Casement SC JHC Group 2

Glen Rovers 2-19 Lamh Dhearg 2-9

Glen Rovers, Armoy became the third team to qualify from Group2 of the Casement SC JHC when they overcame the challenge of Lamh Dhearg in Armoy today. The home side were well on their way to victory at the halfway stage when they led 2-13 to 1-3 and despite a spirited comeback from their opponents in the second half they never looked like losing.

Despite losing Owen Kinney after 7 minutes for a late challenge the home side dominated the opening half and goals from Colin Lordan in the 4^th minute, set up by Kinney, and another from Eamon McCaughan with 7 minutes gone and points from Eoin O’Boyle and Thomas Burns put them in a commanding position.

Lamh Dhearg  had opened their account with a point from Aidan McGuigan and a Declan Lynch goal with 9 minutes on the clock suggested we were in for a tight contest but it was Glen Rovers who went on to dominate the opening half despite being a man down.

Turlach McBride led the way with an excellent exhibition of free taking converting four of Armoy’s next six unanswered points by the 16^th minute with one of them from 50 meters and another from inside his own half.

Thomas Burns and PJ McBride got the other two as the home side moved 2-7 to 1-1 ahead before Odhran Waldron replied with a point for the Hannastown side but it brought an immediate reply from Eamonn McCaughan and Eoin O’Boyle. A great long range effort from Fionn Mewrvyn brought the visitors total to 1-3 with six minutes remaining to half time but it was Glen Rovers who finished on the offensive.

Eoin O’Boyle pointed in the 25^th minute and Turlach McBride added another from a free as things momentarily threatened to boil over and Rocky Dillon concluded the first half scoring with a long range effort to leave his side 13 points ahead at the interval.

Lamh Dhearg introduced Conal McGuigan and Ciaran Boyd at the start of the second half with Gerard Smyth dropping deep and the visitors got off to a good start with points from Declan Lynch, Daniel Murray and Conal McGuigan to cut the gap to ten with only two minutes of the new half gone.

It was back to 13 however by the 6^th minute as Armoy replied through Turlach McBride, Eamonn McCaughan and PJ McBride and normal service appeared to have been resumed.

The visitors were now enjoying much more of the play however and Declan Lynch fired over before Callum Coyles made a great save to deny Conal McGuigan as Lamh Dhearg fought hard to get back into the game.

The home side always had the edge however and replied through Colin Lordan and another Turlach McBride free by the 18^th minute but Lamh Dhearg were still fighting hard and substitute Mark Finnegan had a close range effort cleared for a ‘65’.

Declan Lynch dropped the resulting award into the danger area and in the scramble that followed a defender deflected the sliotar into his own net with Lynch following immediately with a point from play as the Hannstown side enjoyed their best spell of the game.

The visitors went for broke in the closing stages and continued to drop long balls into the danger area in search of another goal but the Glen Rovers defence stood strong with Turlach McBride and Declan Lynch exchanging late points to conclude the scoring.

The Armoy men will now have an eye on tomorrow’s Group 1 game between Rasharkin and Davitt’s in Dreen with both sides on 4 points from 2 starts and a win or even a draw would see St. Mary’s finish top of the group while Davitt’s need a win if they are to avoid a quarter final meeting with the Glen Rovers.

Glen Rovers: 1 Conor Devlin, 2 Callum Coyles, 4 Emmet O’Hara, 5 Liam Dillon, 6 Arthur Devlin, 7 Eoin O’Boyle, 8 Joseph McFetridge, 9 PJ McBride, 10 Ciaran McKenna, 11 Thomas Burns, 12 Turlach McBride, 13 Colin Lordan, 17 John Dillon, 21 Owen Kinney, 25 Eamonn McCaughan

Lamh Dhearg: 1 Rhys McClennnigan, 2 Christopher Nolan, 3 Joel Brady, 4 Ben Rice, 5 Tiernan McKenna, 6 Padraig Mervyn, 7 Fionn Mervyn, 8 Sean Paul Gibson, 9 Daniel Murray, 10 Aidan McGuigan, 11 Odhran Waldron, 12 Declan Lynch, 13 Niall McGarry, 14 Gerard Smyth, 15 Dare Cunningham. Subs: 21 Conal McGuigan, 17 Ciaran Boyd, 24 Mark Finnegan

Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)

Andersonstown Social Club IHC Group 2 

Gort na Mona 0-11 Clooney Gaels 7-19

Kevin Herron reports from Enright Park 

Clooney Gaels took a giant step towards topping Group 2 of the Andersonstown Social Club IHC with a comprehensive 7-19-0-11 win over Gort na Mona at Enright Park on Friday evening. 

