JHC Group 2

Gort na Mona 2-18 All Saints 1-11

Gort na Mojna proved too strong for All Saints in this Junior Hurling Championship, Group 2 encounter at Whitehill on Friday night with this win putting the Mona Byepass side in a strong position for qualification to the knockout stages while making qualification unlikely for the Ballymena men.

Two goals from Patrick McCaffrey, one in each half paved the way for this Gort na Mona victory. Their opponents All Saints looked to be well in contention when they trailed 0-8 to 1-8 at the change of ends but the city side pulled away to win with something to spare after the break.

Mark Rea, Patrick McCaffrey and Thomas McCaffrey were the early marksmen for the West Belfast side with Darach Bradley keeping the Ballymena side in touch with one from play and a converted free.

A goal from the impressive McCaffrey and a series of points from Dessie McClean, Neil Henry and Patrick McCafferty saw Gort na Mona push on to lead by three at half time with Darach Bradley’s free taking and Points from Damian Gillan and  Daniel Kelly keeping the Ballymena side in touch.

After the break Gort na Mona found another gear with Dessie McClean hitting some excellent points and Patrick McCafferty putting the final nail in the All Saints Coffin with his second goal.

Substitute Fintan Brady marked his introduction with a goal and a point for the Slemish Park side but it was too little-too late and Gort na Mona look to have secured a place in the knockout stages.

Gort na Mona face Lamh Dhearg in their final game on Friday the 23d August where a draw would secure both sides a quarter-final place and only a big win over Armoy would be enough for All Saints the following day should there be a loser at Enright park.

Gort na Mona: 1 Caolan McCrory, 2 Mark Rea, 3 Padraig McHugh, 4 James Connolly, 5 Nathan Gibson, 6 Neil Henry, 7 Gavin McKernna, 8 Brendan Cousins, 9 James Aaron Hicks, 10 Darron Boyd, 11 Dessie McClean, 12 Niall Henry, 13 Thomas McCaffrey, 14 Patrick McCaffrey, 15 Manus McMullan.

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Conor O’Rawe, 3 Eoin McAllister, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Archie McGreevey, 6 Liam Cassley, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Vincent Esler, 9 Damian Gillan, 10 Jack Magill, 11 Darach Bradley, 12 Sean McDermott, 13 Daniel Kelly, 14 Sean O’Rawe, 15 Cathaoir Cunning.

Subs: Fintan Brady

Referee: Colm McDonald

FOR MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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Antrim JHC, Group One

Davitt’s 3-11 Rasharkin 2-20

Davitt’s staged a late comeback in this Junior Hurling Championship,

Group 1 meeting with Rasharkin at Davitt’s Park but it came too late to affect the result as the men from Dreen collected an opening day win in this year’s championship.

The South West side led by 10 with only six minutes remaining but had been reduced to 14 men and it seemed the game was done and dusted with Conor McKeever in sparkling form, but the hosts struck with two late goals to give their visitors a few anxious moments as the clock ticked down.

Rasharkin got off to a dream start when Conor McFerran found Donagh Quigg with an astute pass and he had only one thing on his mind as he drilled home.

Davitt’s replied when Christopher Gallagher converted a 65 and they added a goal of their own just four minutes in when Marcas Toner caught the visiting defence napping from a 20-metre free as he finished to the top corner.

A Conor McKeever free brought the sides level with McFerran edging the visitors ahead as Davitt’s, aided by the wind, were going long, but were off target on several occasions.

Quigg extended the Rasharkin lead before Daeglan Mooney drove out of defence to reply and notch the hosts’ first score in 10 minutes, but further scores from Quigg and McFerran put the visitors three ahead.

St. Mary’s would double that lead in the 23d minute as they punished a mistake in the home side’s defence and although Geared Cosgrove was equal to Conor McKeever’s effort, Conor McKillop was there to finish the rebound.

Davitt’s responded well with Colm McKee pointing and Toner landing two frees and Rasharkin goalkeeper James O’Mullan then had to be alert to gather from a long delivery from Anthony Rowntree.

The visitors led by three as Darren McKeown sounded his half-time whistle as McKeever and Stephen Thompson traded late points with Rasharkin 2-6 to 1-6 ahead.

With the wind now at their backs, Rasharkin extended their lead at the start of the second half with Shane Hasson and Emmett McFerran hitting early points and although Toner hit back on the run, further scores from Hasson and McKeever extended the gap to six.

The South West side were dealt a blow in the 40th minute when they lost a man to a Red card after his umpires had drawn the referee’s attention to an off the ball incident.

