ACHL Division 2

Sarsfield’s 0-18 Carey 1-23

A goal from Christopher Butler, seven minutes from half time turned this competitive fixture at the Bear Pit in favour of Carey Faughs but the Ballyvoy side were pushed all the way by a Donal McKernan inspired Sarsfields.

With the visitors holding a narrow one point advantage, Butler got on the end of a deft hand pass over the top to beat the advancing David Ward from close range.

The Ballyvoy side pushed on in the closing stages of the half to increase their advantage to 1-13 to 0-8 at the short whistle and while Sarsfields threw everything at them after the break, they were always able to find a response.

Donal McKiernan opened the scoring for Sarsfields from a 50 meter free in the 2^nd minute and the ‘Paddies’ number 11 would account for the majority of his side’s score over the hour with a fine exhibition of point scoring, both from frees and play.

It was the visitor’s better team work and short passing game that would eventually give them the edge however and their wider range of scorers would prove the difference in the end over a dogged Sarsfield’s over the hour.

Christopher Butler (f) and Shea Hunter edged the visitors ahead by the 5^th minute with McKernan equalising with his seconds of the evening before Patrick Butler and Anthony McGarrigle exchanged points to leave it three apiece.

Callum Kane from play for Carey and McKernan from a 70 meter free kept the sides tied before Connor McBride raced clear and batted over to move the visitors ahead again by the 14^th minute.

It would remain nip and tuck for the next ten minutes though David Ward in the Sarsfield’s goals had to be sharp off his line to deny Christopher Butler with Brendan McQuaid, Callum Kane, Patrtick Butler and Kane again keeping the score board ticking for the Faughs and Donal McKernan 0-2, Daniel McKernan and Fionn Jemfry replying for the home side.

Butlers close range finish for the visitors and points from Conlith McKinley and Connor McBride put a bit of daylight between the sides at the halfway stage as the sharp hand passing and movement of the Cathaoir an Ri attack began to open up the Sarsfield’s defence.

Sarsfield’s returned for the second half with renewed vigour and determination and Fionn Jemfry hit a couple of early points to serve notice that this game was far from over.

The visitors responded however through Callum Kane and James ‘Rocket’ Black to restore their seven point advantage after ten minutes and it was to set a pattern that would prevail for the remainder of the half.

Points from Donal McKernan and Patrick Braniff brought a reply from Connor McBride who hit three on the bounce, the third from a very acute angle.

McKernan continued to keep his side in touch going down the home straight but the Ballyvoy side continued to respond with Christopher Butler and Connor McBride to the fore.

In the end it ended 0-10 apiece for the second half with the Faughs always able to respond to the Sarsfield’s threat and they were deserving winners in the end and find themselves amongst a group of six clubs on 6 points, two behind league leaders, Tir na nOg who have 8 points from four starts.

Sarsfield’s: 1 David Ward, 2 Oisin Coleman, 3 Jack Daniels, 4 Daragh Coleman, 5 Ronan McKenna, 28 Nicolas O’Mullane, 7 Eoin Briarty, 8 Anthony McGarrigle, 9 Oisin Coleman, 10 Gary Lennon, 11 Donal McKernan, 12 Daniel McKernan, 13 Conall Jemfry, 27 Gerard McKernan, 15 Fionn Jemfry.

Subs: 26 Patrick Braniff, 29 Liam McAllister,

Carey Faughs: 1 Steven McGinn, 2 Somhairle Mathers, 3 Sean McBride, 4 Daniel McKinley, 5 Shea Hunter, 6 John McBride, 7 Conall McGlynn, 8 Patrick Butler, 9 Callum Kane, 10 Conlith McKinley, 11 James Black, 12 Connor McBride, 13 Christopher Butler, 14 Eoin Laverty, 15 Fiachra McVeigh

Subs: 17 Brendan McQuaid, 23 Daniel Hill, 18 Collum McKiernan, 20 Eoin McKinley,

Referee: Lorenzo McMullan

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

Cushendall 2-19 St John’s 5-12

St John’s stretched their lead at the top of the Division 1 table when they travelled to Cushendall on Friday evening and came away with a two points win. For most of the game Cushendall had looked the mostly likely winners, and after turning around with a four point cushion they stretched their advantage to six early in the second half. However the Johnnies kept battling throughout and after closing the gap to a single point going into injury time, they grabbed a late winner to seal both points.