Three goals in the space of three minutes from Patrick Graham, James O’Connell and Donal Graham helped the Ahoghill outfit to a 3-07-0-06 lead at the interval. 

Another goal glut arrived in the final quarter as Thomas McGlone, Patrick Graham and a double from substitute Colla McDonnell would finish an already one-sided encounter. 

The visitors arrived on the Turf Lodge top of the Group with two wins from two and full of confidence of continuing their winning start, while Gort na Mona were down to the bare bones with only 15 available players. 

Gort na Mona were first off the mark at Enright Park through an Aidan McDonagh point. James O’Connell levelled things up for Clooney, but the visitors shooting was slightly askew in the opening exchanges. 

Neil Henry and James O’Connell traded frees before Clooney hit the front for the first time, O’Connell hit his third of the evening in a flowing move involving Bernard Graham swinging a crossfield pass to Ronan – who popped the ball into O’Connell’s path. 

A fourth O’Connell point followed, and Owen Neeson floated another to give the table-toppers a 0-05-0-02 lead. 

The game’s first goal arrived after 18 minutes when Patrick Graham was slipped through on goal and he directed a low shot past Conor McCann.

James Connelly picked off a point in response for the hosts, but they would concede a second goal from the next phase of play. 

Daniel O’Neill dropped in a shot which McCann gathered, as he prepared to send the ball back up field- James O’Connell was in close proximity and blocked the ball down into the net to make it 2-05-0-03. 

By the 21^st minute Clooney had scored their third goal in three minutes- this time Donal Graham hammered a shot home from close range to give Gort a mountain to climb. 

Neil Henry sent over back-to-back points in reply, the first coming from a free and the second an excellent score from range. 

Henry would convert a 65’ in between scores from Ronan Graham and James O’Connell (free) as Clooney held a 3-07-0-06 lead at the break. 

The visitors extended their lead upon the resumption with O’Connell sending over a shot from play before converting his third free of the evening. 

PJ O’Connell and James added further points with Neil Henry and curling a shot over and converting a free in response. 

Scores were traded between James O’Connell and Noah McGivern before Clooney went on their second goal-scoring streak in proceedings. 

On 43 minutes Thomas McGlone was slipped through and sent a blistering shot low to the net, Noah McGivern chalked up his second point in quick succession but Clooney substitute Colla McDonnell flicked the ball through to Patrick Graham to hammer home his second of the evening and make it 5-12-0-10. 

James O’Connell reached double figures in points for the evening and a converted free from Patrick Graham soon followed. 

Goal number six came with little over ten minutes remaining, substitutes Owen Neeson and Colla McDonnell combined- with the later fizzing a shot high to roof of the net. 

The visitors showed no signs of taking their foot of the gas and pressed for further scores as PJ O’Connell doubled his tally for the evening and Bernard Graham played a one-two with McDonnell and got his name on the scoresheet. 

Gort na Mona’s final score arrived in the form of a free from talisman Neil Henry with six minutes remaining. 

The hosts misery was almost at an end as Clooney chalked up a further 1-03 before the conclusion. 

A cross field pass was intercepted by Colla McDonnell to blast home his second goal since his introduction. 

James O’Connell added two further scores to his increasing tally, in-between a third from PJ  to complete a comfortable win for Clooney and take a huge step towards topping the Group come its conclusion in a fortnights time. 

Gort na Mona: C McCann, C Healy, C Devlin, P Cournane, G McKenna, P McHugh, D Dixon, A McDonagh (0-01), J Connolly (0-01), T O’Cadhlaigh, N Henry (0-07, 0-04f, 0-01 65’), T Morton, N McGivern (0-02), R Coleman, M MacMaolain. 

