EAST BELFAST hurlers paid a first to the Glens of Antrim for a serious practice run before making a debut in the upcoming Antrim Division Four league.
The historic challenge against the second string of Cushendun Emmet’s was arranged by former Emmet hurler Rory Millar, who featured in the number 13 jersey for the new boys.
The workout was a lively one with East Belfast off to a flying start to score 1-1 without reply.
Impressive was midfielder Eoin Taggart, a native of Portaferry.
Oh brother where art thou! Emmet’s B captain Ryan Millar presents a plaque to his brother Rory of East Belfast Hurlers, to mark their visit to CushLig an Airgid for Saturday’s friendly. Incouded is club chairperson Helen Magee and club President Denis O’Hara
The locals, with manager Rory McQuillan urging on his Division Four side, overcame the early shock and settled to eventually take control and turn 1-11 to 1-3.
Some young Emmet’s were naturally trying to stake a claim for spots in the first team.
At least four hurlers of promise caught the attention of the manager.
Late in the lively game East Belfast players, who train at Woodlands, produced a fiery finish, bagged a second goal but were eventually beaten by1-19 to 2-9. Referee was Shane McDonnell of Glenariffe.
Rory Millar said:”This game was a great workout and experience for our players. It was our second friendly before our debut in the Antrim league. We recently met Ardoyne’s hurling team. Last season East Belfast competed in Antrim football – and now we progress to participate in hurling.”
The East Belfast hurlers are Dungiven-born Turlough Henry, Conor McCurdy (Ballycastle ), Eoin Taggart from Portaferry and Cushendun native Rory Miller.
East Belfast hurling club members Rory Miller and former Glenravel player Padraig Kerr, son of all Ireland Camogie winning manager Rodney.
Brendan McTaggart reports from Fraher Field, Dungarvan.
Antrim put in a much improved performance on Sunday on the south east coast against Waterford but the home side finished strong to see off Darren Gleeson’s men. It took the introduction of Deise star Austin Gleeson to ignite Davy Fitgerald’s men with the Mount Sion man landing five points in a 25 minute cameo where he showed his class.
Antrim’s challenge took a massive dent when captain Eoghan Campbell saw red in the 23rd minute for an off the ball incident with Reuben Halloran. The Saffrons were ahead by three at the time and posing plenty of questions of the Waterford defence but the numerical advantage and playing into the wind in the second half took its toll in the end.
Two ahead at half time, Antrim played with more precision and poise in the second half that may have been lacking in previous matches. They managed to stay ahead of the home side for long periods of the second half with Conal Cunning’s frees prevalent but with 10 minutes of the 70 remaining, the home side and Aussie Gleeson found another gear.
The Waterford goal came from the penalty spot early in the second period ‘keeper Tiernan Smyth going close to Patrick Curran’s drive while Antrim didnt have the same luck from their penalty awarded late in the game. Gerard Walsh’s effort spectacularly saved by Shaun O’Brien with the sliotar destined for the top corner.
It felt like a turning point at the time. A major then and Antrim could have kicked on, as it was the home side saw off the Antrim challenge.
BRIGHT OPENING
With the wind at their backs, Antrim opened quite brightly with Keelan Molloy landing early, but Patrick Curran levelled immediately.
The visitors were looking quite comfortable in possession as they began to find their range with Michael Bradley firing over and Conal Cunning with the first of half a dozen first-half scores.
Curran and Jamie Barron pegged the visitors back, but three on the spin from Antrim was a fair reward for their play.
Playing into the wind, Waterford were forced to try and work the ball a little closer to goal for shots, and centre-back Callum Lyons popped up with two in the opening period,
That big moment came on 23 minutes when Campbell was dismissed, but the visitors would remain a step ahead going into the half as Cunning continued to convert frees and Gerard Walsh landed one from deep to help Antrim into a 0-11 to 0-09 advantage at the break.
CUNNING EXTENDED LEAD
Cunning extended the Antrim lead from a free early in the second period, but with the elements in their favour, Waterford began to go long and after DJ Foran was denied by Tiernan Smyth after making a great catch, the tactic paid off as another route-one approach led to a foul on Neil Montgomery by Stephen Rooney inside the penalty area and Curran blasted home the award to tie the game.
