St. Paul’s visited Slemish Park on Sunday morning and left with both points after an excellent game of hurling with an All Saints side who were in contention right up to the final minutes.
A superb goal from Shea Burns, midway through the second half swung it St. Paul’s way and with Odhran Donnelly in great form from the placed ball the visitors pushed on for the win.
In the end the Shaw’s Road side were good value for their victory as they struck the woodwork on several occasions while All Saints keeper, Pearse Martin was in fine form for the home side.
It was All Saints who got off to the perfect start when Jakub Kaczmarek fired to the St. Pauls net in the opening minute but the visitors failed to panic and slowly played their way back into the game.
Darragh De Brun and Odhran Donnelly led the visitor’s comeback and by half time the sides were level at 1-3 to 0-6 with Conor O’Hara and Conall Boyd on target for the home side.
It was the Ballymena youngsters who made the better start to the second half as Keeper, Pearse Martin stepped forward to send a 60 meter free between the uprights and when Conall Boyd followed with another from a free they were two ahead
Another Boyd free extended that lead to three but St. Paul’s were quick to respond and Shea Burns soloed 40 yards before firing an unstoppable shot to Pearse Martin’s net and bring his side level for the second time
Odhran Donnelly edged the Shaw’s Road side ahead from a free and it was a lead they would not lose as the Red &White hoops started to take control with Donnelly striking a number of excellent frees.
Darragh De Brun and Donnelly added points going down the home straight and the flying De Brun saw a well struck goal attempt come back of the crossbar while All Saints continued to fight but were wasteful in their shooting.
They were finally rewarded when Conall Boyd pointed a 27th minute free to leave just a goal in it but the excellent De Brun replied with a point at the other end to conclude the scoring and ensure there would be no way back for the boys in black.
All Saints: 1 Pearse Martin, 2 Finn Connon, 3 Patrick Murphy, 4 Oisin Doherty, 5 Caolan Laverty, 6 Robert Crooks, 7 Conan McKeown, 8 Sean McDermott, 9 Harry Connon, 10 Ciaran Logan, 11 Jakub Kaczmarek, 12 Connor O’Hara, 13 Michael Connolly, 14 Jason McGregor, 15 Antoin Martin, 16 Conall Boyd, 18 John Ireland, 17 Sean O’Brien
St. Paul’s: Ciaran O’Carrol, 2 Conor Daley, 3 Bobby Jack Bennett, 4 Padraig Keenan, 5 Cian McCann, 6 Padhraic McKevitt, 7 Liam Murray, 8 Ewan McGreevey, 9 Garett Cowan, 10 Nathan O’Neill, 11 Micael Valley, 12 Odhran Donnelly, 13 Oisin De Brun, 14 Shea Burns, 15 Darragh De Brun
Subs: Ciaran De Brun, Gerard Maguire, Brogan McEvoy, Daire Maguire, Ronan Smith
League leaders Bredagh withstood a strong second half rally from Glen Rovers, Armoy to claim both points and maintain their place at the top of division 3 in a hard hitting contest in Armoy on Sunday.
The slick moving Down side were quickly into their stride as Ryan Curran set up Eoin Kennedy for a goal in the third minute after Ben Christie had opened their account from a first minute point.
Emmet O’Hara got Glen Rovers off the mark with a 7th minute point but Ben Christie restored the visitors four point advantage, two minutes later.
Armoy were enjoying their share of possession but dropped a number of long range attempts short into the hands of Bredagh keeper, Ian Galway who was safe and assured throughout the game.
Eoin Boyle finally got the distance right as he pointed for the home side in the 13th minute but it brought another response for a visitor’s side whose slick passing was opening up the Armoy defence.
Rory McCamphill, Paul McGarry and Lawrence Smyth hit three on the bounce to move the visitors six ahead with Trevor Linton seeing his well struck free come off the post at the other end.
A couple of late points from Emmet O’Hara for the home side closed the gap to five at the break but Bredagh were fully deserving of their lead as the sides changed ends for the second half.
Rory McCamphill from a free and Tarlach McBride from a similar scenario exchanged early points but a great long range effort from Liam Hogan and another from Ryan Curran had the visitors seven ahead with only six minutes of the new half gone.
The hits were going in hard and fast as Armoy started to disrupt the fluency of the county Down side and Emmet O’Hara saw his shot come back of a post before PJ McBride and Tarlach McBride from a free closed the gap to two.
