Tunney and into the net to give his side a 1-02-0-02 lead. 

It was a short-lived lead however as Rashaekin won a free at the other end and rather than settle for a point, Conor McKeever went low and found the net. 

McKeever would give his side the lead for the second time, on this occasion firing over the bar from a free. 

Their advantage lasted around two minutes before a quickfire double had Lámh Dhearg firmly on the front-foot. 

Daniel Murray dropped a high ball into the danger area that Micko Herron gathered, and he stabbed the ball to the net to make it 2-02-1-03.

Within less than 60-seconds Herron turned provider with a lay-off to Daire Cunningham and Tunney was unable to repel the corner-forwards low shot that gave his side a 3-02-1-03 lead. 

Cunningham would depart through injury a few minutes later, but the hosts stayed in control with Daniel Murray floating over a fantastic effort from range and Adam Murray converting successive frees. 

After going over 15 minutes without a score, Conor McKeever led his sides revival before the break with two points from the placed ball before finding the net with an effort that dropped in at the near post from the same scenario to make it 3-05-2-05. 

The sides traded scores before the half was out through Adam Murray (free) and a Donagh Quigg point in reply as a goal separated the duo at the midway point in proceedings. 

Lámh Dhearg extended their lead upon the resumption. Half time substitute Declan Straney made an instant impact, firing over the bar and Aidan McGuigan then followed up with his first of the evening. 

Rasharkin responded through talisman McKeever though, the full-forward collected a high lofted pass, held off the subsequent pressure and dispatched his shot past Rhys Camlin to close the deficit to 3-08-3-06. 

The frantic nature of the game continued as Lámh Dhearg struck back immediately. Michael Herron bore down on goal, but instead opted to a pop pass across the face of goal that substitute Mark Finnegan poked to the net to give restore his sides five-point advantage. 

Donagh Quigg landed his third point of the evening before the scores dried up due to a number of stoppages. 

Midway through the half Adam Murray converted his third free of the contest and he would add another in-between a fantastic long-range point from influential Declan Lynch.  

Conor McKeever brought his personal tally to 2-06 from the placed ball before another goal glut. 

On 52 minutes Adam Murray appeared to have landed a knock-out blow, bursting through, and fizzing a shot to the corner of the net past Liam Tunney. 

Murray’s second goal had his side 5-11-3-08 in front, but less than 60-seconds later and Rasharkin had cancelled it out in slightly fortuitous circumstances. 

Cathair Henderson cut-in down the left-hand side and took aim for an angled point which dipped and dropped into the net amongst a congested six-yard area. 

Talisman Murray chalked up back-to-back points, the first after taking an offload from Micko Herron and confidently firing over. A foul on Herron gave him the opportunity to increase his personal tally and he made no mistake. 

In response Conor McKeever added another from the placed ball and Donagh Quigg produced a fine angled point. 

Points were traded between Daniel Murray and Quigg and an angled Murray point would prove to be his sides insurance, giving the Hannahstown men a 5-15-4-11 advantage four minutes into time added on. 

Rasharkin refused to throw in the towel and Conor McKeever found the net from a free for the third time. 

There was enough time for the full-forward to claim his fifth when an angled pass was floated into the area and he did enough to steer the ball home with the last decisive action of the game. 

Upon Rhys Camlin pucking the ball back into play, Niall Clifford sounded his full time whistle as Lámh Dhearg came out the right side of the 11-goal thriller and join Armoy at the summit of Group 1. 

Lámh Dhearg: R Camlin, C Nolan, O Waldon, M McGuigan, D Murray (0-02), D Lynch (0-01), F Mervyn (0-01), C Boyd, P Mervyn, A McGuigan (0-01), M Herron (1-01), A Murray (2-08, 0-05f), N McGarry, G Smyth, D Cunningham (1-00). Subs: M Finnegan (1-00) for D Cunningham (15), D Straney (0-01) for G Smyth (HT), T McKenna for A McGuigan (58). 