Despite this latest setback, Antrim continued to stay in the hunt with Cunning on target from frees, but Waterford were more effective in open play as Lyons hit his third of the afternoon from deep.
Niall O’Connor and Jack Prendergast traded points with Cunning then nudging the visitors back in front for the final time on 56 minutes only to be cancelled out by Conor Prunty who split the posts from deep inside his own half.
Just as it seemed we were in for a tense finish, Gleeson nudged the hosts ahead again and this was the first of a run of five points on the spin inside of four minutes with Prunty landing another from deep, while Jack Fagan and DJ Foran got in on the act.
ANTRIM PENALTY
This was the gap on 68 minutes when Antrim were awarded a penalty of their own as Paddy Burke was deemed to have been denied a goalscoring opportunity inside the area by Calum Lyons and although Gerard Walsh struck his effort well, O’Brien made an acrobatic save.
That was effectively that as Gleeson reeled off a hat-trick of late scores including a beauty from play to seal Waterford’s victory and leave Antrim still searching for their first points of the campaign.
Nothing has really changed in respect to the league however. Antrim will be disappointed not to leave the south coast with the points on offer but a more consistant and improved performance will help them as they prepare for the next game in two weeks time. That game with Laois in Corrigan Park where the winner will basically secure their Division One status for next season.
WATERFORD: Shaun O’Brien; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty (0-02), Conor Ryan (0-01); Shane McNulty, Calum Lyons (0-03), Jack Fagan (0-01); Gavin Fives, Paddy Leavey (0-01); Jamie Barron (0-01), Patrick Curran (1-04, 1-00 pen, 0-02 frees), Neil Montgomery (0-01); Jack Prendergast (0-01), DJ Foran (0-01), Reuben Halloran
Subs: Carthach Daly for S McNulty (HT), Austin Gleeson (0-05, 4 frees) for R Halleron (45), Padraig Fitzgerald (0-01) for P Curran (54), Patrick Fitzgerald for N Montgomery (61), Colin Dunford for P Leavey (66)
ANTRIM: Tiernan Smyth; Paddy Burke, Ryan McGarry, Stephen Rooney; Gerard Walsh (0-01 free), Eoghan Campbell, Conal Bohill; Michael Bradley (0-01), Paul Boyle (0-01); Keelan Molloy (0-02), Niall McKenna, Neil McManus; Conal Cunning (0-11, 10 frees), James McNaughton, Seaan Elliott.
Subs: Niall O’Connor (0-01) for C Bohill (33), Eoin O’Neill for S Elliott (HT), Nigel Elliott for N McManus (46), Joe Maskey for P Boyle (57), Rian McMullan for N McKenna (70+3)
Ulster Under 20 Hurling Championship – round robin 2
Down 0-18 Antrim 1-17
Antrim made it two wins out of two in the Ulster Under 20 Hurling Championship when they got the better of Down at Portaferry on Saturday in a game that was tense and tight from start to finish. In face the only time there was any daylight between the two teams was in the opening five minute when the boys from the Ards took a 0-3 to 0-0 lead, and in the end it took a goal from Antrim’s Joe McLaughlin and two outstanding saves from goalkeeper Eoghan Richmond, and four points from play by substitute Cormac McKeown to get the Saffrons across the line with their noses in front.
The first half turned out to be a shoot-out between Down’s ace marksman Tom McGrattan and Antrim’s Aodhan McGarry, both players showing great accuracy from placed balls. McGrattan accounted for seven of his team’s nine points, the other two coming from Fionn Turpin and Michael Dorrian, while McGarry got six for Antrim with Aidan Scullion, Niall McGarrel and Joe McLaughlin getting the others.
Level at 0-9 apiece at the interval, Goalkeeper Richmond was called upon soon after the change of ends when he pulled off a great double save. They were still level seven minutes into the second half when the introduction of substitute Cormac McKeown starred to see Antirm edge ahead, the Glenravel teenager hitting four from play, between there and the end, three of them coming in the last ten minutes. Joe McLaughlin struck a vital goal after a good flowing move and netminder Richmond denied McGrattan from a penalty to get Antrim home by the shin of their teeth.
