Danske Bank Casement Cup final

St Mary’s Magherafelt 1-10 Rathmore Grammar 0-7

ST MARY’S Magherafelt collected their first ever senior schools’ hurling title yesterday afternoon in Corrigan Park when they led from pillar to post against Rathmore Grammar in the Danske Bank Casement Cup final.

Beaten in last year’s decider by St Malachy’s Belfast, the south Derry school looked the physically stronger side and they made their presence count in the first half to lead by 0-7 to 0-2 at the break.

Cargin’s Conhuir Johnstone, who along with Niall O’Donnell and James Sargeant played in the extra time MacRory Cup quarter-final loss to Patrician High on Saturday, impressed from the start and forced Rathmore to drop a sweeper back. The Cargin club man scored five of the seven first half points, two from frees.

Sargeant also landed a free, but the Convent didn’t pull clear until injury time when they landed three points.

Five minutes into the second half Johnstone grabbed the only goal of the game when a long delivery fell handy for him to flick to the net.

It was a body blow to Rathmore and they didn’t recover their composure until the last quarter when they shot four points, three of them from Déaglán Mooney frees.

However by then the Convent were closing out the game. 

Player of the match Sargeant and Johnstone were the key players for St Mary’s, although they were compact at the back with either John McGurk or Leo Gribbin effective in a free role. Midfield probably also swung Magherafelt’s way.

For Rathmore, their more experienced players, Ruairí Grant, Mooney and James Close coped best against a team that was more physically imposing.

St Mary’s now go through to the All-Ireland series at the start of March.

St Mary’s: P Kelly, L Gribbin, O Mulligan, J McGurk, R McCallion, J Sargeant (0-2 frees), N O’Donnell, C Curley, L Burns, M Walls, C Johnstone (1-5, 0-2 frees), J Convery (0-2), L McDonnell, AJ McCann, P Birt (0-1)

Sub: B McLarnon for L McDonnell

Rathmore: O McCarney, J Ward, R Grant, T Graham, S McCarthy, D Mooney (0-3 frees), C Devlin, C Blaney, R McErlean, C O’Neill, J Close  O Morgan-Lyttle, D King, F Blaney (0-3, 2 frees), R Taylor (0-1)

Subs: D McGurk for T Graham, M Madden for C Devlin, G Cowan for C O’Neill, D Prenter for O Morgan-Lyttle, D Sidebottom for J Ward

Referee: Colm McDonnell (St Gall’s)

A tribute….and a wee bit more…….by Denis O’Hara

JOHN McKay, one of the most loyal servants of Cushendun Emmet’s GAC – both as player and supporter, died last week in his home village of Knocknacarry. He was 89.

Affectionately known as ‘Wee John’, he was an outstanding hurler, both as an efficiently slick and nimble winger and a technically supreme goalkeeper.

He was also a qualified motor electrician, a foreman with Grant Hector in Ballymena for over thirty years. The son of Danny and Sarah he lived with wife Pat and family at Milltown townland, beside the top end of the Emmet’s playing fields.

‘Wee John’s’ contribution to the history of the Emmet’s was immense.

A true gentleman, respected by everyone involved in north Antrim hurling affairs, he was instrumental in helping to re-ignite hurling interest in Cushendun back in 1962.

The Emmet’s have prospered ever since.

During the 1950’s the Club ran short of players.

Indeed, some went on the road. Around a freezing Easter time of 1954 five Cushendun hurlers performed illegally to help Cappagh of Omagh beat Clonoe O’Rahilly’s in a belated Tyrone club championship final at Pomeroy.

Lured there for the clandestine combat by Knocknacarry native, the ex-Emmet and Antrim minor hurler Charlie McKay of Dungannon and Mickey Cunningham, owner of Strathroy Dairies, Omagh, were’ Wee John’. Alex ‘Stoots’ McKay, Paddy O’Mullan, a then Garron Tower hurler Denis O’Hara and clever forward Raymond McHugh.

Players from the Antrim coast club were then picked on a Tyrone junior side to meet Donegal – but it was discovered then five Cappagh team members played under assumed names, so, the Club was subsequently stripped of the title and the trophy.

Back home things were on the decline at Emmet’s club level

After losing narrowly to Glenariffe in a North Antrim JHC final replay in 1955 and then to Glenarm at a crucial stage the interest slackened off at the notoriously cramped seaside pitch, the Old Riggs.

Players were invited to join Glen Rovers, Armoy – among them ‘Wee John’,

The nephew of Emmet’s 1931 SHC title winner Alex McKay, featured at wing forward for

Armoy, then playing home games on a cowpatch beside the home of fervent Rovers supporter Paddy McAuley.

Also joining Rovers in senior level combat were Liam O’Hara – as goalkeeper – Alex ‘Stoots’ McKay, Raymond McHugh, Denis O’Hara, Seamus McNeill and Johnny White.

Once the Cushendun players left Armoy, three joined Cushendall Ruairi Og in 1959 – the two O’Hara’s and Raymond McHugh.

Players were ‘scattered to the four winds’.

‘Wee’ John decided to help ignite interest in restoring the Emmet’s to a healthy competitive level.

Following a meeting in 1962, along with Malachy McSparran, Seamus McNeill, Raymond McHugh, and Daniel O’Hara the Emmet’s hurling club was reformed.

Joining the revival were players such as Hugh, Patrick and Turlough McKeegan, Danny McQuillan, Mick Quinn, Alex McGavock, Alex McKay, Denis, Hugh, Terry and Tim O’Hara, Paddy and Josie Magee, Hugh McCormick, Fr Kevin McHugh and a brilliant young centreback in Paddy Hamilton, a 19-year-old skipper of the team when the inspired Emmet’s won the 1963 Antrim JHC, by beating Belfast St John’s in the county decider at Loughguile.

