Cushendun Emmet’s breezed through to the semi-final of the Intermediate Hurling Championship when they beat Gort na Móna in their final group game on Saturday in Cushendun.
The team controlled the game from start to finish and it was clear from an early stage that they were going to go through. Early points from Donal O’Hara, Conor McHugh and Pearse Bannon were followed by two quick goals from the Kilgore brothers Harry and David. Conlaoth McNeill added a point from a 65 on eight minutes and Harry Kilgore sent one over from play before Dessie McClean got the Gorts on the board in the 13th minute.
Cushendun’s Harry Kilgore in action during his team’s IHC win over Gortnamona in Cushendun. Pic by Micky Morgan
Harry Kilgore got his second goal a minute later, David Kilgore and Tom Scally added points from play and ‘Loaf’ McNeill got another from a 65 before a depleted f Gorts got their second from play through Patrick McCaffrey. Points from Harry Kilgore and Loaf from a penalty were answered by twopointed frees from the evergreen Dessie McClean, but another David Kilgore goal just before the interval put Cushendun 4-10 to 0-4 clear by half time.
David Kilgore completed his hat-trick four minutes into the second half and though Cushendun emptied their bench to give as many players as possible a run out, the scores kept coming, with one of those subs, Conor O’Hara, getting the sixth goal four minutes from the end.
This win sets up an intriguing semi-final with Glenariffe in two weeks’ time. There have been a lot of links between the clubs over the years, with a good few of the Emmet’s team having played their minor hurling with the Oisins in recent years and this promises to be cracking contest.
CUSHENDUN
Gareth McGhee, Sean Hamilton, Aidan Corbett, Jack McKay, Archie McSparran, Donal O’Hara, Tom Scally, Oisin McMahon, Calum Kilgore, Conor McHugh, Harry Kilgore, Conlaoth McNeill, Conor Bannon, David Kilgore, Pearse Bannon.
Subs – Michael McHugh, Conor O’Hara, Gavan McCormick, Aidan McSparran, Leo Morgan
GORTNAMONA
Mark Rea, Conor Healy, Gavin McKenna, Noah McGivern, Patrick Cournane, Padraig McHugh, David Dixon, James Connolly, Declan Hughes, Patrick McCaffrey, Tiernan Morton, Tiernan O’Cadhlaigh, Manus MacMaolain, Joseph Caddell, Dessy McClean.
Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship Quarter Final
Saturday 17th September
Report by Niall Kelly
Michael Davitts 2-13 Glen Rovers Armoy 3-12
Photographs: Bert Trowlen
Armoy sealed their Junior Semi Final berth after weathering a few nervy last moments in Davitt Park. The Glenshesk men went into proceedings as favourites and after having clinically despatched two majors to Thomas Maguire’s net after five minutes of the second half and with a nine point margin now in their favour, they looked to have fulfilled the role to a tee. Indeed, the men in blue and white were in cruise control and it seemingly appeared they would coast their way to victory. However, a spirited and resilient Davitt’s side, spearheaded by Don Whelan and his magic wand, refused to follow the script and mounted a comeback effort which frayed the nerves of the visiting management and faithful alike during the closing exchanges. Davitt’s number ten can feel somewhat aggrieved not to have finished on the winning team as he notched a dazzling individual tally of 1-10 and his ability from the placed ball kept the hosts within distance of their North Antrim counterparts.
It was the home side who started brightest and established a 0-04 0-02 lead by the fifteenth minute. Marcus Toner and Don Whelan (3) were on target for Davitts with the ever-dangerous Tommy Burns and Colin Lordan raising the white flag of the umpires for Armoy. The visitors were growing in confidence as the half progressed and Turlough McBride fired over two consecutive frees to level proceedings a few minutes later.
Momentum continued to sway to and fro as both sides duelled valiantly to gain the ascendency but neither could establish any true dominance on the game. Davitts were heavily reliant on the genius of Whelan from placed balls. More often than not though, he delivered, and on the twentieth minute he had re-established the hosts’ lead after guiding the sliotar over the bar with devastating accuracy on three occasions in quick succession.
