Mount St Michael’s Randalstown were the victors at the annual Allianz Ireland South West Antrim Cumann na mBunscol hurling competition held at Tir na nOg.
On a day of mixed weather the Randalstown boys overcame their local rivals Creggan in the final to lift the cup.
In the shield competition St Oliver Plunkett Toome emerged victorious against Millquarter.
Well done to all involved in a great days hurling.
Antrim Hurling League – Division 2
Sarsfields 0-14 St. Gall’s 2-11
St Gall’s edged out their Belfast rivals Sarsfields in Wednesday evening’s Division 2 League game at the Bear Pit. Just a point separated the two sides at the break and when Sarsfields drew level midway through the second half they must have fancied their chances of pushing ahead for the win, but a goal by the men from the Bog Meadows turned the game back in their favour and they held on to collect both points.
Points from Caolan McKernan for the home team and Mark Napier for the visitors had things level on two minutes, but three points without reply from Kevo McKernan gave the Paddies a three point lead. Napier pulled on back for St Gall’s but McKernan struck again on ten minutes to restore the three point cushion, but Napier and Jackson McGreevy came back with points apiece to close the gap to the minimum. Sarsfields pushed on again with points from Daniel and Caolan McKernan to go three clear but goal from a penalty by Jackson McGreevy brought St Gall’s level and the same player added a point to put his team 1-7 to 0-9 ahead at the interval.
Daniel McKernan brought Sarsfields level early in the second half and he repeated the feat soon afterwards after St Gall’s had edged in front once more. The sides were level at 1-11 to 0-14 when St Gall’s struck a decisive second goal. With just minutes remaining St Gall’s were reduced to 14 men. The free that led to the sending off gave the home team the opportunity to draw level, but Kevin McKernan’s shot for the equaliser was kept out by the St Gall’s defence and the points were sealed.
ACHL Division 1
St. Enda’s 0-12 Loughgiel 2-24
St. Enda’s had no answer to a sharp Loughgiel Shamrocks at Hightown on Wednesday night with the North Antrim men in a strong position at half time when they led 0-14 to 0-2. The home side did improve in the second half, adding a further 10 points but goals from Christy McGarry and Ruairi McCormick ensured there would be no way back for the home side.
Loughgiel took the game to St. Enda’s right from throw in and the points came thick and fast as Declan McCloskey, Daniel McCloskey, Christy McGarry and two from Shan McGrath got them on their way with Cormac Jennings replying for the Hightown side.
Two more from Daniel McCloskey and points from Ryan McKee and Paul Boyle stretched Loughgiel’s lead before Jennings momentarily interrupted the onslaught but the visitors finished the half strongly as McGrath hit three on the bounce with Daniel McCloskey adding two to leave their side in a commanding 10 point lead at the short whistle.
The Glengormley men did much better in the second half and with the elements in their favour they began to find the target but an early goal from McGarry to add to a Rian Gillen point made the chances of a comeback extremely slim.
Ruairi Donaghy led the St. Enda’s charge and would score 0-3 in the second half while Joe Maskey 0-3, Jennings, Eddie O’Connor, Ryan Bogue and youngster Roger Eager were all on target for the home side during a much improved second half.
The visitors were in no mood to let it slip however with Shan McGrath hitting three on the bounce and adding another to bring his second half contribution to 0-4 and Ruairi McCormick’s goal all but finished the game as a contest.
This win moves Loughgiel to the top of the division with 7 wins from 7 starts and they are going nicely at present and despite last night’s defeat, St. Enda’s occupy a fairly comfortable mid-table position and will be happy with aspects of their second half performance.
St. Enda’s: 1 Martin Curran, 2 Conor McAllister, 3 Manus Mullan, 4 Malachi McGibbon, 5 Dara Maguire, 6 Rian Gillen, 7 Eoin Conlon, 8 Brendan Cormican, 9 Ryan Bogue, 10 Cormac Jennings, 11 Ronan Eager, 12 Diarmuid Maguire, 14 Conor Bradley, 15 Ruairi Donaghy, 22 Niall McGivern
Loughgiel: 1 Chrissy O’Connell, 2 Tiernan Coyle, 3 Damon McMullan, 4 Rory McCloskey, 5 Enda McGarry, 6 Declan McCloskey, 7 Caolan Blair, 8 Ruairi McCormick, 9 Ryan McKee, 10 Rian McMullan, 11 Paul Boyle, 12 Christy McGarry, 13 Jack McCloskey, 14 Shan McGrath, 15 Daniel McCloskey
Referee: Lorenzo McMullan
Antrim Hurling League – Division 3
Glenravel 1-10 Cloughmills 1-17
Cloughmills retained joint top position in Division 3 with a seven point victory over neighbours Con Magees who now sit third in the table. With hardly a breath of wind in Fr Maginn Park St Brigids effectively won the game with a very solid first quarter performance which saw them leading by six points and by the end of the half they had stretched that to a seven point lead. With honours even in the second half that seven point gap is what separated the teams at the end.
