Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

Harps debut ends in defeat but had plenty of positives for the future

ACHL Division 4

Loughbeg Harps 2-8 Belfast Saints 2-13

Following on from a previous attempt in 2021 that didn’t quite get off the ground, back in October 2022 Colm Scullin, Peter Timoney & David Slevin reached out to a few lads about a potential hurling senior team based in Moneyglass.

Tuesday night social hurling was set up, numbers started off not so bad and word got around which encouraged a lot more men to join. The thesis was anyone who wanted to play hurling no matter their background or skill level.

Over the winter months numbers were rising to about 20 or so a session and the watsapp group that was created had around 50 names in it. So the question was asked, if we enter a team in division 4 Antrim next year will everyone want to play. The answer was a resounding yes which put the gears in motion. The 3 men got cracking on the paper work under the name Loughbeg Harps.

They knew they wanted the club to be a Moneyglass club but also knew that they couldn’t do it on their own and would need a large pull of fellas from other clubs in and around the area. This is why a separate entity was formed and the name Loughbeg Harps was chosen.

Roll forward several months and a lot of 9-10 o clock at night sessions the numbers at training were still great and there was a hunger. So the team were officially entered in Division 4 and finally got to play their first game on Sunday. It didn’t go the way they wanted but for only our 2nd ever match, (1st on a grass pitch there were a lot of positives to take away.

So today began which will hopefully be a long and successful period for Loughbeg Harps. The club would like to thank everyone for attending their debut game and look forward to hopefully seeing the same as well as new people come out and watch a bit of hurling.

New boys, Loughbeg Harps made their division 4 debut against Belfast Saints and Magherafelt Leisure Centre on Sunday and while they lost by five points they will be fairly satisfied with the performance against a very experienced Belfast Saints.

Indeed the Duneane side got off to a good start and were full value for their 2-6 to 1-6 half time lead with Brian McManus and Conall Prenter getting the goals and Prenter weighing in with five of his side’s six first half points (4 frees) and the other point coming from Ronan Carey.

Belfast Saints kept within touching distance however with their own number 11, Phil Maguire getting their goal and weighing in with three pointed frees and James Halleron, Declan McLarnon and Niall McGettigan completed their first half scoring to leave a goal between the sides at the break.

The greater experience of the Belfast side began to tell in the second half with centre-half Mark Caldwell firing home his side’s second goal on the restart to bring matters all square and slowly the ‘Saints’ started to get on top.

And once again it was veteran centre-half-forward, Phillip Maguire who led the way with a fine exhibition of point taking, adding five to his first half total to bring his scoring for the day to 1-8 but a couple of points from Brian McManus and the lively Prenter had it back to one with six minutes remaining.

Belfast Saints finished strongly however with Caldwell’s goal in the 59th minute and Declan McLarnon’s late point ensuring there would be no fairy tale ending for the Loughbeg men to their league opener but they certainly look to have plenty to build on.

Loughbeg Harps: 1 Brendan Prenter, 2 Gary Maybin, 3 Sean Carey, 4 Hugh Mulholland, 5 Diarmuid Scullin, 6 Gary Murray, 7 Francis Berry, 8 Callum McStocker, 9 Ronan Carey, 10 Paul McChrystal, 11 Brian McManus, 12 Aidan McErlain, 13 Mark Walsh, 14 Conall Prenter, 15 Kevin McCann, 16 Rory Taggart, 23 Paul Quinn

Belfast Saints: 1 Ciaran Mooney, 2 Matt Carlin, 3 Stephen Carey, 4 Philip Glennon, 5 Daniel McGuigan, 6 Mark Caldwell, 7 Brian Keatings, 8 Conor O‘Rawe, 9 James Halleron, 10 Niall McGettigan, 11 Phil Maguire, 12 Jason Kennedy, 13 Paul McClenaghan, 14 Declan McLarnon, 15 Ryan Brammold

by thesaffrongael

McKeever powers Rasharkin to victory

ACHL Division 3

Gort na Mona 0-10 Rasharkin 3-13

Following defeat at Armoy last weekend, Rasharkin travelled to Enright Park on Sunday to face a Gort na Mona side who lost their opening game to All Saints and who are still missing a number regulars from last year.

St Mary’s seldom looked like letting this one slip and with Connor McKeever in sparkling for at full-forward they took the game to the Enright Park side and had most of the damage done by the halfway stage.

McKeever would finish with 2-6 to his credit (2 frees) and the big number 14 proved unmarkable as he led the Gort’s defence a merry dance while Connor McFerran was another in fine form for the men from Dreen.

This win should set St. Mary’s up for the rest of the season as they battle on two fronts in both football and hurling and with a win in the football league division 3 already under their belts they look set to be returning to division 2 come the end of the season.