Eoin Kennedy edged the visitors five ahead again at the end of the third quarter but Glen overs were enjoying more of the play and Trevor Linton (f) and Ian Galway from a ‘65’ exchanged further scores.
Two further points from Hogan and Christie for the visitors looked to have put the result beyond doubt but Armoy kept plugging away and Thomas Burns was on hand to fire to the net from close range after The Bredagh defence failed to clear a Tarlach McBride free that dropped short.
There was only three in it now and that lead was reduced to two when McBride fired over and the momentum was now very much with the home side but Bredagh refused to panic.
Fortune fell their way when they were awarded a free about thirty yards from their own goal and keeper Ian Galway became their hero as his massive shot sailed all the way to the Armoy net with Eoin Kennedy possibly getting a touch.
This win keeps Bredagh top of the league with four wins from four starts, two ahead of Rasharkin who have six points but a game in hand.
Rasharkin travel to Ballymena to meet All Saints and Bredagh entertain St. Brigid’s Cloughmills before travelling to Dreen to meet St. Mary’s on Sunday the 12th of May and that one could go some way in deciding who will claim top spot come the end of the season.
Brendan McTaggart reports from Healy Park, Loughgiel
Photos by Michael Corcoran
Both teams joined forces before the game to highlight their support for Gaels Against Genocide in Gazza
Loughgiel took the honours at Healy Park on Sunday afternoon with three to spare over Dunloy. It took an injury time penalty save from Chrissy O’Connell to prevent the Cuchullains gaining a share of the spoils however, the Loughgiel shot stopper denying Aodhan McGarry’s effort with what was the last puck of the game.
To those who are engrossed in the game, there aren’t many things that are bigger than hurling but there can’t have been many disappointed to see Paul Boyle back out on the pitch. The Loughgiel man playing his first competitive game since coming through complications, Boyle was outstanding in the first half. Raising five white flags in that opening 30 minutes, Boyle getting game time in his legs against good opposition with no adverse effects will have been exactly what Darren Gleeson and the Antrim management team will have been hoping for.
Paul Boyle who made a welcome return to action on Sunday – Pic by Michael Corcoran
Both sides free takers were their top marksmen, Nicky McKeague for Dunloy and Maol Connolly for the Shamrocks with four of the goals split evenly in the opening half.
Loughgiel were ahead by a point when Rian McMullan found the back of Eoghan Richmond’s net. McMullan’s finish was top drawer but it was matched by the pass and vision from Christy McGarry to find him in space.
With Loughgiel threatening to put daylight between the sides, Dunloy found the back of Chrissy O’Connell’s goals twice in the space of four minutes. Anton McGrath with the Cuchullains first major and again, it was another excellent strike. Collecting a pass from Aodhan McGarry, McGrath held off two Loughgiel defenders before dropping the sliotar low and firing to the bottom corner.
Loughgiel’s lead was out to three before Deaglan Smith fired Dunloy’s second. Forcing a turnover in the Loughgiel defence, Smith and Eoin McFerran combined with Smith making no mistake.
The Dunloy full forward was having a lively start to the match, himself just coming back from injury and he would finish the half with 1-3 beside his name.
Aodhan McGarry’s frees in the first half along with the brilliance of Boyle at the other end of the pitch kept the scoreboard ticking for both sides with Loughgiel edging clear again before their second goal came in the 28th minute.
It was Christy McGarry who applied the finish to take his first half tally to 1-2 but it came from the work rate and desire of Rian McMullan down the Loughgiel left to create the chance.
Five points separated the sides at half time, the home side 2-13 to 2-8 clear and on the evidence of the first half, it was a fair reflection of what had transpired. Loughgiel’s forwards and delivery into the attacking areas were on point with 2-10 of their scores in the opening half coming from open play.
Dunloy looked to tighten up their defence in the second half and restricted the Loughiel forward line with a zonal approach that stifled any room for the Shamrocks to flourish. The introduction of Phelim Duffin into the full back line also helping the Cuchullains cause in the second half.
Loughgiel’s defence was equally as miserly at the other end of the pitch. Counting the end of the first half, they kept Dunloy scoreless from play for 33 minutes although the Cuchullains did manage to keep the scoreboard ticking with some excellent free taking from Nicky McKeague.
