Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

Good start for Tir na nÓg minors

Antrim Minor Hurling League –  Division 2

Tir naNog 5.19 All Saints Ballymena 1.04

There was very little between these two sides in the first fifteen minutes of this opening game in the Minor Hurling League Division 2 at Whitehill. Both sides traded scores but it was Tir naNog who finished the first half very strong taking some excellent scores from Dylan McLarnon operating at midfield. Goals came five minutes before the break two from Caleb Smith and one from Tiarnan Bonnes.

It was the same story in the second half with Tir naNog’s Conor Loughran and Shea Devlin getting on the score sheet and Smith and Bonnes with another major each to finish the scoring.

Sean McDermott got All Saints Ballymena goal five minutes from the end. All Saints Ballymena can be praised for their efforts who never stopped working despite missing numerous key players through injury.

Tir naNog scores Dylan McLarnon 0.07 Conor Loughran 0.06 Caleb Smith 3.02 Tiarnan Bonnes 2.02 Shea Devlin 0.02 All Saints Ballymena scores Sean McDermot 1.04

In the other games played in Division 2 Rossa beat Davitt’s 3-12 to 0-8 at Davitt Park, Naomh Eoin beat Naomh Eanna by 4-17 to 0-14 at Hightown, while Glenariffe-Glenravel beat Naomh Padraig 2-21 to 1-4 in Waterfoot.

by thesaffrongael

Tir na nOg snatch victory in injury time in Cushendun

Antrim Hurling League Division 2

Cushendun 1-14 Tir na nÓg 0-19

When these two last met, it was Cushendun who celebrated an injury-time free to progress in the Intermediate Championship. Yesterday, it was Randalstown who were celebrating in added on time, when they rallied late on to secure a Div 2 opening day win over the Emmet’s in Cushendun.

 An equalising free from Sean Duffin(his 10th of the day) in the 60th minute and a point apeice from Joe McCormick and Kevin McCann on 61 and 62 sealed the win for the resilient visitors.

A tight start saw the sides level 0.03 to 0.03 after ten minutes. On 14 minutes, Conor McHugh caught the ball out on the left wing, rounded his marker and fired to the Randalstown net to give the home team the edge and when Conlaoth ‘Loaf’ McNeill added one from a 60 yard free the home team appeared have a grip on the game.

 . Randalstown replied though, with two points from Sean Duffin and Emmet Martin to put just one between them. Randalstown ‘keeper Kevin Sheerin then pulled off a great save in the 20th minute to deny Harry Kilgore from close range, but Connloath McNeill converted the resulting 65 to put Cushendun two ahead.

When Conor McHugh pointed after some neat link- up play with Conrad McDonnell a minute later, things where looking good again for the Emmets, but two Randalstown points from Eamon Og McAllister and Caoimhin Duffin, plus two frees from Sean Duffin, got them back in front. However Loaf McNeill grabbed two for the hosts just before the short whistle to give the a one point lead in at the break. (1.08 to 0.10)

Connloath McNeill opened the second half by scoring with a converted free within 30 seconds of the re-start to put the gap out to two, but it took a great save by the Emmet’s goalkeeper Gareth Magee, who tipped the shot onto the post and away to safety, to keep that lead intact. Two more Cushendun points from McNeill and McDonnell stretched the advantage to four point points, but Randalstown hit back with four unanswered points, with a Sean Duffin effort from wide on the right, the pick of the bunch.

Three more Cushendun points from McNeill was answered by one from a free from Duffin for Randalstown, meant the Emmet’s had a two point lead with only three minutes of normal time remaining.

Callum Kilgore had a fine effort for goal saved by Tir na nOg keeper Sheerin (when a goal would almost certainly have clinched the points) Tha save was to prove vital, and when Sean Duffin pointed a 59th minute free, there was just one between the sides. The tension built as both team’s looked for a chance to seal the win, and it was Randalstown produced the goods when the chips were down with those three injury time points to end a really entertaining game.

Cushendun Scorers: C McNeill 0.11 (6F), C McHugh 1.01,D Kilgore 0.01, C McDonnell 0.01

Randalstown Scorers: S Duffin 0.13,J McCormick 0.02, E Martin 0.01, E OgMcAllister 0.01 C Duffin 0.01 K McCann 0.01

by thesaffrongael

Ports blitz Rossa in season’s opener

ACHL Division 1

Portaferry 2-25 Rossa 1-9

Rossa travelled down the ‘Ards’ on Sunday but their weakened side had no answer to a sharp and impressive Division 1 champions Portaferry, who ran out convincing winners in the end. The home side led 0-14 to 0-4 at the short whistle before adding two second half goals through Daithi Sands and Conor O’Prey to win by 19.

Deaglan Mallon, Padraig Dorian, Barry Trainor, Fion Turpin and Daithi Sands were all to the fore as a sharp Portaferry scored at will with Aodhan O’Brien and Thomas Morgan doing all in their power to keep the visitors in touch but it looked a long way back when they trailed by 10 at the half way stage.

Full-forward Dorian gave a fine exhibition of free taking during that opening half and contributed 0-4 of his side’s first half total while Trainor and Turpin proved a handful for the Rossa defence.

It didn’t get any better for the Shaw’s Road side on the restart as Fion Turpin, Conhuir O’Feich and Daithi Sands added to the Portaferry tally with early points before Aodhan O’Brien pulled one back for visitors Rossa from a long range free.

Conlon, Dorian and O’Prey added to the sea sider’s ever increasing total with Thomas Morgan briefly interrupting the onslaught but when Daithi Sands got on the end of a long delivery to finish to the net for Portaferry it was all over.

O’Brien converted two frees for Rossa and fired to the net from another free in the closing stages but it only served to put a better look on the final score line and Conor O’Prey put the icing on a thoroughly commanding performance for the Down men with their second goal as they clinched their opening points of the season.

Paddy McAvoy and Deaglan Mallon added late points for the home side while Diarmuid Rogan got a late consolation score for a depleted Rossa side who would have been happy to hear the full-time whistle.

Portaferry: 1 Pearce Smith, 2 Darragh O’Meallain, 3 Callum Smyth, 4 Ronan Smyth, 5 Ciaran Savage, 6 Barry Trainor, 7 Conor O’Neill, 8 Matiu O’Conallain, 9 Deaglan Mallon, 10 Conor O’Prey, 12 Conhuir O’Feich, 13 Daithi Sands, 14 Padraig Dorian, 15 Fionn Turpin, 16 Paidi Mac Avoy

Rossa: 1 Donal Armstrong, 2 Conor Boyle, 3 Ciaran Orchin, 4 Niall Devlin, 5 Pearce Short, 6 Stephen Shannon, 7 Conall Shannon, 8 Seaghan Shannon, 9 Matthew Devlin, 10 Aodhan O’Brien, 12 Diarmaid Rogan, 13 Aidan Orchin14 Thomas Morgan, 19 Conor O’Neill

Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfields)

by thesaffrongael

Stylish Division 3 debut for All Saints at Enright Park

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

by thesaffrongael

Ballycran too strong for Dunloy in league opener

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.