Armoy were in need of a score and talisman Tommy Burns duly obliged as his long-range, swerving effort crept just inside the post perfectly to invigorate his side. Turlough McBride had his bearings correct once again before Eamonn McCaughan stamped his authority on proceedings as he latched onto a Rocky Dillon pass before curling a sumptuous effort between the sticks to level matters.
Whelan again would respond for the hosts but Armoy were now dovetailing nicely in attack and dealt their hosts a hammer blow just before the interval. Ciaran McKenna’s sideline cut bounced invitingly for the onrushing Tommy Burns who kept his composure before rifling low and hard into the despairing Thomas Maguire’s net. PJ McBride popped up with another point before Whelan just had enough time to reply to leave the scores at half time 0-09 to 1-08 in favour of the men from the Glens.
The opening five minutes of the second half proved to be decisive in the fate of this game as Armoy ran rampant. PJ McBride continued where he left off before the half as he competently despatched from close range before Eamonn McCaughan grabbed his side’s second major as he unleashed a blistering effort into the top left of the Davitts goal. To further add salt in the wounds, ‘Rocky’ Dillon hammered home a penalty two minutes later and Davitts were left dumbfounded.
The hosts though rallied superbly and refused to wilt despite the now ominous gap between the sides. Whelan grabbed another from range before Marcus Toner presented his side with a lifeline after plundering his way through the heart of the Armoy rear-guard and blasting home to the net to galvanise his men. Davitts cut further into the lead as Cormac Maguire and Whelan pointed and suddenly the margin was down to three points with fifteen to go.
Credit must go to the visitors though who remained composed, PJ McBride replied to a Toner effort and grabbed two inspirational scores to bolster his side before Burns pointed from range and Armoy seemed to have a handle on things again. They were keeping the sliotar well and trying to take the sting out of the game.
Matters then turned fiery and there was a tempestuous atmosphere for the remainder of the game which resulted in Davitt’s netminder receiving his marching orders after a robust challenge on Colin Lordan. A few other altercations were bubbling over too which resulted in a sizable portion of added time. As the clock then ticked through into injury time, Don Whelan sparked hope of completing a revival when he rifled spectacularly to the net from a long range free to trigger a raucous roar from the home spectators. But it was not be as Armoy stood resolute under the high balls that soared in as the game reached its conclusion.
Davitts will take great heart in their performance. They were dogged and determined throughout the game but will no doubt surely lament that opening five minute period of the second half. Despite the scare, Armoy will be fully focused now on their intriguing encounter with Glenarm in the semis. Glenarm have been tipped by many as the favourites to lift the Junior crown but with talented options within their arsenal, Armoy will certainly fancy their chances.
Teams:
Davitts: T Maguire; O Gorman, M Rowntree, C Cunningham; C Heaney, C Gallagher, A McLaughlin; D Mooney, P Óg Carleton; D Whelan (1-10,) S McGivern, M Toner (1-02;) C Maguire (0-01,) A Rowntree, J McNally
Armoy:
C Devlin; C Coyles, S Devlin, A Devlin; L Devlin, E O’Hara, T McBride (0-03;) J McFetridge, J Dillon (1-00;) C McKenna, T Burns (1-03,) E O’Boyle; E McCaughan (1-01,) C Lordan (0-01,) PJ McBride (0-04)
Glenariffe scored a facile win over an understrength Creggan in their final group game in the Intermediate Championship on Saturday to secure a semi-final place against their North Antrim neighbours Cushendun in two weeks’ time. Going into the game the Glenariffe boys knew they were in pole position, with a win or even a draw guaranteeing them a semi-final spot, and with Creggan short half of the team that lost to Carey in last year’s final the odds were heavily stacked against the visitors.
Right from the off the Oisin were on top and they had three points on the board inside two minutes through Alex O’Boyle, Seanie McIntosh and Seamus McDonnell, and when midfielder Odhran Gillan’s shot was spilled to the net by the Creggan keeper it was clear what way this game was going.