Clooney Gaels: A Graham, H O’Donnell, S O’Connell, D Graham, F O’Neill, B Graham (0-01), D O’Neill, E Brady, N O’Connell, R Graham (0-01), T McGlone (1-00), P Graham (2-01, 0-01f), PJ O’Connell (0-03), D Graham (1-00), J O’Connell (1-12, 0-04f). Subs: O Neeson for R Graham (34), C McDonnell (2-01) for D Graham (42), C McCloskey for D O’Neill (48), G Graham for E Brady (51), D Neeson for N O’Connell (51). 

Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)

Casement SC JHC Group 1

All Saints 3-12 St. Brigid’s 1-12

In the face of adversity the true nature of a side often emerges and perhaps that was what happened at Quinn Park tonight when a depleted All Saints turned in a spirited performance to overcome the Junior B Champions, St. Brigid’s and advance to the quarter-finals of the Casement SC JHC.

The Ballymena side went into this one minus team captain, Damian Gillan, who got married today and a number of other regulars who attended the captain’s wedding but despite efforts to have the game put off, Paddy Neeson’s side were unsuccessful.

It seemed to galvanise All Saints with those coming into the side determined to show what they could do but it was the regulars like Ciaran Cassley, Luke O’Rawe, Vinny Esler, Jack Magill, Eoin Magee, Cormac Magill and Ciaran Neeson who provided a strong spine from which this victory was achieved.

Ciaran Neeson had the ball in the St. Brigid’s net before this pundit could get himself onto the photographer’s stool but it was visitors St. Brigids who found a response when they came back with a Fintan Cleary free and a goal and a point from Phelim Lennon to move two in front after 10 minutes.

Fearghal Leyden took advantage of a loose clearance to move the visitors three ahead before Neeson pointed a 20 meter free for All Saints first score for 15 minutes. Fintan Cleary replied from a free at the other end before the Quinn Park men hit back with a vengeance.

Eoin Magee broke clear out on the wing and sent a long delivery into the St. Brigid’s danger area and mid-fielder Vinny Esler won the race to the ball with out-coming keeper Chris Lundy to flick the sliotar to the net and herald a period of supremacy for the home side.

Colum Neeson added a point before a sublime long range point from Vinny Esler moved All Saints four in front by the 22^nd minute. Ciaran Neeson added two more as the home side began to play with confidence before Keevan Grieve pulled one back for the Musgrave park men with three minutes remaining to the break.

James O’Boyle got his name on the All Saints score-sheet before Fintan Cleary pointed his third free of the half from out on the left to leave the Ballymena men leading by three at the half way stage.

Vinny Esler had been instrumental in a lot of what the home side did well in the opening half and he extended their lead to four on the restart when he fired over in the second minute and as All Saints pressed Chris Lundy in the St. Brigid’s goals pulled off an excellent save to deny Ciaran Neeson what looked a certain goal.

Neeson was adjudged to have been fouled in the lead up however and he directed the resulting free between the uprights to move his side five in front with only three minutes of the new half gone.

Fintan Cleary continued to show unerring accuracy as he replied from a free but the game was turning into a dog fight at this stage with both sides contesting every breaking ball and little opportunity for open play.

Ciaran Neeson finally broke the deadlock as he converted a free in the 13^th minute but Fintan Cleary replied with two conversions for the visitors to close the gap to three by the 18^th minute and his side appeared to be gaining a foothold at this juncture.

Once again it was that man Neeson who briefly relieved the pressure from another free but St. Brigid’s were enjoying their best spell since early in the game and came back with two pointed frees from the excellent Cleary and another from play by Joseph McCarney to cut the gap to the minimum.

St. Brigid’s had lost full-forward, John McGuckian to a second yellow card at this stage and when Ciaran Neeson walked for the same reason it appeared that the advantage was now with the visitors.

The game swung back very much in favour of All Saints however and after James O’Boyle and Fintan Cleary exchanged further points it was Cormac Magill who fired home an excellent goal in the 26^th minute and followed with a good point and the momentum was back with the home side.

St. Brigid’s pressed hard in the closing stages as they went looking for the goal that might resurrect their chances but Ciaran Cassley, who had been excellent throughout, pulled off an excellent save to deny Phelim Lennon before James O’Boyle responded with the game’s final point at the other end.

All Saints now go forward to meet the other St. Brigid’s from Cloughmills in the quarter-final and will go into that one as massive underdogs but if they can reproduce the level of commitment and scoring quality they displayed tonight then they might not be too far away.