Rasharkin: L Tunney, C Doherty, D Doherty, C Higgins, R O’Boyle, S Hasson, T O’Boyle, E McFerran, D Hasson, C Henderson (1-00), C McFerran, C McKillop, A McKeever, C McKeever (5-07, 3-07f), D Quigg (0-04). Subs: C Maria for C McKillop (HT), C Donaghy for E McFerran (36), C McMullan for A McKeever (46), D McKay for D Hasson (55), J Quinn for C McFerran (57). 

Referee: Niall Clifford (Cuchuliann’s, Armagh)

Junior B Hurling Championship

Loughbeg Harps 1-8 Kickham’s Ardoyne 4-22

New boys Loughbeg Harps faced a baptism of fire in their Junior B Hurling championship opener against division 4 league winners, Ardoyne at Dunsilly on Friday night.

They came up against a side high on confidence following that successful league campaign and the North Belfast side took early control to put the game out of reach of their opponents from early in the game.

Goals from Patrick McGreevey in the first and seventh minutes and another from Dean Goodall in the 8^th minute put the Kickham’s in a strong position with Goodall, Pearse Hull 0-2 and Daniel Moore adding points.

Loughbeg were giving it everything to contain their rampant opponents and Gary Murray, Ben McLarnon and Brian McManus replied with points but they were finding it difficult to break down a strong Ardoyne defence.

A fourth goal from Jim Og McAuley with 16 minutes on the clock and a flurry of points from Daniel Moore 0-4, Christopher McShane, Oisin McVicker and Jim Og McAuley had Ardoyne out of sight at the break when they led 4-11 to 0-6.

Francis Berry and two from Seanchan Duffin 0-2 were the other first half scorers for the new boys.

The goals dried up in the second half as Loughbeg tightened up in defence after the break but the points continued to flow for the league winners with Daniel Moore, Oisin McVicker 0-2, Patrick McGreevey and Michael McGreevey all on target by the 40^th minute.

Sean Boyd briefly interrupted the onslaught with a good point for the Harps but even at this stage they were fighting a limitation battle with Ardoyne refusing to take their foot of the pedal.

McVicker would add three more to bring his personal tally for the evening to 0-6 with Michael McGreevey, Matt McKillen, Christopher McShane and Aran Stewart concluding the Ardoyne scoring.

Loughbeg never gave up and battled manfully against overwhelming odds and they were rewarded for their efforts when Brian McManus got in for a consolation goal with time almost up.

A harsh lesson for Loughbeg Harps but one they can learn from as they go into their second game against Belfast Saints on Friday 18^th August while Ardoyne will face a stiffer test against Loch Mor dal gCais at Mallusk on the same night.

Loughbeg Harps: 1 Francis Boyd, 2 Gary Maybin, 3 Diarmuid Scullin, 4 Paul Quinn, 5 Rory Taggart, 6 Paul McChrystal, 17 Damian Carroll, 8 Gary Murray, 9 J O’Loughlin, 10 Seanchan Duffin, 11 Brian McManus, 12 Sean Boyd, 13 Ben McLarnon, 14 Fergal McConnon, 18 Francis Berry, 19 Ciaran Martin, 20 Mark Wash, 21 Mark Walsh, 21 Shane McGinty, 30 Ronan Devlin

Ardoyne: 1 JP Agnew, 2 Pascal Clarke, 3 Paul Baker, 4 Cahal Clarke, 5 Sean Searle, 6 Caolan Walsh, 7 Christopher McShane, 8 Dean Goodall, 9 Paul McGuigan, 10 Daniel Moore, 11 Micheal McGreevey, 12 Pearse Hull, 13 Patrick McGreevey, 14 Oisin McVicker, 15 Jim Og McAuley. 17 Aran Stewart, 18 Matt McKillen, 19 Cathal Keown, 23 Cormac Barnes, 25 Stephen Hill

Referee: Colin Thompson

JHC Group 1

Davitt’s 2-11 Armoy 0-20

Glen Rovers, Armoy withstood a late rally from Michael Davitt’s at Davitt’s Park on Friday night to collect the hard earned points in the Junior Hurling Championship, Round 1 opener.