Rasharkin:

1 Brendan Kelly

2 James Higgins

3 Daniel Doherty

4 Connor Higgins

5 Ruairi O’Boyle

6 Shane Hasson

7 Tiernan O’Boyle

8 Daniel Hasson

9 Declan McKay

10 Cathair Henderson

11 Aidan McKeever

12 Donagh Quigg

13 Connor McKillop

14 Connor McKeever

15 Connor McFerran

Subs

Jack Quinn

Emmett McFerran

Caolan Maria

Terry McGregor

Liam Tunney

Scorers

Connor McKeever 2-6 (2 frees)

Connor McFerran 1-2

Donagh Quigg 0-2

Cathair Henderson 0-1

by thesaffrongael

Glenravel secure victory with impressive second half

Antrim Hurling League – Division 3

Glenravel 1-18  Lamh Dearg 1-10

Report by Aodh O’Loan – Pic by Kevin Herron

Glenravel made it three wins from three games against arguably their toughest opponents to date. All square at half time in a very low scoring game with both teams guilty of being wasteful in front of goals, it was the home side who came out victorious by outscoring their opponents by eight points in a good team performance throughout the second half.

Both teams battled hard in the opening thirty minutes with scoring chances at a premium. Between them the sides could only muster ten scores and would head into the changing rooms level 1-03 to 0-06 with Lamh Dearg’s goal coming from Daire Cunningham just before half time. Cunningham, Donal Martin and Adam Murray providing the points. Glenravel’s six points were shared between Ciaran Laverty (0-04) and Cormac McKeown (0-02).

Glenravel made a couple of changes at half time bringing on Conleth O’Loan and Johnny Fyfe to try and generate some impetus upfront. The opening seven minutes were pretty even with Lamh Dearg points from Donal Martin and Daire Cunningham being cancelled out by points from Johnny Fyfe and Sean McKay so honours even at that stage. However the home team started to sharpen their shooting and would record the next four scores without reply, all coming from open play. Cormac McKeown’s long range effort was followed by three points on the bounce from Sean McKay.

Daire Cunningham replied for the visitors who were then reduced to fourteen men with as many minutes gone in the second half. Glenravel took full advantage of the extra man and put over the following three scores, two from Cormac McKeown and one from Conleth O’Loan thus opening a five point gap. Daire Cunningham and Adam Murray closed the gap to just three but when Ciaran Laverty goaled from close range with just three minutes remaining the men in green and white looked to have put the game to bed. Refereee Declan McGarry played five minutes of injury time, enough to allow Adam Murray score the visitor’s final point but that was followed by points from Brain O’Neill, Declan Traynor and Cormac McKeown to leave Glenravel comfortable enough winners in the end on a 1-18 to 1-10 scoreline.

by thesaffrongael

Late finish sees Bredagh claim the points

ACHL Division 2

Creggan 2-14 Bredagh 3-14 

Report: Joe Rice

Breda trailed the home side for 55 of the 60 minutes, only getting over the line with a fortunate goal at the game entered extra time.  The visitors would have been favourite as they arrived in Staffordstown for the 2.pm throw in but an impressive Creggan saw things differently with their 1st half performance which had the visitors rattled with 30 minutes on the clock. 

Three minutes into the 2nd half Bredagh had turned the home side’s 9-point advantage with 2 goals in quick succession.  The first of the 2 goals, scored by Liam Hogan, dropped over Tiernan McLarnon’s head to the back of the net.  The 2nd goal, from Cormac Blaney, was unstoppable at close range. 

The first score of the game came after 5 minutes as both teams struggled for possession.  Kevin Rice pointed to put the first score on the board and for the next 30 minutes the home side added a further 2 goals and 10 points to put some distance between the 2 sides – 1.03 from Kevin Rice, 1.05 from Morgan Nelson, 0;02 from Niall McAuley and 0.01 from Oran McCann. 

The visitors were continually off target, finding it difficult to shake off their Creggan pursuers.  After 25 minutes they had only registered 3 points and their tally only increased as they hit a purple patch in the remaining 5 minutes before the interval – 3 pointed frees from Tiernan Sheehan, O.02 from Mark Patterson and 1 point a piece for Ciaran McMullan, Ryan Curran and Liam Hogan. 

Half Time Score          CREGGAN 2.11                v             BREDAGH 0.08

At the interval, on a cold and sunny afternoon, the home side hurried into the dressing room as the visitors remained on the pitch to be read the riot act from their very vocal management.  As the 2nd half got underway the heated team talk paid dividends.  Within 4 minutes of the restart the visitors had hit the onion bag twice narrowing the gap to a respectable 3 points and to the delight of the visitors’ supporters the contest was re-ignited. 

