Achl Division 3

Gort na Mona 2-5 All Saints 2-11

All Saints made their division 3 debut in style on Sunday when they travelled to Enright Park and recorded a six point win over a Gort na Mona side who never quite got to grips with the speed and movement of Dorny’s men.

The Ballymena side took the game to the opposition right from the start with Ciaran Neeson leading the way with some fine points and Jack Magill and Cormac Magill causing problems for the Gort na Mona defence and at half time they held a 1-4 to 0-4 lead and it looked like anybody’s game.

The visitors had the scent of victory in their nostrils however and the prize of a league opening victory in the higher division seemed to spur them on in the second half and despite conceding two second half goals, they always had enough in the tank to see them home.

A brilliant start for All Saints under the management of former Cushendun and St. Gall’s manager, Chris Dornan they look capable of consolidating their position in division 3 this sason and Dorny will certainly have been pleased by his side’s opening day performance.

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley 2 Dwayne McKee 3 Colum Neeson 4 Kevin Brady 5 Cathair Cunning 6 Luke O’Rawe 7 Daniel Gray 8 Padhraig Magill 9 Conor Matthew’s 10 Damian Gillan 11 Jack Magill 12 Liam Cassley 13 Eoin McGuigan 14 Ciaran Neeson 15 Cormac Magill

Subs: PJ O’Kane, Conrad Duffin for Jack Magill, Diarmaid Casey for Vinnie Esler, Daire Hasson for Cormac Lemon, Sean O’Rawe, Daniel McCoy

Scorers: Ciaran Neeson 1-9 Jack Magill 0-1 Conor Matthew’s 0-1 Cormac Magill 1-0

Antrim Hurling League Division 1

Ballycran 3-18 Dunloy 1-13

A skeleton Dunloy team, shorn of their county players, were no match for Ballycran in Sunday’s opening league game at McKenna Park.

The men in black and amber made a great start and boosted by two goals from full forward Stuart Martin they were 2-4 ahead before Dunloy had raised a flag, the points coming from Chris Egan (2), Paul Sheehan and Liam Savage.

Full forward Anton McGrath pulled a goal back to get Dunloy on the scoresheet, and points from Eamon Smyth and Nicky McKeague gave things a better look, but the home side pushed on  with a Chris Egan goal plus points from James Coule, (2), Liam Savage and Sheehan to lead by 3-9 to 1-5 at half time.

Points from Barry Scott, Nicky McKeague (2) and Ronan Molloy at the start of the second half closed the gap to just six and there was a bit of hope for the visitors, but Ballycran came back strongly and their forwards sent over a series of excellent points to win convincingly in the end by 3-18 to 1-13.

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

Cushendall 0-23  Ballycastle 1-15

Cushendall started their league campaign with a five point win over Ballycastle on Sunday at Pairc Mhuir. In bright, breezy and cold condition it was score for score during the earky part of the first half with Dominic Delargy, Paddy Magill and Ronan McAteer figuring strongly for the Ruairis, while Neal McAuley and Fergal McKiernan and Lorcan Donnelly showing well for the Town. Five minutes before half time Ballycastle led by 0-7 to 0-6 but Cushendall hit four inside three minutes, two of them from Paddy Magill and two from right half forwards Ronan McAteer to lead by 0-10 to 0-7 at the interval.

Emmet Laverty and Paddy Magill scored early in the new half to increase the lead to five, and though Lorcan Donnelly pulled one back for Ballycastle, further points from Paddy Magill and Alex Delargy put the home side six ahead.

Neal McAuley sent over a free for Ballycastle but the introduction of young Joe McLaughlin added a bit of impetus to the home side, scoring three points inside five minutes to stretch lead even further.

Lorcan Donnelly and Neal McAuley kept the Town in touch with points in the 47^th and 49^th minutes, to all but seal the win. Magill, Delargy and Christy McNaughton put the gap out to ten, and though Ballycastle finished with a Lorcan Donnelly goal from a free, and two from play by Fergal McKiernan and Mark McLean it was a case of too little, too late for the visitors as Cushendall had the victory wrapped up.