At different stages of the game the North Antrim visitors looked like they were taking control but in each instance Davitt’s came back strongly and will be disappointed that they did not take something from the game.

The early exchanges were fairly even with John Rocky Dillon pointing Armoy ahead from a ‘65’ in the opening minute and Colm McKee replying with a point from play.

Dillon edged the visitors in front once more before Jay Maguire brought the sides level for the second time with a point in the 5^th minute.

The end to end exchanges continued as PJ McBride and Rocky Dillon from a ‘65’ edged Armoy two in front but again Davitt’s found a response with Peter Carleton and Jay Maguire sending over two excellent scores.

There had been little between the sides going into the second quarter but suddenly Glen Rovers found another gear and they hit six unanswered points through John Dillon, Trevor Linton (f), Eamonn McCaughan, Linton again, PJ McBride and Thomas Burns by the 20^th minute and looked in complete control.

Davitt’s were struggling but they came back with a goal when Caoimhin Rainey fielded a long searching ball and his shot across goal was blocked by Peter Carleton was on hand to apply the finishing touch and breathe new life into the home side.

Trevor Linton converted three frees for Armoy during the closing stages of the half with the excellent Marcas Toner striking a couple of fine points for the home side to leave it 0-13 to 1-7 in favour of Armoy at the change of ends.

Emmet O’Hara replaced Conor Christie in the Armoy side while Michael Rowntree came into the Davitt’s attack early in the second half and again Armoy looked like they gaining the upper hand with Trevor Linton, Rocky Dillon, Arthur Devlin and Linton from a free moving them six ahead in a low scoring third quarter.

Marcas Toner then saw his free come back off an upright as the home side continued to waste chances before side stepping a couple of markers and sending over the best score of the game with six minutes remaining.

Davitt’s were still battling hard for every ball and Caoimhin Rainey finally opened their second half account with a point in the 19^th minute but this was quickly cancelled as PJ McBride replied for the Armoy men.

The visitors replied through Emmet O’Hara to move seven ahead and they looked to have done enough but they failed to deal with a Marcas Toner free which dropped invitingly for Cormac Maguire who drilled it first time to the net.

Suddenly it was back to four and substitute Deaglan Mooney followed from a free to leave just a goal between the sides and the momentum was now very much with the home side.

Another Mooney converted free cut the gap further with time almost up but an Emmet O’Hara point from a breakaway eased Glen Rovers three ahead once more and despite a frantic late finish from the home side, that’s how it finished.

Davitt’s: 1 Antoin McLauglin, 2 Odhran Gorman, 3 Thomas Toland, 4 Thomas Carson, 5 Jason Park, 6 Stephen McGivern, 7James McNally, 8 Peter Carleton, 9 Caoimhin Heaney, 10 Cormac Maguire, 11 Colm McKee, 12 Jay Maguire, 13 Caoimhin Rainey, 14 Chris Cunningham, 15 Marcas Toner

Subs: 17 Michael Rowntree, 19 Deaglan Mooney

Armoy: 1 Conor Devlin, 2 Arhur Devlin, 3 Shane Devlin, 4 Joseph McFetridge, 5 Hugh O’Kane, 6 Thomas Burns, 7 Liam Dillon, 8 Ciaran McCormick-McKenna, 9 PJ McBride, 10 Eoin O’Boyle, 11 John Dillon, 12 Eamonn McCaughan, 13 Trevor Linton, 14 Colin Lordan, 15 Conor Christie, Subs: Timmy Burns, 21 Emmet O’Hara

Referee: Chris Brown (St. Paul’s)