The lead remained at six points with 15 minutes of the hour remaining, Maol Connolly’s sixth free of the match turning out to be his last and the Shamrock’s last score for 15 minutes however as Dunloy looked to eat into their lead through frees from McKeague.
The Cuchullains looked to have scored another major but a scrambled effort from substitute Barry Scott was cleared off the line by a retreating Tiernan Coyle.
Two points separated the sides in the last minute of the game when Loughgiel fired what was the games decisive and winning score. Eoin McGarry breaking free from a ruck and sped towards the Dunloy goal. It wasn’t the easiest of angles but the Loughgiel substitute managed to find the bottom corner with a super strike.
McKeague’s eighth free of the half and a rifled effort from McGrath brought Dunloy to within three as the clock ticked into the fifth minute of injury time. The Cuchullains looked for a goal to bring the scores level and when Deaglan Smith broke free, had a sight of the Loughgiel goal. He was brought down inside the square and referee Darren McKeown awarded the penalty, much to the dismay of the Loughgiel players.
Aodhan McGarry’s effort was struck well but O’Connell was equal to his effort and cleared the sliotar with what was the last puck of the game.
The game ended with some unsavoury scenes at the end with handbags being produced from both sides but it was all fairly innocuous with Darren McKeown restoring calm before leaving the pitch.
Subs: Seamus Dobbin for T McGarry (47); Eoin McGarry for R McMullan (50); Odhran McFadden for R McCormick (inj); Cahal Hargan for D McMullan (inj)
Scorers: M Connolly 0-6 (6 f’s); P Boyle 0-5; C McGarry 1-2; R McGarry 1-1; E McGarry 1-00; D McMullan 0-2; C Dickson 0-1; D McCloskey 0-1
Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Eamon Smyth, Karl O’Kane, Oran Quinn; Kevin McKeague, Kevin Molloy, Conor McKinley; Tom McFerran, Aaron Crawford; Eoin McFerran, Aodhan McGarry, Paul Shiels; Nicky McKeague, Anton McGrath, Declan Smith
Subs: Phelim Duffin for K O’Kane (HT); Barry Scott for E Smyth (42); Gabriel McTaggart for P Shiels (52)
Scorers: N McKeague 0-8 (8 f’s); D Smith 1-4; A McGrath 1-3; A McGarry 0-3 (3 f’s)
Sunday’s Division 2 match between Loughgiel and Glenarm was a closely fought, fast paced game and delivered bouts of skills to entertain the crowd around Fr. Healy Park.
After a photo call, rallying support for ‘Gaels Against Genocide in Gaza’, match referee, Piarais McCaffrey, summoned order and the sliotar was rolled in almost on the hour.
Loughgiel’s Rónán Fitzgerald would take the honour of putting the first two points in the game onto the scoreboard from play, quickly followed by Glenarm’s two points from Niall McGarel. McGarel would prove himself throughout the hour with accurate free taking and well struck points from play but not before Loughgiel’s Roan McGarry would find the sliotar near Glenarm’s net, requiring a mere flick for the sliotar to ripple the back of the net.
Loughgiel would use that momentum well and amassed another five points, all from play, before Glenarm responded after 13 minutes when Cormac McFadden’s sliotar dropped to the ground, Blain McDermott wasted no time in collecting the ball, opting to kick it over the line.
Five minutes of the game would elapse before another goal opportunity would come knocking on Loughgiel’s door, as Conor O’Mullan rifled the sliotar towards Glenarm’s keeper, Michael Abram. Abram read the line well and parried the sliotar for a wide.
Goals would be a feature of this afternoon’s game and Glenarm’s Ciaran Magill would increment their score tally with another goal to bring the game to a half time result Loughgiel 1-15 Glenarm 2-07.
At the start of the second half, Loughgiel’s Roan McGarry would prove to be too much to handle for Glenarm’s defence as he read and intercepted a pass to deliver a fine point followed by a goal. Rónán Fitzgerald, much to the frustration of Glenarm’s bench, was proving almost unmarkable as he ran from one end of the pitch to the other. That youthful energy would eventually pay off when he picked up the sliotar and rifled it to the back of Glenarm’s net for a goal.
Not to be outdone in the classy goal category, Glenarm’s Daniel Black persevered in a ruck on the low side of the pitch close to his own bench and on his own volition, carried the sliotar to the back of Loughgiel’s net for a well-deserved goal.