The scores kept coming, but all at the one end as Alex O’Boyle, Dan McKillop, Caolan O’Connor, Seanie McIntosh and even corner back Michael Haughey kept adding to the scoreboard. Diarmuid Mulholland broke the Creggan duck on 21 minutes with a point from play, but Dan McKillop came back with a goal and Alex O’Boyle added three late points to put the Oisins ahead by 2-17 to 0-1 at half time.
With the breeze behind them in the second half Creggan were expected to do better but it was more of the same as their weakened team struggled to stay in touch with Glenariffe. The O’Boyle brothers Alex and Michael scored heavily, while Dan McKillop got a couple, Caolan O’Connor and substitute Randal McDonnell all contributed. Creggan kept plugging away but it was not to be their day and they added just two more points to their tally in the second half.
As expected St. Brigid’s Cloughmills proved too strong for neighbours, All Saints in this Casement SC JHC quarter-final in Cloughmills today. The division 4 winners started well enough and actually led briefly after four minutes when Liam Cassley edged them ahead but once the division 3 runners up found their range they slowly pulled away from the Ballymena side.
Aaron Smiley pointed St. Brigid’s into an early lead before Ciaran Neeson from a free and Liam Cassley edged the visitors 0-2 to 0-1 ahead for the first and only time in the contest. It was to be short lived however as Liam Kearns equalised and the home side looked in for an early goal but Ciaran Cassley advanced from his line to make a brave blocking save to deny Kearns.
It provided only momentary respite however as Aaron Smiley sent over a monster effort from all of 70 meters but Damian Gillan replied for the Slemish Park side to level matters for the third time with only seven minutes gone.
That was as good as it got for the visitors as Smiley, Liam Kearns and Stephen Smyth hit unanswered points for the home side and then Kearns collected a good pass from Eoin Dobbin before firing to the net in the 12th minute.
Liam Kearns races clear for St. rigid’s second goal
Aaron Smiley caught the resulting puck out before returning the sliotar between the posts and Stephen Smyth and Aaron Smiley 0-2 moved the ‘Biddies’ 10 ahead at the end of the opening quarter as they began to dominate proceedings.
The visitors were finding it increasingly difficult to mount an attack at the other end but Ciaran Neeson was wide from a free as they briefly threatened before Aaron Smiley, Stephen Smyth with a great long range effort and Gary McCollum added to St. Brigid’s ever increasing tally.
The visitors were giving it everything and were finally rewarded for their efforts when Ciaran Neeson pointed a free and Liam Cassley followed with another from play to take their total to five but it brought about another surge from the Cloughmills’ side.
Ciaran Cassley in the All Saints goals brought off his second excellent save of the game to deny Stephen Smyth but the same player finished the first half scoring with an injury time point to leave St. Brigid’s leading by 1-14 to 0-5 at half time and even at this stage they looked to have one foot in the semi-final.
Ciaran Neeson sent over a great point in the 2nd minute as the game got underway again but any hopes of an All Saints revival were soon dispelled as play became disjointed and fractious as the half continued.
Aaron Smiley who was in excellent point scoring for for Cloughmills, is closed down by Padraig Magill
The home side were soon into their stride again as Geoffery Og Laverty and Liam Kearns from a close range free and then from play moved them further ahead at the end of a low scoring third quarter with Ciaran Neeson replying with All Saints 7th point of the game in the 19th minute.
Once again St. Brigid’s replied through an excellent point from Stephen Smyth before Ciaran Cassley in the All Saints goals pulled off another courageous stop to deny Liam Kearns but Ruair Laverty followed up with a point after collecting the rebound.
The superb Cassley was finally beaten for the second time in the game as Liam Kearns finally found a way past him from close range with time almost up and Aaron Smiley added the final point of the contest in injury time to see St. Brigid’s advance convincingly into the semi-final where they will meet Rasharkin.
Shane O’Neill’s will meet Glen Rovers, Armoy in the other semi-final with all four semi-finalists coming from division 3 and we should be in for a couple of excellent games in two weeks-time.