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley 2 Dwyane McKee, 3 Chris McAffee, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Cathaoir O’Kane, 6 Luke O’Rawe, 8 Vinnie Esler, 9 Jack Magill, 10 Eoin Magee, 11 Cormac Magill, 12 James O’Boyle, 13 Diarmuid Casey, 14 Colum Neeson, 15 Ciaran Neeson

Subs: PJ O’Kane for Chris McAffee, Daniel McCoy cfor Eoin Mage

St. Brigid’s: 1 Chris Lundy, 2 Eoghan O’Mainnin, 3 Peter Heaney, 4 Chris Quinn, 5 Rory Flanagan, 6 Cathal Conway, 7 Bryan Hallihan, 8 Joseph McCarney, 9 Niall Murtagh, 10 Fearghal Leyden, 11 Keevan Grieve, 12 Oisin McDonnell, 13 Fintan Cleary, 14 John McGuckian, 15 Phelim Lennon

Referee: Paul O’Neill (Creggan)

Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship – Group 2

Friday 2^nd September

Report by Niall Kelly 

Naomh Bríd Cloughmills 1-15  Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm 1-22

An emphatic finish to the net from sharpshooter, Dylan McLaughlin, five minutes from time proved to be the cherry on top of a storming come-back for Glenarm in what was a thoroughly entertaining affair between the two trailblazers in Group Two. Having trailed by five at the break, the visitors rallied strongly and produced some slick and eye-catching passages of play coupled with the enviable ability to finish clinically. Cloughmills played three quarters of the game with fourteen men and unfortunately for the Biddies, the numbers game would prove to be their demise as their North Antrim counterparts utilised the spare man to devastating effect. Niall McGarel and Dylan McLaughlin spearheaded the visitor’s revival and were ably assisted by captain Darren Hamill.

Both teams came out of the traps brightly and found their range instantly with a flurry of points sailing over in what was a high scoring opening. The scores were deadlocked at five points apiece after ten minutes as each time the hosts would edge ahead, the visitors would peg them back instantly with both teams grappling to seize the initiative.

Despite a dismissal amongst the Cloughmills ranks, the men in orange and black rallied well and took the lead on the 15^th minute as industrious work from Aaron McGuckian set up midfield dynamo Ruairi Laverty who pointed from range and was the heartbeat of his side’s momentum. Aaron Smiley and Stevie Smyth raised further white flags either side of a Ben O’Boyle score from the visitors before the ever-dangerous Liam Kearns grabbed the game’s first major with an innovative effort, batting the ball into the net after embarking on a marauding solo run from deep. Kieran and Sean O’Boyle responded for the visitors but Laverty and Kearns (2) were on hand again to reinstate their six-point lead.

As the game approached the interval, Glenarm were beginning to find a better rhythm in their offense and began peppering the Cloughmills goal menacingly. Niall McGarel’s long range score just before Ryan O’Reilly’s short whistle, proved to be an ominous sign for what would follow in the second as the teams retreated to the changing rooms with the score 1-11 to 0-09 in favour of the hosts.

A rejuvenated and revitalised Glenarm side emerged from the break, stunning their opponents as they fired over six points in the opening eight minutes with the hosts only mustering two of their own. Johnny Duffin and Aaron Smiley responded positively though for the home side as they edged ahead again but it would be the last time they would do so. The hosts were forced into a plethora of changes as unwanted injuries to key players scuppered their plans further.

The Shane O’Neill’s men took the impetus and were dovetailing beautifully in attack. Niall McGarel and Dylan McLaughlin were causing pandemonium amongst the Cloughmills rear-guard. Their ingenuity and unpredictability in attack was swinging the pendulum of momentum back in favour of the visitors as both players fired over two points a piece to take the lead for the first time in the game and it would be a lead that they would refuse to relinquish.

McLaughlin’s blistering effort to the net five minutes later paved the way to victory as the game approached its climax with Darren Hamill and Ben O’Boyle in potent form to ensure a seven-point victory and automatic progression to the semi-finals for the visitors.

Despite the defeat, Cloughmills will take plenty of positives. They managed to withstand the barrage of a capable Glenarm outfit for the majority of the game with depleted numbers and personnel displaying great character and resilience which will serve them well in their next game. Glenarm will be delighted to have also shown great determination and grit to secure victory in the manner that they did. Both teams will certainly still fancy their chances to lift the Junior Crown.