ANTRIM
Eoghan Richmond, Ben McGarry, Ruairi McCormick, Dubaltach Wilson, Daire McMullan, Eoin Trainor, Conor Dickson, Eoin McFerran, Aodhan McGarry (0-6), Joseph McLaughlin (1-0), Seanie McIntosh (0-1), Luke O’Connor, Niall McGrrell (0-4), Aidan Scullion (0-1), Jack MCloskey (0-2)
Subs –
Cormac McKeown (0-04) for Aidan Scullion HT
Ryan Mort for Luke O’Connor 43 Mins
Diarmaid Rogan for Joseph McLaughlin 55 mins
Darragh Kelly for Seanie McIntosh 55 mins
Ronan McCollum for Niall McGarel 59 mins
DOWN
Cathal Laverty, James Higgins, Declan Mallon, Eoin Pucci, Ciaran Milligan, Ciaran Savage, Finn McFall, Ryan O’Neill, Finn Turpin, Ehtan Bell, James Duggan, Sean Milligan, Michael Dorrian, Tom McGrattan, Oisin Coulter.
Tiernan Smyth will make his debut in goals for Antrim in Sunday’s National Hurling League Division 1B game against Waterford at Fraher Field, Dungravan. The Ballycastle clubman has just joined the senior panel this year and gets the nod this time out, while there is one change on the full back line of the team that faced Dublin last time out at Parnell Park.
Stephen Rooney comes in at corner back instead for Phelim Duffin, (although in the opposite corner) with Paddy Walsh moving back to right back and Ryan McGarry continuing on the edge of the ‘square’.
The half back line against Dublin is maintained in its entirety with Gerard Wash on the right, team captain Eoghan Campbell in the centre and Conal Bohill on the left.
Michael Bradley maintains his position at midfield where he is joined by Paul Boyle, who comes in for his first start. The Loughgiel man came on as a sub against the Dubs but has been chosen from the start this time around, taking Keelan Molloy’s place as the Dunloy man switches to left half forward. Niall McKenna move in to the 40 after starting on the wing last time out while Neill McManus is on the right of that line, just as he was in Dublin.
Conor Johnston, who started on the edge of the square against Dublin, is out through injury and so James Naughton moves in to his position from centre forward, while the two corner forwards are the Dunloy duo of Conal Cunning and Seaan Elliott, just as they were the last time out.
A tough encounter lies ahead for the boys in Saffron, and with a throw in time of 1pm there won’t be too many Antrim fans making the journey down.
Cumann na mBunscol Aontroma hosted their Indoor Finals Day at Tír na nOg Randalstown on Wednesday.
Regional winners from North, South and South-West Antrim attended today to compete for the prize of All-County Champions across all four codes.
Glenann Primary School who won the Camogie ChampionshipMary Queen of Peace, GLenravel
In the first action of the day, Glenann PS Cushendall, Holy Child PS Belfast and Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel battled it out for the Camogie Championship with the girls from Glenann taking the honours back to the Glens for the first time in the school’s history.
Next up it was the turn of the hurlers from Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown, St. Clare’s PS Belfast and St. Patrick & St. Brigid’s Ballycastle.
In an extremely tight competition, the boys from Ballycastle just about got over the line having been pushed all the way by Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown in a thrilling final game!
St. Patrick’s & St. Brigid’s PS BallycastleSt. Clare’s PS Belfast & Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown get ready to do battle in the hurling
With no representation from North Antrim for Girls Football – Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown & St. Anne’s PS Belfast played in a blockbuster ‘final’ that had everything, with the Randalstown girls taking home the spoils on a scoreline of 28 – 26.
Mount St Michael’s RandalstownSt Anne’s PS Belfast
The final action of the day saw St. John The Baptist PS Belfast, St. Joseph’s PS Dunloy and St. Mary’s PS Portglenone compete for the Boys football prize.
This was just as keenly contested as the other 3 with St. John The Baptist coming out on top to take the football crown.
A fantastic day of GAA would not be possible without the huge commitment and effort which Cumann na mBunscol Aontroma provide in partnership with Gaelfast GAA.
Full credit to all who helped to organise and coordinate a wonderful day of sport for the children involved and well done to all the winners.
The four successful schools will now go on to represent Antrim in the Ulster Indoor Finals at the end of March.
