ACHL Division 2

 Sarsfield 1-16

Loughgiel 1-19.

Saturday 20th April 2024

Nestled under the imposing backdrop of Black Mountain, Páirc Phádraig Sáirséil faired up well against recent weather and along with today’s sunshine and a northerly breeze, Sarsfield’s turf would help to deliver an evenly balanced game of tough and tight hurling.

Ray Mathews got the game underway at the odd billed time of 5:05pm and Sarsfield sprang into action with the first point from Ruiri McAreavey.

Loughgiel quickly responded with a point from Eoin McGarry. No side had a distinct advantage from the breeze with it cutting directly across the pitch as the points began to click up on the scoreboard.

With the score at Sarsfield 0-05 to Loughgiel’s 0-03, the home side’s Fionn Jemfry pulled on a ball that wasn’t cleared from Loughgiel’s square to register the first goal of the game.

Loughgiel’s Cahir McGrath wasted no time in responding and lodged a goal and a point in quick succession to leave just one in it at the break, Sarsfield 1-07 to Loughgiel’s 1-06.

After the break, Loughgiel found another gear and added seven more points to Sarsfield’s two and that would eventually stand the Shamrock’s in good stead as both sides then went on an almost tit for tat point exchange.

Sarsfield’s left half forward, Daniel McKernan (Snr) found space deep in Loughgiel’s defence and a fine hand-pass to Nicholas O’Mullane ended in a soaring point, much to the delight of the pacing management team.

The home side’s Talisman of the day, Kevin McKernan, picked up the sliotar directly onto the stick and with one flick, dispatched the ball over Loughgiel’s goalkeeper, CormacMcFadden’s bar.

Scores at this point of the game were Sarsfields 1-16 to Loughgiel’s 1-18. Referee Mathews glanced at his watch from the last call of three minutes but there was just enough time for Loughgiel’s Nicholas McNaughton to demonstrate a brilliant block that he gathered for the final point of the game.

Both sides produced a great evening’s hurling deep in the city of Belfast and having spectators to shade the warming sun from their eyes is a great prelude to the rest of the season ahead.

Sarsfield’s starting panel: Gerard McKernan, Mark McCavanagh, Daragh Coleman, Daniel Smyth, Jim McKernan, Ronan McKenna, Kevin McKernan, Anthony McGarrigle, Ruiri McAreavey, Donal, McKernan, Donal McKernan (Snr), Fionn Jemfry, Oisin Coleman, Niall McAlea

Loughgiel starting panel: Cormac McFadden, Pearce Patterson, Daniel McPeake, Patrick Bradley, Connor, Dickson, Damien Quinn, Conall McCloskey, Nicholas McNaughton, Tiago McGarry, Niall McFadden, Donal McKinley, Ryan Hill, Eoin McGarry, Cahir McGrath, Connor O’Mullan

Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)

ACHL Division 2

Tir na nOg 4-12 Carryduff 1-16

Two first half goals from Kevin Sheerin and a third in the second half and another from substitute Emmet Murray proved the difference in the end in this fiercely contested ACHL Division 2 contest between Tir na nOg and Carryduff at Whitehill on Saturday evening.

After a spell at the other end of the field for the Randalstown side ‘Scamper’ has returned to his once familiar berth at full-forward and team captain Sheerin showed that he has lost none of his old scoring prowess.

He got his side on their way with the game’s opening point and batted a hanging ball to the net for his first goal in the 9^th minute after Dominic Sharkey struck a couple of excellent points for the county Down visitors.

Carryduff, whose jersey numbers bore little resemblance to their playing positions, came back with a series of well struck points through Darragh Goodwin, Conall Watson and Eoin Roonery to draw level by the 14^th minute with Tir na nog’s other point coming from Aaron McNeilly.

It was nip and tuck for a while with EamonOg McAllister for Tir na nOg and Conall Watson exchanging further points but a second goal from Sheerin moved the home side two in front after 22 minutes.

The visitors responded through the excellent Donal Rooney to draw level but Kevin Sheerin gave the home side a one point lead at the interval as he pointed a 28^th minute free.

Rooney fired over the equaliser on the restart and then edged Carryduff ahead and when the same player pointed a 4^th minute free the Down side appeared to be gaining the upper hand.

Aaron McNeilly from a free and Daniel Martin with a good point from play tied the contest once more and as things became a bit physical, Kevin Sheerin moved his side ahead once more and Niall Devlin fired over from close range when he might have had a goal.

A goal did arrive but it was at the other end when Eoin Rooney drilled his shot low to the net to briefly give the visitors the lead again but it wasn’t to last as Tir na nOg found another response.

Eamon Og and Aaron McNeilly pointed to make it all square before Sean O’Callaghan edged the Down men briefly ahead with 9 minutes remaining.

Tir na nOg introduced Emmet Murray for Ciaran McKeown as Kevin Sheerin took advantage of a defensive slipup to complete his hat trick and Murray announced his arrival when he fired to the net from close range after a ‘65’ had dropped invitingly into his path.

Donal Rooney replied with a couple of points for Carryduff but it was too little-too late and it is Tir na nOg who move top of the division after four rounds of games and were good value for their win in the end.

