Casement Social Club Antrim Junior Hurling Championship final

St Paul’s 3-12 Rasharkin 1-8

Second half goals from Mark Munce and Colm McLarnon helped St Paul’s capture the Junior Hurling Championship title at Dunsilly on Saturday at the expense of Rasharkin. The men from the south west had defied the odds in the opening half and were level with the favourites at the break. However after the change of ends the Shaw’s Road side started to get on top, and thought the win was not sealed until midway through the final quarter it was clear to see they were getting on top.

Few outside Rasharkin gave the St Mary’s men much of a chance going into the game and when St Paul’s opened up an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead the game appeared to be following the script. However Rasharkin began to settle into the game and when Donach Quigg found the St Paul’s net the men from Dreen were back in business. Stephen Rooney pointed to bring St Paul’s level but McKeever edged Rasharkin back ahead at the first half water break.

When the game got going again St Paul’s hit the front again when corner-forward Caolan Crossan grabbed their first goal but it was nip and tuck for the remainder of the first half, at the end of which the teams were tied on 1-5 apiece.  

 An exchange of points between O’Duibhfinn of St Paul’s and McFerran of Rasharkin tied things up once again but St Paul’s were beginning to gain the upper hand and after Caolan Crossan put his team back in front with a pointed free they started to ease clear. Conal Finnegan put the winners two clear before the killer blows arrived minutes later when Mark Munce reacted quickest following a smart save from Rasharkin keeper Aidan Darragh to drill the rebound home and not long after corner forward, Colm McLarnon cut in along the endline to fire home goal number three.

From here on it was mostly one way traffic and though Rasharkin fought to the bitter end it was clearly St Paul’s day and they celebrated in style at the final whistle.

ST PAUL’S: J Gillan; A Gallagher, G Carberry, S Bradley; F Gamble, F Sewell, S Lawell; C Finnegan (0-1), D Chapman; S Rooney (0-4, 0-3fs), N Ó Caireanlláin, C McLarnon (1-3); C Crossan (1-2, 0-2fs), J Farrell, C Ó Duibhfinn (0-2).

Subs: M Munce (1-0) for Chapman (40mins), S McCorry for Ó Caireanlláin (41mins), K Murray for Crossan (55mins), C O’Carroll for Finnegan (57mins), D Stevenson for Bradley (59mins).

RASHARKIN: A Darragh; L Tunney, D Doherty, C Doherty; D Hasson, C Hasson, T O’Boyle; E McFerran (0-1), T McMullan; D Quigg (1-1), A McKeever, C McKeever (0-6, 0-4fs); J Scally, D McKay, S Hasson.

Subs: C Donaghy for Tunney (37mins), F Kennedy for C Doherty (50mins), P Reilly for C Doherty (53mins), C Kennedy for T McMullan (59mins).

REFEREE: C McCloskey (Loughgiel)

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Antrim Junior B Hurling Championship semi-final

Michael Davitt’s 2-17  St Agnes’ 0-7

Michale Davitt’s secured a spot in the Junior B Hurling Championship final with when they had just too much scoring power for their Belfast neighbours St Agnes’ on Tuesday night at Davitt Park.

With the breeze at the backs in the opening half Davitt’s dominated from the start and scored seven unanswered points before all but sealing the game with a Cormac Maguire goal as the Aggies struggled to keep pace.

Two points apiece from Stephen McGivern and Cormac Maguire were followed by one from distance from Thomas Maguire. The procession continued up until the 14^th minute as Gearoid Cosgrove and Gallagher tacked on points, but the Aggies finally broke their duck when Ronan Caroll got them off the mark with a pointed free and when Kevin Grieve added another soon afterwards they were just five in arrears.

It was to prove brief respite for the visitors however as Davitt’s came strong again with a goal from Cormac Maguire and two from Stephen McGivern to stretch their advantage into double figures.

The home team pushed on with a further succession of scores and by the time Paddy McDonnell blew the half time whistle the lead was out to 1-13 to 0-5.

The scoring dried up a little after the change of ends but once they got going again Davitt’s went further ahead and when Cormac Magurie got his team’s second goal their place in Saturday’s final was secure.

In that final Davitt’s will take on St Teresa’s at Rossa Park on Saturday at 1pm.

DAVITT’S: J McCaffrey; L McHugh, T Toland, C McHenry; C McKee, T Maguire (0-1), R McIroy; M Rowntree, J Park (0-1), S McGivern (0-6, 0-3fs), C Gallagher (0-4); C Maguire (2-0), A Rowntree, G Cosgrove (0-2).

Subs: D Maher for Cosgrove (55mins), K Brady for McHenry (57mins), C Mulligan for C Maguire (60mins).

ST AGNES’: C Fay; Sean McIlhatton, M Robb, N Gillespie; Stephen McIlhatton, D Kelly, A Mulvenna; A McQuillan, B McLarnon; C McLean, C Flannery (0-1), K Grieve (0-4, 0-4fs); R Carroll (0-2, 0-1f), M Caldwell, A O’Rourke.