Teams:

Cloughmills

C McKernan; M Dobbin, S McKendry, A McGuckian; J Duffin (0-01,) C Laverty, J Smyth; R Laverty (0-02,) G Óg Laverty; S Martin,  M Devlin (0-01,) R Watt;  A Smiley (0-05,) L Kearns (1-04,) S Smyth (0-02)

Glenarm

M Abram; K O’Boyle, B Hamill, L Óg McLaughlin; B O’Boyle (0-02,) D McDermott, A Scullion; D Black (0-01,) Kieran O’Boyle (0-01;) S O’Boyle (0-02,) D Hamill (0-05,) D McLaughlin (1-04:) Kevin O’Boyle, Liam Mulvenna, N McGarel (0-07)

Casement SC JHC Group 1

Rasharkin 6-20 St. Brigid’s 0-10

St. Mary’s Rasharkin turned in a devastating second half performance to sweep aside the challenge of Junior B Champions, St. Brigid’s at Dreen today and move to the top of Group 1 in the Casement SC Junior Hurling Championship.

It took the home side a time to settle and indeed they trailed 0-5 to 0-3 after 22 minutes thanks to some dogged defending from the visitors and poor shooting on their own part but they did finish the half with a flurry.

A rather fortuitous goal from Connor McKeever, which deceived Brigid’s net minder, Chris Lundy proved to be the turning point as the home side went on to lead 1-9 to 0-7 at the break but there was little indication at this stage just what was to come in the second half.

The Dreen side went on to add a further five goals as they swept aside the challenge of the South Belfast side who would have been glad to hear Paul O’Neill’s full-time whistle as they struggled to contain their opponents.

Eamonn McNeill opened the scoring with a point for the home side but St. Brigid’s replied through Fintan Cleary and Keevan Grieve to lead after 8 minutes.

Points from Connor McKeever and Donagh Quigg saw Rasharklin retake the lead but they were wasteful in the extreme in their shooting and St. Brigid’s rePlied through Fearghal Layden and two well struck frees from Fintan Cleary to lead 0-5 to 0-3 with 8 minutes remaining to the break.

Slowly the St. Mary’s attack began to find their range and they hit back with four on the bounce through Connor McKeever 0-2, Eamon McNeill and Tiernan O’Boyle as they began to take control.

Corner back, Bryan Hallihan got forward for a St. Brigid’s point but it brought another response from the home side as Connor McKeever’s attempted point dropped over the head of Chris Lundy and into the net.

McKeever followed with a point and the excellent Eamonn McNeill added another before St. Brigid’s excellent free taker, Fintan Cleary concluded the first half scoring with a point from a ‘65’.

The visitors would still have been harbouring notions of a comeback as the second half got under way but in truth it never looked like materialising. Donagh Quigg extended the Rasharkin lead with a point on the restart with Fintan Cleary pointing another free in reply with only two minutes of the new half gone.

It was as good as it was to get for the Musgrave Park men however with Eamonn McNeill firing home Rasharkin’s second goal in the 37^th minute and three points from Connor McKeever and another from McNeill had them 11 ahead by the 39^th minute.

It was all St. Mary’s at this stage as they drove forward relentlessly with a McKeever point followed by a goal from the same player putting the game out of reach with 20 minutes still remaining.

There would be no let-up however as the Dreen side began to score, almost at will as Eamonn McNeill pointed from play and added another from a free before Fintan Cleary briefly lifted the siege with a pointed free for the visitors.

McNeill 0-2 from play and Cleary from two more frees kept the score board ticking but Cleary’s second in the 49^th minute would be St. Brigid’s final score as their hosts ran rampant in the closing stages.

Shane Hasson fired home their fourth goal with nine minutes remaining with the impressive Connor McKeever bagging a fifth and Donagh Quigg making it six as the flood gates opened. McKeever and Quigg weighed in with points to bring their side’s total for the day to 6-20 and their meeting with Davitt’s in Dreen on the 4^th of September will now decide who tops the group.

All Saints, who lost to Davitt’s on Friday night and St. Brigid’s will meet two days earlier and despite both sides losing their two opening games a quarter final place for the winners of that one is still up for grabs.