Tir na nOg: 1 Michael Higgins, 2 Tony Martin, 3 Daniel Martin, 4 Dara Martin, 5 Brandon McLarnon, 6 Caoimhin Duffin, 7 Sean McKinley, 8 Joshua Higgins, 9 Ciaran McKeown, 10 Aaron McNeilly, 11 Eamon Og McAllister, 12 Oliver McAtamney, 13 Niall Devlin, 14 Kevin Sheerin, 15 Declan Marron, Subs: Emmet Murray,

Carryduff: 1 Conor McLornan, 2 Fearghal Casey, 3 Conor McAlister, 4 Ciaran Goodwin, 5 Conor O’Reilly, 6 James Lavery, 7 Adrian Downey, 8 Sean O’Callaghan, 9 Eoin Rooney, 10 Conall Watson, 11 James Woods, 12 Darragh Goodwin, 13 Tiarnan McMeel, 14 Lorcan McCaughey, 15 Oran Teague, 17 Dominic Sharkey, 18 Niall McArdle, 19 Michael Conway, 20 Donal Rooney, 21 John Leneghan, 22 Liam Lavery, 23 Ciaran Rogers

Referee: Niall Clifford (Armagh)

All Saints 4-10 Cloughmills 1-19

When Damien Gillan pointed a free, a minute into the second half to put All Saints 2-9 to 0-7 ahead it looked that we were in for a shock at Slemish Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Ballymena side hadn’t won a game in division 3 this year while their visitors, St. Brigid’s Cloughmills were sitting joint top of the division and were expected to collect another brace of points.

It didn’t quite work out that way however and 2 first half goals from Liam Cassley put the home side in a fairly strong position but there was always a feeling that the ‘Biddies’ would come strong in the second half.

And so they did with Eoin Dobbin leading the way with a series of excellent point, both from play and frees and the visitors looked to have turned it on its head when they led by four with time almost up.

The Ballymena side quite simply refused to go away however and an Eoin McGuigan goal and a pointed free from Damien Gillan had it all square with time almost up.

Indeed Chris Dornan’s side looked to have grabbed both points at the end when Sean McDermott fired over but his point was ruled out and so it finished all square.

GOOD START

A Sean McDermott point and three more from Damien Gillan (2f’s) in reply to 2 from Eoin Dobbin had the Ballymena side two in front early in the contest before Reece Watt closed the gap to one with his first of the evening.

Former St. Brigid’s player, Liam Cassley set the contest on fire as he fired home two goals while Eoin Dobbin replied with a couple of points for the ‘Village’.

Darach Bradley and Damien Gillan responded again with points for a sharp All Saints side with Eoin Dobbin and Callum McKendry replying from frees to leave it 2-8 to 0-7 for the Slemish Park side at the interval.

Damien Gillan moved the home side eight ahead from a pointed free on the restart but All Saints lost their way for a time as an Eoin Dobbin inspired St. Brigid’s slowly closed the gap.

A goal from substitute Conor O’Hara in the 15^th minute eased the pressure for a time and moved the Ballymena side three in front but it brought a quick response from the visitors.

Dobbin struck three frees and further points from, Stephen Smith and Liam Kearns and a goal from Reece Watt had it back to one by the 18^th minute.

The sweet striking Dobbin brought it all square from a ‘65’ following a good save from Ciaran Cassley in the All Saints goal and the momentum was now very much with the visitors.

Further points from Dobbin and Ryan Watson looked to have secured another two points for the Cloughmill’s side but that goal from McGuigan and a Damien Gillan pointed free left it all square at the final whistle

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Dwayne McKee, 3 Padraig Magill, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Archie McGreevey, 6 Jack Magill, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Harry Connon, 9 Vinny Esler, 10 Cormac Magill, 11 Eoin McGuigan, 12 Sean McDermott, 13 Damian Gillan, 14 Liam Cassley, 15 Darach Bradley

Subs:  Conor O’Hara for Jack Magill, Fintan Brady for Dwayne McKee, Daniel Kelly for Cormac Magill

St. Brigid’s: 1 Gary McCollum, 2 Rian Dobbin, 3 Corey Blair, 4 Johnny Duffin, 5 Kevin O’Boyle, 6 Martin Dobbin, 7 Geoffery Og Laverty, 8 Odhran McCurdy, 9 Seosamh MacGabhann, 10 Reece Watt, 11 Callum McKendry, 12 Eoin Dobbin, 13 Liam Kearns, 14 James Doherty, 15 Stephen Smith

Subs: Ryan Watson,

Referee: Paul McSparran (Cushendun)

Fighting Saints gain their first point

O’Neill Sportswear Antirm Hurling League – Division 1

Glenariffe Oisins 1-21 St Gall’s 012

Glenariffe made it two wins out of three when they beat St Gall’s in Saturday evening’s Division Two Hurling League game in Wateroot. Leading by two points after a well contested opening half the Oisins dominated the second half and boosted by a goal from second half substitute Calum McIlwaine and superb display of free taking from Seanie McIntosh they pushed on to win by 1-21 to 0-12.

The Belfast side started well as points from Jackson McGreevy and Cormac Sheehan they took a two point lead after five minutes. The Oisins were struggling to hit the target but two pointed fees from Seanie McIntosh in the 8^th and 9^th minutes brought them level after 13 minutes. It was score for score during the next fifteen minutes Gregory McGreevy, Ronan Crossan and Marcus Donnelly were answered by three more from ‘Tosh’ which tied the scores on 0-8 apiece, but two more late frees by Tosh in the first half injury time put them 0-10 to 0-08 in front at half time.

The Oisins new management team introduced three subs at the start of the second half with Orrin O’Connor, Calum Mcilwaine and Niall Magee all being introduced and each one made an impact as the home team too command of the game. O’Connor got the first point of the half and after McIntosh added another from a free, McIlwaine grabbed the only goal of the game when full forward Arnie Cosgrove flicked a ball across the square that appeared to be going wide, and McIlwaine tapped it home from a yard out.

Mark Napier came back with a couple of points for St Gall’s but the Oisins hit the next six scores as McIntosh added four more, while the O’Connor brothers Orrin and Brogan picked off points. Ronan Crossan and Napier had two late scores for the visitors before Man of the Match McIntosh brought his tally to ten to wrap it all up.