Toner pointed the resulting free but McKeever stamped his class on proceedings as he hit the next four points of the game and Quigg added another to leave 10 in it with as many minutes remaining.

It seemed that was that, but Davitt’s managed to mount a charge and after an exchange of scores, Stephen McGivern converted a 65 and then a long ball into Anthony Rowntree saw him finish to the net.

McKeever and Gallagher then traded points but after Rasharkin substitute Tiernan O’Boyle landed his second, Colm McKee struck with a third Davitt’s goal to make the final minutes interesting.

That left just four in it with time still to play and the long ball into Rowntree was now beginning to cause problems, but the goal that Davitt’s needed failed to materialise as St. Mary’s held on for an opening day win.

Indeed it was McKeever who would strike the final two points to bring his personal tally to 10 for the evening and the Dreen side join their hosts on two points but Davitt’s have a game more played and await the final game between Rasharkin and Ardoyne to see where they finish for the knockout stages.

Davitt’s: G Cosgrove; J Park, T Toland, C Rainey; P Og Carleton, C Heaney, D Mooney (0-1); M Og Rowntree, C McKee (1-1); M Toner (1-4, 1-3f), S McGivern (0-2, 1f, 1 ’65’), C Maguire; S Thompson (0-1), A Rowntree (1-0), C Gallagher (0-2, 1f)

Subs: J Maguire for C Maguire (34)

Rasharkin: J O’Mullan; C Higgins, C Doherty, C Donaghy; R O’Boyle, A McKeever, J Higgins; C McFerran (0-2), D McKay; C Henderson, E McFerran (0-1), S Hasson (0-2); C McKillop (1-0), D Quigg (1-3), C McKeever (0-10, 7f)

Subs: T O’Boyle (0-2) for R O’Boyle (42), C Maria for C McKillop (51), D Hasson for C McFerran (53)

Referee: Darren McKeown (St Gall’s) 

https://myalbum.com/album/3hL4LW8Z2Thyez/?invite=4a436ce8-8829-47f6-a831-c06bc18eeba4

Antrim Junior Hurling Championship, Group One

Ardoyne 0-10 Davitt’s 3-16

Pics by Brian McKee

Davitt’s made a great start to their 2024 Junior Hurling Championship campaign when they travelled to the Cricky on Friday evening in their first round robin game of the campaign. With both team’s missing a few regulars Davitt’s took full advantage and going ahead in the early stages they maintained their dominance until the end. With Stephen Thompson leading the line with 2-1 for the Davitt’s Park outfit they scored a significant win and with just three in their group they are all but assured of a semi-final spot before Rasharkin at home in two weeks’ time.

Early scores from Stephen McGivern, Peter Og Carleton and Christopher Gallagher gave Davitt’s a good base to work from and though Ardoyne came back with a point from Patrick McGreevy, the gap was back out to three when Marcus Toner split the posts for the visitor. Matt McKillen pulled one back for the home side, but Davitt’s stretched their lead to four when Toner and Gallagher found the target for Davitt’s.

The decisive period of the game came on twenty minutes when Ardoyne were desperately unlucky to see Dean Goodall’s shot rebound of the post when a goal seemed certain. Davitt’s took full advantage and when the ball was cleared up the field, Stephen Thompson found space near to goal and fired to the Ardoyne net. To make matters worse for the home side Thompson grabbed his second goal soon afterwards when what appeared to be a shot for a point dipped at the last second and ended up in the net to put the visitors 2-8 to 0-5 clear at the short whistle.

Ardoyne now had a mountain to climb and they kept battling hard, but each time they reduced the gap Davitt’s found an answer. As weather conditions worsened as the game progressed it became ever harder for the home side to get themselves back in contention and when Davitt’s grabbed their third goal as the deluge hit hard in the dying minutes, there was simply no way back.

Ardoyne have the consolation on knowing they will be in the knock out stages no matter what way the other games go, but they have a four week wait before travelling to Rasharkin on August 24^th, and that is far from ideal. Davitt’s on the other hand have home advantage when they face the men from Dreen in two weeks’ time and are now in a very strong position.

ARDOYNE: JP Agnew; P Clarke, P Baker, E Mac Lochlainn; C Wallace, K McCallin, C Barnes; D Goodall, P McGuigan; D Moore (0-1), P McGreevy (0-6, all frees), M Cromie; M McKillen (0-1), P Heaney (0-2), C Trainor.