‘Wee John’, distinctive in his cloth cap, was the rock solid goalkeeper, following the trend of class north Antrim club and county netminders such as Brian Cairns, Jim McToal, Barney Mullan, Mick McKeown, George Harvey and Mannix McAlister.

The rapidly rising Emmet’s, soon to also field strong camogie teams, reshaped the fabulously picturesque pitch location at Cushendun Beach, and with dedicated club members such as the ever faithful ‘Wee John’ added a training pitch with floodlighting and suitably appointed clubrooms.

QUB 1-17 Ulster University 2-27

A University of Ulster team, with a big Antrim representation on board, scored a convincing win over Belfast neighbours QUB in Monday evening’s McGurk Cup semi-final at the Dub Arena. Leading by 1-13 to 1-9 at the midway point, the Jordanstown side pushed home their advantage in the second half to win by 13 in the end and secure a final place against either Donegal or Antrim, whose scheduled semi-final had to be postponed due to snow on the Owenbeg pitches.

Fermanagh’s Luka McCusker was the star of the show for UU as he ended with a goal and six points in a great all round display.

Dara Murphy had given Queens and early lead but McCusker turned the game Jordanstown’s way a minute later when he grabbed the first goal of the game, and when Aodhan O’Brien and Aaron Bradley added points the visitors were four clear.  

Dara Turley and Niall Miligan closed the gap for Queens and the rest of the half was evenly contested. With McCusker, Danan McGeough, Paul Boyle and Waterford’s John Kennedy all showing well for UU they had opened up a six point gap by the 22^nd minute, but Queens hit back with a goal and two points from the brilliant Tom McGrattan, but Paul Boyle and John Kennedy came back with a point apiece for UU to help them to a 1-13 to 1-9 win.

A goal and a point from McCusker at the start of the second half put UU firmly in command and though Queens kept in touch with a series of points from Daire Murphy, they were always playing catch-up and the Jordanstown side went on to seal the win with a bit to spare.

UU

Pearse Kelly, Mark McClean, Niall O’Connor, Ruairi McCormick, Declan McCloskey, Aidan O’Brien, Caolan McKernan, Paul Boyle, Ciaran Watson, John Kennedy, Deaghlan Mallon, Ciaran Magill, Dannan McGueogh, Aaron Bradley, Luka McCusker

QUB

Aidan Murtagh, Daire Maguire, Niall Mcfarland, Caolan McReynolds, Fiontan Olibher, Conal Bohill, Oisin O’Hare, Jordan Murtagh, Padhraig Nellis, Paddy Friel, Stuart Martin, Daire Murphy, Darragh Turley, Niall Milligan, Tom McGrattan.

Referee – Kevin Parke

South Antrim McGuigan Cup Final 

St Galls 1-20-1-11 Rossa 

Kevin Herron reports from the Dub 

St Galls claimed the last domestic South Antrim silverware of 2022 with a 1-20-1-11 win over Rossa in the McGuigan Cup Final at the Dub on Sunday afternoon. 

Tom Ghee’s first half strike ensured the Milltown side held a slender lead at the break, but Dara Delaney helped himself to seven-points either side of the interval and it proved the difference in the end. 

Gregory McGreevy got St Galls off the mark with the opening point of the game and Ewan Rush would double the lead after some good work in the build-up from Aodh Mullan. 

Rossa hit back through a converted Jim Reynolds free, but Ronan Crossan and Cormac Sheehan hit successive points to give St Galls a 0-04-0-01 lead. 

The bare minimum separated the sides as Paul Close and Matt Devlin conjured up back-to-back scores, though Ewan Rush doubled his scoring tally for the half. 

St Galls opened up a three-point cushion for the second time in the half courtesy of a fine Aodh Mullan score after a burst forward. 

That lead would diminish though as Rossa hit four-points without reply to lead for the first time. 

Christopher McDonnell sent over a delightful, angled point and then Callum McVeigh got on the end of a Micky Kettle free and swung over a point. 

Jim Reynolds tied things up with his second converted free and the Shaws Road outfit led for the first time when Paul Close popped over his second score of the half. 

St Galls would hit straight back at the other end and restore their lead on 24 minutes with Tom Ghee sending a low shot past Conor Rocks to give his side a 1-06-0-07 advantage. 

Reynolds closed the deficit with his third free of the contest, but at the other end Dara Delaney scored from the same scenario. 

A single-point would separate the sides at the interval as Jim Reynolds landed a 65’ with the final act of the half to leave his side trailing 1-07-0-09. 

St Galls extended their lead moments after the restart as Dara Delaney sent a 65’ between the posts. 

Delaney would convert his second free of the game to bring his personal tally to 0-03 with Chris McDonnell responding at the other end to narrow the gap. 

St Galls three-point lead was restored with Dara Delaney notching his fourth point on the spin, either side of the break. 

First half substitute Kieran McGourty got in on the act and the Milltown outfit were on a roll with Patrick Friel sending successive points over the bar from range to open up a 1-13-0-10 lead. 

Dara Delaney and Jim Reynolds traded frees and after Kieran McGourty doubled his personal tally, Delaney sent over his fourth and later fifth free. 

The gap stood at nine-points, but Rossa claimed a consolation goal late-on, Jim Reynolds laid the ball off to Kevin McDonnell- who in turn found Conor O’Neill to hammer to the net and make it 1-17-1-11. 

St Galls finished strong though with Daniel Churchill dropping over two-points from play and fellow substitute Aidan McDonagh converting a free as their side ran out 1-20-1-11 winners at the conclusion to claim the 2022 McGuigan Cup.