ACHL Division 2

Carryduff 1-12 Clooney Gaels 2-14

Pics by Ronan McCaughey – Carryduff GAC

Last year’s Intermediate Champions, Clooney Gaels got their 2023 league campaign off to a winning start when they travelled to Carryduff on Sunday and recorded a victory over the Down side. Goals from Donal Graham in the 26^th minute of the opening half and James O’Connell, three minutes after the restart proved to be the vital scores against a good home side.

The visitors played with the wind in the first half and should have had a few more scores on board at the interval but good pressure from John Leneghan and Donal Teague restricted them of clear cut opportunities during the opening 30 minutes.

James O’Connell for Clooney Gaels and Ciaran McMeel for the home side exchanged early points before Ronan Graham and O’Connell edged the visitors two in front by the fourth minute.

Carryduff responded from pointed frees from Gareth Lynch to bring it all square for the second time by the 10^th minute but points from Colla McDonnell and James O’Connell had the Ahoghill men back ahead before Ciaran O’Callaghan closed the gap to the minimum with Carryduff’s last score of the half in the 19^th minute.

It was the men from Clooney who finished the half on the front foot as James O’Connell moved them two in front once more before Donal Graham struck with the opening goal of the game in the 26^th minute.

A long ball from Fionnbar O’Neill was fielded by Patrick Graham and laid off to the inrushing full-forward and he made no mistake and Dan O’Neill added a point to move the visitors six ahead at the break.

Carryduff needed a good start to the second half if they were to claw back the visitors lead but it was the Ahoghill side who struck in devastating fashion in their first attack of the half.

A long ball out of defence from Francis Neeson was picked up by Eoin Graham who laid it off to Patrick Graham and as the home defence raced to close him down he flicked the sliotar to James O’Connell who took it on the stick before unleashing it first time to the net.

Lorcan McGaughey and Ciaran McMeel responded with points for Carryduff but PJ O’Connell and James O’Connell replied for the Ahoghill side and further exchanges from Gareth Lynch and James O’Connell kept their noses 9 in front at the end of the third quarter.

A couple of pointed frees from the impressive Gareth Lynch kept the home side’s hopes alive but once again Clooney found a response through Fionnbar O’Neill and Ronan Graham to maintain that 9 point gap.

The Down side never gave up and finished on the front foot with points from Eoin Rooney 0-2 and Lynch and a goal from Rooney with time almost up but a late double by top scorer James O’Connell ensured there would be no way back for the battling home side.

John Leneghan at full-back and Gareth Lynch were best for Carrydyduff but the Ahoghill management will be well pleased by the performances of some of their younger players with Harry O’Donnell, Conor McGarry, Colla McDonnell and Ryan McPeake staking a claim for future inclusion.

Carryduff: 1 Conor McLornan, 2 Conor McAlister, 3 John Leneghan, 4 Darragh Goodwin, 5 Donal Teague, 6 Ciaran Rodgers, 7 Michael Conway, 8 Conor ‘Reilly, 9 Jack Laverty, 10 Conor O’Neill, 11 James Woods, 12 Ciaran McMeel, 13 Mark McConville, 14 Lorcan McGaughey, 15 Oran Teague, 18 Eoin Rooney, 19 Ciaran Goodwin 24 Gareth Lynch

Clooney Gaels: 1 Aidan Graham, 2 Harry O’Donnell, 3 James Magee, 4 Conor McGarry, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Francis Neeson, 7 Daniel O’Neill, 8 PJ O’Connell, 17 Gerard Graham, 10 Ronan Graham, 11 Patrick Graham, 12 Eoin Graham, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Donal Graham, 18 James O’Connell, 19 Ryan McPeake, 20 Ryan Martin, 21 Diarmuid Scullin

Referee: Denis McKay