O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One

O’Donovan Rossa 0-25 St John’s 0-17 

Rossa powered their way to an impressive eight point win over old rivals St John’s in Wednesday evening’s Division 1 Hurling League game at Rossa Park. Trailing by a point at the break the Shaw’s Road side really got into their stride in the second period and pulled away to win their second game in a row.

The early exchanges were evenly matched with teams trading points at either end, but two in a row from the Johnnies midfielder Mick Bradley gave his team a two point lead. Aodhan O’Brien, who finished the game with 11 points to his name, kept the scoreboard turning for the home side, and Mick Bradley did the same for St John’s, and it was a Bradley point from distance just before the break that gave the visitors a slender half time lead of 0-9 to 0-8.

Michael Bradley was in impressive form at midfield for St John’s

Aaron Bradley increased the Johnnies lead just after the restart but with the breeze and the slope in their favour Rossa began to gain the upper hand, and points from Pearce Short and Aodhan O’Brien soon had them level. Michael Bradley was leading the line for the Corrigan Park men, and two points by the midfielder kept his team very much in touch. Eventually though the Rossa pressure was starting to pay dividends and three without reply from Shannon, O’Brien and last week’s football derbry hero Stephen Beatty saw the gap begin to open.

St John’s were staying in touch and points from Aaron Bradley and Jordan McAllister closed the gap going into the last ten minutes. However they needed a goal to get something out of the game and the Rossa defence held firm. At the other end Rossa continued to find the target and points from Morgan, Beatty and the impressive Eoin Trainor fired over to seal the win  

ROSSA: D Armstrong; C Shannon (0-2), C McGuinness, C Boyle; P Short (0-1), Stephen Shannon, R Murray; C Orchin, E Trainor (0-3, 1 sideline); Seaghan Shannon, S Beatty (0-2), A O’Brien (0-11, 8 frees, 1 65); D Rocks (0-1), E McMenamin (0-2) T Morgan (0-3).
Subs: J Kerr for R Murray (37), D Rogan for D Rocks (50).

ST JOHN’S: D Cregan; M Darragh, P McCallin, D McCallin; S Wilson, D Nugent, J Bohill; A Bradley (0-7, 4 frees), M Bradley (0-4); J McAllister (0-1), N McCallin (0-2, 1 free), CJ McKenna (0-2); R Galbraith (0-1), L Loughlin, L McCurdy.
Subs: O Donnelly for P McCallin (46), S Maxwell for L Loughlin (53), S Hughes for M Bradley (60).

REFEREE: Barry Winters (Dungannon)

Antrim Hurling League Division 2

Cushendun 1-15 Oisin 4-10

Oisins won the first of the North Antrim derbies on Wednesday evening when they travelled to Cushendun and beat their Division 2 rivals in a hard fought and entertaining game. The Glenariffe’s sides ability to find the opposition net was to prove vital, three of them coming in the first half at the end of which the visitors led by 3-4 to 1-7. The fourth came early in second when Seanie McIntosh cut in from the left wing to fire in a real beauty, just as had done in the first period, and when the Glenariffe men added four points without reply, the gap was out to ten by the 46^th minute. However they only managed one more point in the following 21 minutes of play (14 minutes normal time and 7 of injury time), but while the Emmets outscored their visitors by 7 to 1 during that time, they couldn’t get the goal they needed to really spark a comeback.

Colm McKeegan celebrates Cushendun’s goal

An Alex O’ Boyle point from a free and an opportunist goal from Kevin McDonnell, which was fired home off the ground after a shot for a point came back of the upright. Two from Conor McHugh frees and a goal from Colm McKeegan got the home side in front midway through the first half, but goals from Alex O’Boyle and Seanie McIntosh, and a few excellent points from O’Boyle frees gave the Oisins the upper hand as they opened up a 3-4 to 1-7 lead by half time.

When McIntosh got the Oisins fourth just after the restart it all looked good, and when they added four of the next five points to stretch their lead to ten it all seemed to be plain sailing. To their credit Cushendun dug deep and they had the better of the final quarter as Conor McHugh hit two, David Kilgore added three and substitute ‘Loaf’ McNeill got one to leave just four between the sides. Alex O’Boyle steadied the Oisins ship with a point on 61 minutes to put the gap out to five, but while McNeill cut it back to four again that was as close the Emmet’s would get.

Conor Patterson breaks forward from the half back line

CUSHENDUN

Gareth McGhee, Mark McSparran, Aiden Hamilton, Sean Corbett, Sean McKay, Jack McKay, Tom Scally, Dominic McQuillan, Conor Bannon, James Morgan, Fintan McQuillan, Dominic Sharkey, Colm McKeegan Conor McHugh, David Kilgore.

SUBS – Conlaith Magee, Aidan McSparran, John V Morgan

OISINS

Seanan McToal, Daniel Haughey, Niall Murray, Daniel Kearney, Conor Patterson, Donal Kearney, Aaron Cosgrove, Ciaran McKendry, Odhran Gillen, Alex O’Boyle, Caolan O’Connor, Oliver Kearney, Brogan O’Connor, Kevin McDonnell, Seanie McIntosh

Referee – Fíonntan McCotter

Gaelfast Year 8 Antrim Cup Final 

Cross and Passion 6-11-4-07 St. Mary’s 

Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly

Cross and Passion were crowned the first Champions of the Year 8 Gaelfast Antrim Cup after defeating St. Mary’s 6-11-4-07 in Wednesday afternoons decider at Dunsilly. 