Subs: C Curran for C Barnes (HT), P Hull for M Cromie (45), S Hill for M McKillen (58), P O’Neill for C Mac Lochlainn (59)

DAVITT’S: G Cosgrove; L McCaffrey, J Parke, O Cosgrove; P Og Carleton (0-1), C Heaney, D Mooney (0-1); M Og Rowntree, C McKee (0-4); M Toner (1-4, 0-2f), S McGivern (0-3), C Maguire; S Thompson (2-1), A Rowntree, C Gallagher (0-2, 1f).

Subs: G Nelson for O Cosgrove (19), D Whelan for A Rowntree (59), E Gallagher for G Nelson (60)

REFEREE: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)

For more pics by Brian McKee click on the link below

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Junior Hurling Championship Group 2

Lamh Dhearg 1-12 All Saints 0-11

A Donal Martin goal for Lamh Dhearg after 15 minutes proved the decisive score in the end as the Hannastown side fought off a sustained challenge from All Saints in this Group 2 opener in Belfast on Friday night.

Both sides played their hurling in division 3 this year with Lamh Dhearg recording a big league win over tonight’s opponents who suffered relegation back to division 4 despite putting in some good performances.

It was Lamh Dhearg who opened the scoring when Daniel Murray pointed them ahead from a 45 meter free in the 5^th minute before Damian Gillan struck an excellent point for the visitors to bring it all square after 7 minutes.

It was the home side who took control at this stage as they struck points through Mark Finnegan, Donal Martin and Fionn Mervyn to move three ahead by the 10^th minute.

All Saints might have been back on terms soon after when a good move opened the way for Eoin McGuigan but he pulled his goal attempt just wide of the post.

The visitors replied with a pointed free from Damian Gillan but then had an appeal for what looked a good point waved away and when Donal Martin placed his shot out of reach of Saints keeper, Ciaran Cassley at the other end in the 17^th minute, the Hannastown side were six in front and looking comfortable.

A minute later Cormac Magill struck a fine long range effort at the other end and it heralded a good period for the visitors as Magill again, Damian Gillan and Eoin McGuigan added further points in reply to one from Mark Finnegan and just a goal separated the sides.

Harry Connon and Jack Magill had now assumed control at mid-field as the visitors began to dominate and a late pointed free from Damian Gillan saw the Lamh Dhearg lead cut to two at the short whistle.

HT Lamh Dhearg 1-6 All Saints 0-7

Martin Finnegan extended the Lamh Dhearg lead to three on the restart with Damian Gillan replying with a point for the Ballymena side to cut the deficit to two once more and set a precedence for what was to follow.

Donal Marin for Lamh Dhearg and McGuigan with another massive effort for the visitors kept the gap at two and Fionn Mervyn and Liam Cassley exchanged further minors before Mark Finnegan moved the Hannastown side three in front from a 12^th minute free.

The Ballymena side were giving it everything as McGuigan closed the gap to two again but the free taking of Mark Finnegan continued to keep Lamh Dhearg noses in front as he replied with his 5^th point of the evening.

The visitors were still battling hard for every ball and playing some good hurling and they looked to be in for the equaliser when Harry Connon raced clear but he shot narrowly wide when a goal looked on.

The visitors were then awarded a close range free as the clock ticked down but Eoin McGuigan’s attempt at goal was well saved by Lamh’s keeper, Rhys McCamlin.

Lamh Dhearg had been under pressure for a spell but they broke forward and Donal Martin fired over what was to prove to be the insurance point at the other end and they now join Armoy on two points at the top of Group 2 after the opening round of games.

Lamh Dhearg: 1 Rhys McCamlin, 20 Christopher Nolan, 3 Odhran Waldron, 4 Tiernan McKenna, 5 Daniel Murray, 6 Ryan Diamond, 7 Fionn Mervyn, 8 Ciaran Boyd, 9 Aidan McGuigan, 10 Donal Martin, 18 Mark Finnegan, 12 Niall McGuigan, 13 Michael McGuigan, 14 Michael McGarry, 22 Niall McGarry, 17 Odhran Lee, 21 Conal Megraw, 26 Aaron Ferris

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Archie McGreevey, 3 Eoin McAllister, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Conor O’Rawe, 6 Padraig Magill, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Jack Magill, 9 Harry Connon, 10 Cormac Magill, 11 Eoin McGuigan, 12 Sean McDermott, 13 Damian Gillan, 14 Liam Cassley 15 Darrach Bradley

Referee: Piaris McCaffrey

For more Bert Trowlen pics from this game click on the link below

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