St John’s centre back Matthew McCartan gave the visitors an early lead but the home team hit back with four on the trot from Neill McManus, Ciaran Neeson, Joe McNaughton and Ryan McCambride. On ten minutes St John’s were awarded a penalty and centre forward Oisin McManus drove it home, but the home side found a quick reply as Joe McNaughton hit the net within a minute at the other end.

Back came the Johnnies and Lorcan Heenan got their second goal  to keep themselves on a par with the county champions, but a late scoring burst at the end of the opening half which yielded four in a row, three of them from Neill McManus, gave them a four point cushion at half time. 1-12 to 2-05.

Three points from Neill McManus and one from Alex Delargy early in the second half saw Cushendall pull clear again but they couldn’t shake off the Johnnies challenge as the Corrigan Park outfit played some really sharp hurling. Going down the home stretch it looked like they had had enough to earn the points. However St John’s fought for every ball and further goals from Donal Carson and Ruairi Galbraith grabbed the scores that game them the win.

Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Carey Faughs 2.23  Shamrocks 1.20

Carey bounced back from their weekend setback to Tir na nÓg with a convincing win over Loughgiel in an exciting tussle in St Patrick’s Park, Ballyvoy, on Wednesday evening. The home side were quick out “of the blocks” and within five minutes they were 1.6 to 0.2 ahead courtesy of points from, Fichra McVeigh, James Black, Calum Cane and two from Eoin Laverty, the goal coming from a long range Shay Hunter effort which deceived Mark Christie in the Shamrocks goal, with Conil McCloskey and Conor O’Mullan on the mark for the visitors. Points from Cathal Hargan and the impressive Maol Connelly kept the shamrocks in touch, but Carey stretched their lead with points from Laverty and Black before Conal McGlynn found conor mcbride who evaded the visitors defence for a well worked goal to leave Carey 2.9 to 0.5 ahead after the first quarter. The introduction of Ronan Fitzgerald seemed to ignite the Shamrocks and the gap was down to four after points from Ryan Hill, Donal McKinley, Eoin McGarry and the classy Maol Connelly.  With half time approaching the home side upped their game and further points from Conleth McKinley and Frein Laverty left the interval score 2.13 to 0.9 in the home side’s favour.

On the resumption Niall McFadden and Connelly points reduced the deficit by two, but four unanswered Carey points from laverty,  hunter and two from the excellent Calum Cane restored their nine point lead. Entering the final quarter the shamrocks made a determined effort and a goal four points from Connelly reduced the arrears to five. Despite Cane and Black pulling two points back for Carey the Loughgiel momentum was gathering pace with Damien Quinn, Fitzgerald and Connelly bringing it to a 3 point game, and very much in the balance. However driven by their captain shay hunter, the home side found another gear with McVeigh and Laverty stretching the lead to 5, a Roan McGarry point was cancelled out by 2 from Careys Conor McBride with Connelly having the flinal say with a point.

Carey:

S McGinn, D McKinley, S McBride, C McGlynn, J McBride, S Hunter, C Kane, P Butler, J Black, F McVeigh, C McKinley, C Butler E Laverty, C McBride 

Loughgiel:

M Christie, C Connelly, D McPeake, P Patterson, K McKay, S Dobbin, C McCloksey, F Henry, I Glackin, C Hargan, D McKinley, R Hill, E McGarry, M Connolly. C McMullan

Subs D Quin, R McGarry, R Fitzgerald, N McFadden