With six points in the game, Loughgiel 3-16 Glenarm 3-10, Roan McGarry would punish Glenarm with four from four frees but Glenarm responded each time to keep the hosts within reaching distance, especially after a late flurry of points from McGarel and Sean O’Boyle, however that wouldn’t be enough to close the gap and Loughgiel would celebrate another win at the Park, Loughgiel 3-20 Glenarm 3-16.
Loughgiel Starting Panel
Cormac McFadden, Cahir Connolly, Daniel McPeake, Charley O’Hagan, Ciaran McKay, Liam Glackin, Conall McCloskey, Nicholas McNaughton, Finn Henry (0-01), Ronan McCullom, (0-01) Odhran McFadden (0-01), Rónán Fitzgerald (1-03), Eoin McGarry (0-02), Roan McGarry (2-09), Conor O’Mullan (0-02)
Ronan Casey (0-01)
Glenarm Starting Panel
Michael Abram, Joshua Quinn, Barry Hamill, Matthew Black, Aidan Scullion, Darren Hamill, Declan McDermott, Kieran O’Boyle, Daniel Black (1-03), Dylan McLaughlin (0-01), Ciaran Magill (1-00), Sean O’Boyle (0-01), Blain McDermott (1-01), Niall McGarel (0-10), Conal Ward
St. John’s maintained top spot in the ACHL Division 1 when they recorded a comprehensive win over visitors Ballycastle at Corrigan Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Johnnies raced into a three point lead by the third minute as they opened on the front foot and were five ahead by the 8th minute as the visitors struggled to contain their early onslaught.
It could have been worse but Ryan McGarry in the ‘Castle’ goals pulled off a smart save with ten minutes on the clock but by half time it was the Corrigan side who looked in a strong position when they led 0-13 to 0-7.
Aaron Bradley, Michael Dudley 0-2, Conor Johnston 0-2 and Shea Shannon were the early marksmen for St. John’s with Oran Kearney striking a long range reply for McQuillan’s.
Tiernan Smyth hit Ballycastle’s second of the day from a free and the corner-forward would account for the majority of his side’s scores over the hour as they battled to hang on to their opponents coat tails.
Conal Morgan, Conor Johnston, Aaron Bradley and Shea Shannon moved a sweet moving St. John’s further ahead with Smyth striking three further frees and Seamus McAuley on target from play as the visitors enjoyed their best period of the opening half.
St. John’s finished the half on the front foot however with Aaron Bradley 0-2 and Shea Shannon brought their total to 0-13 and another pointed free from Tiernan Smyth bringing the Ballycastle total to 0-7
HT 0-13 TO 0-7
The visitors needed a good start to the second half if they were to make inroads into the Johnnies lead and Tiernan Smyth added to his tally with a couple more pointed free but Conor Johnston replied with two at the other end to keep the gap at six.
Ciaran Butler and ace marksman Smyth closed the gap to four after 8 minutes but St. John’s were always able to respond and Shea Shannon pointed a free and followed with another from play.
The visitors were still fighting hard and looked to have brought themselves right back into contention when Neal McAuley appeared to get the final touch but their goal celebration was ruled out for a square-ball infringement.
The Whiterock men turned the screw after that as Conor Johnston 0-2, Michael Dudley, Shea Shannon and Domhnall Nugent added points and when a Castle defender deflected a shot to his own net in the 25th minute it was all over.
The sweet striking Tiernan Smyth replied with two more pointed frees and substitute Darragh Kelly added another from play with Aaron Bradley and Domhnall Nugent replying for the home side to see them comfortably home.
St. Johns: 1 Declan Cregan 2 Conor McEvoy, 3 Conal Morgan, 4 Aidan McMahon, 5 Matthew McCartin, 6 Stephen Tierney, 7 Darragh McGuinness, 8 Shea Shannon, 9 Andy McGowan, 10 Conor Johnston, 11 Domhnall Nugent, 12 Michael Dudley.13 Donall Carson, 14 Lorcan Heenan, 15 Aaron Bradley
Ballycastle: 1 Ryan McGarry, 2 Oran Kearney, 3 Dermott Donnelly, 4 Jack McGowan, 5 James McLister, 6 Eoin McAlonan, 7 Ryan McCook, 8 Cian Waldron, 9 Reuben McClean, 10 Criostai McAuley, 11 Ciaran Butler, 12 Seamus McAuley, 13 Orann Donnelly, 14 Neal; McAuley, 15 Tiernan Smith, 18 Darragh Kelly