Subs: J Morgan for Kelly (39mins), J Halleron for Sean McIlhatton (53mins).

REFEREE: P McDonnell (Rossa).

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Casement SC

Junior Hurling Championship semi-final

St. Mary’s Rasharkin 2-12 Glenravel 1-8

A personal haul of 2-5 for St Mary’s forward Shane Hasson saw Rasharkin advance to their first Antrim junior hurling final since 2015.

 Both goals came in a first half that saw both sides reduced to fourteen men, but it was the Dreen side who made the most of the extra space, two first half goals putting them in the driving seat.

 It was Con Magee’s, though, who asserted the early pressure, opening the scoring with a Conleth O’Loan free after three minutes, before Conor McKeever hit back for the 2015 champions.

 Referee Ciaran McCloskey allowed the game to flow as both teams exchanged scores, Glenravel’s free-taking just keeping them ahead by 0-4 t 0-3 at the first half water break.

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 After a flashpoint on 20 minutes, Glenravel’s Padge O’Neill saw red with Rasharkin’s Conor McKeever also receiving a second yellow in the aftermath.

 St Mary’s adapted better to losing a man, with neat interplay working the ball to Shane Hasson, who shot past Chris McCann in the Glenravel goal.

 The St Mary’s men were dealt a further blow when the influential James Scally was forced to retire through injury, but on the stroke of half time, Shane Hasson doubled his goal tally to leave Rasharkin ahead by 2-6 to 0-6 at the break.

 Con Magee’s shifted things tactically for the second half, pulling an extra man back in front of their defence, but Rasharkin started brightly with a Declan McKay score.

 The Dreen men added a further three points before the second half water break to leave them ten points ahead going into the final quarter.

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 Glenravel threw James Duffin into the full forward line in an last ditch effort to rescue the game and drew blood when a Declan Traynor shot was parried into the path of Eoin Hynds who pulled to the net.

 A huge Thomas McMullan point quelled any jangling nerves as Rasharkin traded late points with Con Magee’s, who saw two late 21 yard frees turned away by Tiernan O’Boyle and Daniel Doherty.

 The winners progress to a final meeting with St Paul’s as they look to bring the title back to Dreen after a five-year absence.

St Mary’s: Aidan Darragh, Liam Tunney, Daniel Doherty, Conor Doherty, Daniel Hasson, Conor Hasson, Tiernan O’Boyle, Emmet McFerran, Thomas McMullan, Donagh Quigg, Aidan McKeever, Conor McKeever, James Scally, Declan McKay, Shane Hasson.

Subs: Connaire Donaghy for James Scally 32′, Colm Kennedy for Declan McKay 51′, Anthony O’Kane for Aidan McKeever 53′, Kealan Darragh for Emmet McFerran 55′.

Con Magee’s: Chris McCann, Michael McQuillan, Shanlee Kerr, Conor Carey, Padge O’Neill, James Duffin, Brian O’Neill, Eoin McCusker, Eoin Hynds, Michael McDonnell, Conleth O’Loan, Niall Donnelly, Jonathan Fyfe, Shane Woulahan, Sean McKay

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Casement Social Club Antrim Junior Hurling Championship semi-final

St Paul’s 1-15

Cushendun 0-15

A man of the match performance from St. Paul’s Stephen Rooney edged his side through to a place in the Casement Social Club final when they overcame the considerable challenge of Emmet’s, Cushendun at Quinn Park, Ballymena yesterday.

In a very entertaining game which was in the balance right up to the final whistle, Rooney’s accuracy from the placed ball proved the difference in the end with the former county player hitting 0-11 from frees, and he was at the heart of nearly everything good his side produced

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In an end-to-end encounter, both teams served up an entertaining battle and it was the experience and calmness of county star Stephen Rooney that settled matters in favour of the Belfast side.

James Farrell’s early major proved to be the game’s only goal with Cushendun’s Conleth McNeill top scoring for his side with 0-8, including two superbly struck ’65s. Donal O’Hara was also unfortunate to find himself on the losing side after an immense performance at centre back for Robert Emmet’s.

It was Cushendun who got off for the better start when David Kilgore pointed them ahead in the opening minute and Stephen Rooney shot wide at the other end.

It took the Shaw’s Road side a time to settle as they hit 4 wides in succession while their opponents extended their lead through points from Conleth McNeill, one from play and the other a converted free to move three ahead and looking good.

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James Farrel wiped that lead out with a stroke of his sliotar as he stepped inside his marker before unleashing his shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

St. Paul’s edged ahead through Rooney’s first point of the game as he converted a 9^th minute free but Conleth McNeill replied direct from a ‘65’ to level the contest for the second time.

The momentum was now with the West Belfast men however as Colm McLarnon and Rooney (free) added points to edge their side ahead once more before McNeill replied from another free just after the water break.