Lorcan Murtagh popped over the opening score for Cross and Passion and they were first to find the net through a low Padai O’Kane shot that snuck past Daniel Robb in the St. Mary’s goal. 

A point from Padraig Kelly got St. Mary’s up and running, though Cahir McCloskey swung a shot over to re-establish his sides four-point lead. 

St. Mary’s briefly turned the game around and lead for the first time. Jude Gamble burst forward and laid the ball off to Padraig Kelly, his low shot was parried by Ciaran Hennessey and Sean McMullan was on hand to profit and flick the loose ball home. 

It lifted the Glen Road outfit and McMullan doubled his and St. Mary’s personal tally, bundling home from Conan Mulligan’s cross to give his side a 2-01-1-02 lead. 

Back-to-back points from Murtagh and O’Kane restored parity, but St. Mary’s regained the lead through a Tomas Trainor point. 

Cross and Passion hit the front again before the break and in truth didn’t look back. Aodhan Barr Laverty struck his sides second of the afternoon and three points followed before the break courtesy of Padai O’Kane (free), Cahir McCloskey and Ronan Elliott to ensure their side were 2-07-2-02 ahead at the break. 

The game was settled early in the second period as quickfire goals from Lorcan Murtagh and Ronan Elliott opened up an 11-point cushion. 

Conan Mulligan responded for St. Mary’s to open their second half account, though Cross and Passion extended their lead. 

O’Kane converted his second free of the afternoon and then Cahir McCloskey dropped an angled shot over Robb and into the net to give his side a 5-08-2-03 advantage. 

Jude Gamble attempted to pull a goal back- though his effort was deflected over for a point and Daire Gault added a second score in quick succession. 

St. Mary’s were pursuit of a goal provided further frustration with Ciaran Hennessey denying Sean McMullan, before Padraig Kelly eventually rifled to the net to give his side something to build upon. 

McCloskey and Tomas McCaughey traded points and although Cross and Passion extended their lead through an Elliott score, St. Mary’s netted their second goal of the half. 

Padraig Kelly dropped a ball in and Sean McMullan gathered before picking his spot and securing his hat-trick to make it 5-10-3-06. 

If the game wasn’t already beyond doubt it was when substitute Fergus McAuley blasted home his sides sixth of the afternoon to ensure double figures separated the duo once more. 

Padai O’Kane converted a further free before the game was out and St. Mary’s almost had a late consolation goal- though had to settle for a point instead as Gault’s effort was deflected over the bar. 

Gault’s score was the last meaningful action as Cross and Passion ran out deserving winners at the conclusion to ensure they were the first name of the Year 8 Antrim Cup. 

Danske Bank Noone cup final

St Benedict’s Randalstown 2-16 St Malachy’s Castlewellan 1-9

Pics by Bert Trowlen

ST Benedict’s Randalstown won their first Danske Bank Noone Cup Hurling title when they beat St Malachy’s Castlewellan in Tuesday’s final at  Corrigan Park Belfast with an impressive display.

Corner forward Conor Loughran was the star of the show as he scored ten points in a man of the match display, while others to shine for the Randalstown side were centre forward Tiernan Bones and corner back Patrick McCloskey

Full forward Ewan McGrath got St Benedict’s off to a good start when he scored the opening goal in the13th minutes but Conor Connolly hit back with a goal for St Malachy’s soon afterwards, the stylish corner forward also adding four points. However St Benedict’s still manage to hold the upper hand and the Antrim side went on to lead 1-9 to 1-5, at the interval.

With the breeze at their backs in the second half Tir na nOg went further ahead with a cracking goal from Tiarnán Bonnes and it was clear that it was going to take something special from the Down side to keep in touch. Their task was made a lot harder when they had a player receive a second yellow, and subsequent red card, though it has to be said that the Randalstown boys looked destined to take the title regardless.

St Benedict’s: C Loughran 0-10 (5 fs), T Bonnes 1-2, E McGrath 1-1, S McCann 0-2, C McCamphill 0-1

St Malachy’s: C Connolly 1-7 (0-4 frees), E Daly 0-1, L McCrickard 0-1.

St Benedict’s : Malachy Martin, Aodhán McGuckian, Patrick McCloskey, Joel Robb, Callum Murray, Brendan Devlin, Rory Neeson, Ciarán McCamphill, Dylan McLarnon, Shea McCann, Tiarnán Bonnes, Ronan Neeson, Oistin Mooney, Ewan McGrath, Conor Loughran

Subs: Pearce Carney for Joel Robb, Efe Ejeta for Oistin Mooney

St Malachy’s: Liam King, Oisín McCann, Gary McKibben, Aodhán King, Caoimhín Doran, Jay McCrickard, Luke Brannigan, Lewis McCrickard, James McAleenan, Jude Ball, Emmett Hillen, Canice McCoy, Oisín Moore, Ryan McKibben, Connor Connolly,