Throughout the first half Glenravel really struggled to retain possession from their own puc-outs and that yielded endless ball to St Brigid’s who certainly put it to good use. Eoin Dobbin opened the scoring after one minute with a free and indeed he proved deadly all evening going to score 1-10 of Cloughmills total, nine of which were from frees. An impressive contribution from a very impressive hurler. Reece Watt and Rian Dobbin added to the scoreboard before Declan Traynor pointed the home side’s first score after eight minutes. But Cloughmills were really dominant on the puc-outs and would go on to score four more points without reply to lead 0-07 to 0-01 and only thirteen minutes gone on the clock. Cormac McKeown put over two frees in succession for the home side but back came St Brigid’s with three frees, all from Eoin Dobbin to leave the half time score 0-10 to 0-03 in favour of a very dominant Cloughmills side.
Whatever was said in the Glenravel changing rooms at half time certainly worked as the home side came out revitalised for the second period. Cormac McKeown reduced the gap to six points but then Cloughmills hit a purple patch scoring 1-02 in a three minute period half way through the half. Eoin Dobbin providing the goal that really sealed the game for them. In the final fifteen minutes Con Magees came back with 1-02 all from the stick of Sean McKay and with five minutes normal time left when Cormac McKeown reduced the gap to five points and the home side on the rise a shock looked possible. However Cloughmills held their nerve and went on to score the final two points of the game and regain the seven point advantage they had at half time, and indeed that is how the game ended.
Both sides travel this weekend with Cloughmills heading to Dreen to take on Rasharkin whilst Con Magees have a tough encounter over in Armoy against Glen Rovers.
Gaelfast Antrim School Cup – Year 8 Hurling Shield
St Killian’s College 3-4 Coláiste Feirste 1-5
St Killian’s won Tuesday’s Gaelfast Year 8 Hurling Shield at Dunsilly on Tuesday when they beat Coláiste Feirste in the final by 3-4 to 0-5 to become the first holders of the trophy.
Coláiste Feirste took an early lead when midfielder Sean O’Cuinneagáin pointed from a free, but St Killian’s hit back with points from Nicholas Laverty and Brian McNeill, plus a goal from centre forward Rian Laverty. Two points from Sean O’ O’Cuinneagáin and Carl Mervyn closed the gap but a goal and a point from Cormac McMullan put the Garron Tower boys firmly in control at half time as they led by 2-3 0-4.
A Brian McNeill point early in the second half increased the St Killian’s lead, but Coláiste Feirste came back with a point from centre forward Conán Mac An Deagnaigh. The game clinching goal came soon aftwards from St Killian’s centre back PJ Kelly and Cormac McMullan added a point but Coláiste Feirste kept battling until the end and were rewarded by a goal from Roisin Brady.
ST KILLIAN’S
Brandon Surgenor, Jay Young, Gabhan McKeegan, Aiden O’Neill, Owen Reid, PJ Kelly, Cormac McAuley, Brian McNeill, Cormac McMullan, Nicholas Lowry, Rian Laverty, John Taggart, Callum Stewart, Callum Murphy, Noah Montgomery.
Subs – Ruairi McNaughton, Ruairi O’Toole, Ciara Kerr, John McSparran, Joss Gordon
COLÁISTE FEIRSTE
Séadna Ó Laoi, Erin Nic Eoghain, Dominic Ó Beaglaoich, Naoíbh Ní Eanna, Cíaran Óg Buiteach, Sean O Riain, Caoimhe Nic Cuinneagáín, Sean O’Cuinneagáin, Pádraig Ó Maoilmheanna, Róisín Ní Bhrádaigh, Conán Mac An Deaganaigh, Caodhán Ó Cionn, Cónall Ó Giollán, Caoimhín Mac Gafraidh, Carl Mervyn
Referee – Brendan Toland (Lamh Dhearg)
Pack Lee of Peaky Blinders fame was at Dunsilly to watch his son play in the Shield final for Coláiste Feirste