A high ball in from Liam Hogan to the Creggan Keeper, who had caught a half a dozen similar efforts in the 1st half, dropped into the net.  The visitors’, Cormac Blaney, was up next with an unstoppable effort giving Tiernan McLarnon no chance.  For 15 minutes Creggan were guilty of indecision and poor touch and the re-energised visitors took advantage of this holding them scoreless for 13 minutes. 

Creggan’s first 2nd half score, a free from Oran McCann, and 2 further points from Rice was all they had left in the tank.  If hurling was a game of 2 halves, it could be measured in scores – 25 minutes into the 1st half Breda had only managed 3 points whilst 30 minutes of the entire 2nd half Creggan could only rake up 3 points. 

As we headed into the final 10 minutes, the visitors’ intensity narrowed the gap with points from Sean McGourty, Jamie Curran and an equalizer from Jarlath McCollum deep into injury time.  The visitors managed to get their noses in front but not for long as Creggan drew level again. 

As the clock ticked down the Referee signalled to Creggan’s Keeper that there would be one more play of the ball.  McLarnon lashed the ball up the pitch as his team mates fumbled for possession.  Bredagh sent the ball high into the danger area and Mark Patterson pulled to finish to the net as the Referee blew for full time.

 CREGGAN:  No.1 Tiernan McLarnon, No.2 Michael Small, No.3 Aidan McKeown, No.4 Senan O’Boyle, No.5 Peadar McGuckian, No.6 Sam Maguire, No.7 Jake McAteer, No.8 Niall McAuley (0.02), No. 9 Sean Duffin, No.10 Morgan Nelson (1.05), No.11 Kevin Rice (1.05), No.12 Oran McCann (0.02), No.13 Dermot Mulholland, No.17 Callum McCann, No.18 Joseph James Smyth, No.19 Declan McCann.

BREDAGH:        No.1 Ian Galway, No.2 Niall Smyth, No.3 Lawrence Smyth, No.4 Mel Lavery, No.5 Evin Maguire, No.6 Aaron Carey, No.7 Tiernan Sheehan (0.04), No.8 Michael Woods, No.9 Mark Patterson (1.02), No.10 Chris Hobbs, No.11 Oran McFlynn, No.12 Ciaran Mulholland, No.13 Sean McGourty (0.01), No.14 Ryan Curran (0.01), No.15 Liam Hogan (1.03), No.16 Aaron Maguire, No.17 Cormac Blaney (1.00), No.18 PJ Lavery, No.19 Eoghan Curran, No.20 Noah Hawkin, No.21 Jamie Curran (0.01), No.22 Jarlath McCollum (0.01).

Referee: Barry Winters

by thesaffrongael

Loch Mor run riot to record their third win from four starts

ACHL Div. 4

Loch or Dal gCais 6-12 St. Brigid’s 0-7

Pics by Bert Trowlen

Loch Mor Dal gCais recorded their third win in four starts when they over ran St. Brigid’s with a blistering second half performance at Mallusk on Sunday.

The Musgrave Park side looked to be still in contention when they turned around 1-8 to 0-5 in arrears at the interval but Loch Mor found another gear after the break that their opponents quite simply couldn’t live with.

Cormac Dwyer pointed the Lough Shore side ahead but Fintan Cleary replied from a free to level matters before Paul Molloy struck with Loch Mor’s opening goal to move his side into a lead they would not relinquish.

The excellent striking of Fintan Cleary from the placed ball kept St. Brigid’s in touch and the mid-fielder would go on to record all of his sides total as they struggled to break down a resolute Loch Mor Dal gCais defence.

And it was Loch Mor’s own danger man, Darragh Turley who would edge his side six in front at the halfway stage with points from a free, a ‘65’ and two from play and further points from Connor Jones and Cormac Dwyer had them 1-8 to 0-5 ahead at the half way stage.

St. Brigid’s were in need of a bit of inspiration if they were to claw back the Loch Mor lead but they continued to rely entirely on Fintal Clear who brought his and his sides tally to seven early in the half and amazingly the Musgrave Park side would not raise a flag from play over the hour.

Paul Molloy opened with a point for the winners and Bailey Graham and Darragh Turley struck with early goals to put the contest out of site. Turley added a couple of pointed frees in the second half (1 ‘65’) with Cormac Dwyer adding to his first half total.

As the flood gates opened Ferdia Carson got in for two goals in quick succession, the second a scrambled effort and the excellent Bailey Graham complete the route with goal number six late in the game.

Loch Mor Dal gCais’ only defeat came against Davitt’s in the opening game of the season where they were beaten by the minimum, 2-13 to 2-12 and these two with Belfast Saints and Ardoyne have made the early running and should be the major challengers for honours in the division this year.