St. Brigid’s: 1 Christopher McKernan, 2 Martin Dobbin, 3 Sean McKendry, 4 Aaron McGuckian, 5 Johnny Duffin, 6 Conor Laverty, 7 Joe Smyth, 8 Ruairi Laverty, 9 Geoffery Og Laverty, 12 Eoin Dobbin, 14 Liam Kearns, 15 Stephen Smyth, 17 Gary McCollum, 19 Stephen Martin 20, Aaron Smiley Subs|: Michael Reid, Ryan Dobbin and Reece Watt
All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Daniel Gray, 3 Colum Neeson, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Dwayne McKee, 6 Luke O’Rawe, 7 Padraig Magill, 8 Cormac Lemon, 9 James O’Boyle, 10 Eoin Magee, 11 Damian Gillan, 12 Cormac Magill, 13 Ciaran Neeson, 14 Liam Cassley, 15 Vinny Esler.
Subs: Benny McDonnell, Conor O’Rawe, Conrad Duffin and Cathaoir Cunning
Referee: Sean Elliott (Lamh Dhearg)
All Saints keeper, Ciaran Cassley comes bravely off his line to deny Michael ReidThe Cloughmills bench warm up at half timeOpposites attract!: All Saints physion, Roisin O’Boyle with Sarah Laverty the Cloughmills physio who is married to Roisin’s nephew
Group 2 runners up St John’s take on Ballycastle, who finished third in Group 1, this Sunday at Dunsilly in the first of the two Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship quarter finals. St John’s started their campaign on a high with a 0-25 to 1-20 win over Loughgiel at Corrigan Park back in August and followed it up two weeks later by beating St Enda’s by 2-30 to 0-14 at Rossa Park in round two. The perfect start but in the bid to claim an automatic semi-final spot they came up just short against a Christy McNaughton inspired Cushendall side at Pairc Mhuire, losing out in the end by 1-21 to 1-16 in a hard fought game.
Ballycastle’s route to Sunday’s quarter final has been starkly different. After losing heavily in their opening game in Group 2 to champions Dunloy by 1-16 to 2-29 at Paric MacUilin, they were even more disappointing in the second round game when Rossa beat them by 0-8 to 0-26 at Dunsilly. After all the work the team had put in under new managers KB McShane and Shane Staunton spirits could have been much lower, and with star man Ciaran Clarke out for the season through injury things looked very bleak. Written off by most pundits going into their final game against next door neighbours Carey Faughs they found the spark that had been missing and following a fast start they went on to produce their best performance in a long time by running out winners by 5-26 to 0-13 to keep their championship hopes alive.
Now St John’s are a different kettle of fish to Carey, but that win must surely give them some confidence that they can put on a better show than they did in the last visit to Dunsilly. St John’s have been knocking at the door for a few years now and were unlucky not to reach a final a couple of times in the last few years. They will go into Sunday’s game as firm favourites, but this game could be closer than a lot of people think.
Rossa v Loughgiel at Dunsilly: Throw-in 5pm
Rossa, who were runners-up in Group 2 take on Loughgiel in the second game at Dunsilly on Sunday, the game throwing in at 5pm. Rossa had a convincing win over Carey Faughs in their opening game at Rossa Park and were untroubled in their second outing against Ballycastle in their second round game at Dunsilly. They lost out to Dunloy in their final game of the group stages by five points which is a more than creditable showing against the champions.
Loughgiel’s start may not have been impressive, losing out to St John’s at Corrigan in their opening game and then going down against the Ruairi Ogs in Cushendall, but there were times in both games that it looked as if they deserved better. They earned their passage to the quarter final with a big win over St Enda’s and will be looking forward to Sunday’s battle with Rossa with a bit of confidence
With James McNaughton back in the fold, after his summer trip to the USA they are a much better team and Rossa will certainly not be taking them for granted.
Michael Armstrong, hero of last years’ semi-final snatch and grab against Cushendall, is more than likely to miss out on this one after pulling up injured in last week’s football quarter final against Creggan. Armstrong’s skill and experienced would be badly missed but it goes with the territory for clubs like Rossa who have so many dual players in their ranks.
I think this is going to be a great game and though Rossa will start as favourites, Loughgiel will also fancy their chances. Extra time could be a possibility!