It was end to end stuff as St. Paul’s replied through Ó Duibhfinn and Conall Finnegan to move into a 1-5 to 0-6 lead but Cushendun began to get on top in the closing stages of the half.

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Eoin Magee hit two for the seasiders and another from Harry Kilgore levelled matters with Stephen Rooney replying for the Belfast side and further scores from McNeill (free) and  Dominic Sharkey had the Emmet’s 0-12 to 1-8 ahead at the short whistle.

Both sides took a time to get going as the second half got under way with a Matthew McCarlin point the only score of the third quarter though the Emmet’s will feel that they could have widened the gap considerably in this period.

Cushendun had the opportunites to put more daylight between the sides but hit 7 wides during a period of dominance and would live to rue those misses.

Rooney and McNeill exchanged frees on 48 minutes and it was Cushendun who held a 0-14 to 1-8 lead going into the final 10 minutes and the Emmet’s looked on their way to the decider but they would only add one further score as St. Paul’s finished with a flourish.

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McNeill’s eighth and final point on 57 minutes would be his side’s last of the game as St Paul’s responded strongly and three points from Stephen Rooney frees in a four-minute spell had them level with two minutes of normal time remaining.

The momentum was now very much with the ‘hoops’ as Colm McLarnon sent over an excellent point following a flowing build up and Stephen Rooney fired over from a penalty after Caolan O’ Duibhfinn was dragged down.

The same player hit the final point of the game after being fouled himself to move St Paul’s 1-15 to 0-15 ahead with Cushendun needing a goal to send the game into extra time but the St. Paul’s defence stood firm.

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St Paul’s lost defender Frankie Sewell to a second yellow late in the game and things spilled over at the final whistle with both teams getting involved in an unsavoury clash following a game which had been played in a sporting manner.

The West Belfast men will take on Rasharkin in next weekend’s decider and they’ll be hoping their dual players come through Tuesday’s Intermediate Football semi-final against Moneyglass (Portglenone, 7.15pm) unscathed.

ST PAUL’S: J Gillen, D Stevenson, G Carberry, S Bradley; F Gamble, F Sewell, S Lawell; C Finnegan (0-1), D Chapman; C Crossan, N Ó Cairealláin, C McLarnon (0-2); C Ó Duibhfinn (0-1), J Farrell (1-0), S Rooney (0-11, 0-11fs).

Subs: S McCorry for Crossan (25mins), A Gallagher for Stevenson (41mins), A McMorrow for McCorry (45mins).

CUSHENDUN: M Scally; S Hamilton, A Corbett, E McQuillan; J McKay, D O’Hara, T Scally; C McHugh, D Kilgore (0-2); D Sharkey (0-1), H Kilgore (0-1), M McCarin (0-1); P Bannon, C McNeill (0-8, 0-5fs, 0-2 ’65), E Magee (0-2).

Subs: T Kinney for Bannon (35mins), O McMahon for McCartin (46mins), B McCartin for D Kilgore (51mins), C McCormick for McQuillan (56mins).

REFEREE: B Toland (Lámh Dhearg).

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Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship semi-finals

Cushendun Emmet’s v St Paul’s at Ballymena @ 1pm

Rasharkin v Con Magees at Armoy @ 1pm

Odds on favourites to win the title outright Cushendun Emmet’s face their toughest task to date in Saturday’s Junior Hurling Championship semi-final when they take on St Paul’s at Ballymena. So far it has been plain sailing for the men from the north coast running up massive scores in both games, scoring 13 goals and 56 points overall. In their opening game they hit Loch Mór Dál gCais for 6-25 and they bettered that in their second outing against St Agnes when they recorded 7-31.

St Paul’s haven’t been behind the door in the scoring stakes either scoring just two points less than their opponents, but they did it over three games rather than two. Their first win over Glenarm in Feystown saw them hit 5-16 in an impressive win, while they hit 3-20 at home to West Belfast neighbours Davitt’s. In their second visit to East Antrim the scores flowed once again at they hit 4-21 against Latharna Og at the Brustin Braes about Larne.

What good these facile wins have done either team will be hard to tell, though it has to be said St Paul’s wins came against better opposition than the teams beaten by the Emmet’s. Cushendun will go into this game as favourites but they are coming up against much better opposition than they have faced already this season. If St Paul’s can off to a good start they might just plant doubts in the Emmet’s minds, and who knows what could happen. This will be closer than many people think but the scoring power of ‘Loaf’ and his fellow forwards should get them home.

The other semi-final is a different matter as old rivals Rasharkin and Glenravel go toe to toe in Armoy. Games between these two are quite often fiery affairs and I would expect this one to be something similar. It is six years since these two met in the 2014 final in Loughgiel, the Glenravel men winning a really tight contest. Rasharkin went on to win the title the following year and contested well in the Intermediate for a few season. Neither team is that level just now but this will take nothing away from Saturday’s meeting. Whoever wins this one will go into the final as no hopers but that won’t matter one iota, as the winners will hold the bragging rights for another season and that is very important to both of them.