Senior Reserve Hurling Cup Final – Fr Maginn Park, Glenravel

Loughgiel 2-27 Cushendall 1-15

An injury time goal by man of the match Maol Connolly secured the Senior Reserve Hurling Cup for Loughgiel at Fr Maginn Park, Glenravel on Wednesday evening. Finals between these great rivals have been hard fought and close over the years, and this one was no different. They were tied at 1-8 apiece at half time and though Cushendall had edged ahead in the second half, they never really recovered from losing a man to a red card midway through the second half, and Loughgiel pushed ahead. Despite this the sides were level with just three minutes left to play but Conolly’s accuracy from frees saw his team go two ahead going into injury time, and the centre forward sealed it for the Shamrocks with a great individual goal.

It was score for score in the opening half as two great points from play by Shamrocks midfielder Declan Gillan and one from a Maoly Connolly free were answered by two from frees by Cormac McClafferty and one from play by Paddy Sharpe. Points from McClafferty, Dominic Delargy and Fred McCurry in reply to another pointed free by Connolly gave Cushendall a two pointe lead nearing the end of the first quarter, but Damian Quinn pulled one back for Loughgiel, before a Cushendall defender deflected a ball into his own net to put Loughgiel two points ahead.

Paddy Laverty increased the Loughgiel lead but points from placed balls by Clafferty and a goal from Sean McAfee just before the break tied things up at 1-8 apiece by the half time whistle.

Two points from Paddy Sharpe and one from Enuan McKillop, in reply to one by Maol Connolly, had Cushendall two clear. They had reduced the gap to just one when Cushendall’ were reduced to 14 men, but substitute Ruairi McCormick levelled things up soon afterwards. Points from Connolly and Gillan for Loughgiel were answered by two from Sharpe and Carson for Cushendall, which kept the Ruairis nosed in front, but a great strike from ‘Betty’ McKee brought the Shamrocks level on 54 minutes.

Extra time looked a possibility, but Connolly took control of matters when he fired over a pont from play before picking up a loose ball 60 meters from goal before soloing through to fire the ball past Karl McKeegan in the Cushendall goal to put four between the sides. That just about sealed it for the Shamrocks, but Connolly had time for one more and he struck one more excellent point in the fading light to deservedly seal the deal.

Loughgiel : C McFadden, F Henry, D McPeake, C McCloskey, C Henry, C Blair, O McFadden, D Gillan, C McKay,, P Laverty, M Connolly, D Quinn, R McCollum, S Casey, M McGarry. Cushendall: K McKeegan, S McKenna, L Gillan, R McAteer, M Donaghy, S Walsh, C McCollum, A Delargy, F McCurry, D Delargy, S McAfee, S Black, P Sharpe, S McNaughton

Under 15B Hurling Championship final

Sarsfields 3-8 Dunloy 2-8

Sarsfields won the Under 15 B Hurling final when they beat Dunloy in hard fought final at Dunsilly on Tuesday evening. The boys from the Bear Pit took a while to settle and ell five behind in the early stages, but the fought back well to lead to 2-4 to 1-5 at half time.

A third goal early in the second half appeared to have it wrapped up for the Belfast boys, but boosted by a gaol from a free by their brilliant right half forward Oisin McCallin Dunloy fought back to close the gap to goal, and it took a great defensive effort from the Sarsdfields rear-guard to keep the Cuchullains at bay in the final minutes.

Dunloy opened the game strongly and an early goal from Oisin McCallin, and two pointed frees from the same player put them five clear. A pointed free from midfielder Conor McConville got Sarsfields going in the eighth minute and two points from left half forward Dairi Jemfrey and a goal from full forward Aaron Anderson put them ahead. Another Conor McConville point put them two clear, and though McCallin came back with two points from frees, a magnificent overhead strike from Anderson just before the break gave his team a 2-4 to 1-5 lead at half time.

They went a goal clear when Darren Delander got the first score of the second half, and though McCallin pulled one back a few minutes later for Dunloy, Anderson completed his hat-trick with another well taken goal. When McConville added another point from a free the gap was out to six and Sarfields looked comfortable, but a fantastic goal from a free by Oisin McCallin brought Dunloy right back into the game.

McConville gave Sarfields a bit of breathing space with another pointed free, but when McCallin added two more from frees the gap was down to just two. Four minutes from time substitute Kevin Barry McArdle pointed to put the gap out to three, but Dunloy laid siege on the Sarfields goal in the final minutes looking for a goal and it took a terrific effort from the Paddies defence in the final minutes to hold them at bay.

Under 17 Hurling Championship

Loughgiel 1-18 Dunloy 2-14

County champions Loughgiel secured a place in the semi-final of this year’s championship when they held off a late rally by neighbours Dunloy in a cracking semi-final at Fr Healy Park on Sunday. Trailing at half time, and falling further behind midway through the half, Loughgiel had turned it around with the aid of a freakish goal and appeared to be cruising down the home straight when Dunloy came again with a late rally that just came up a point short in the end.

A Jack McCloskey point from a free and, one from play by Darragh Patterson had got Loughgiel off to a good start, despite facing a stiff breeze. Dunloy were creating chances but missed a good few chance before Ben O’Kane got them off the mark on seven minutes with a point from a 65. Jack McCloskey came back with one for the Shamrocks but Dunloy were beginning to settle to their task and points from Oisin McCamphill and O’Kane brought them level by the 14^th minute.

Loughgiel went back ahead when a great run and shot from Roan McGarry was well saved by the Dunloy keeper Eoghan Richmond, but it broke loose and Jack McCloskey was on hand to tap it over the bar, and when Roan added another excellent point from the left corner the home team were three clear again. Points from Oisin McCamphill, Padraig Martin and Ben O’Kane brought Dunloy back level, and though Liam Glackin briefly edged Loughgiel back in front, the tide was turning in Dunloy’s favour and a goal from Oisin McCamphill gave them the lead for the first time in the game and they pushed on to lead by four at the break with two points from corner forward Padraig Martin. (0-7 to 1-8)

Another point from Martin just after the restart increased the Dunloy lead to five but Jack McCloskey hit back with one at the other end. Martin again hit the target for the Cuchullains, but once again Loughgiel came back right away and second half substitute made an impression with his first touch when he split the post. The tempo was rising though both teams missed a few chances Dunloy were holding the upper hand and Padraig Martin’s third point of the second half , plus one by Ryan Scott,  had them six clear.

A great long range point from a free inside his own half by Loughgiel centre back Ben McGarry began the Loughgiel fightback and when a shot from midfield by Liam Glackin bounced outside the Dunloy penalty area and bounced awkwardly over the goalkeepers head things began to change. Glackin had taken a strong hit on the way out of defence, but referee Ray Matthews played advantage which worked in Glackin’s favour. The score seemed to knock the wind out of Dunloy’s sails and Loughgiel took control of the game to hit the next seven scores through Ronan Fitzpatrick (3), Roan McGarry, Jack McCloskey (2) and Ben McGarry to move six ahead with time almost up.

During that period of dominance Dunloy had one great chance when corner forward Caolan McFerran got in behind the Shamrocks defence and bore down on goal, only to see his well hit shot saved by Loughgiel goalkeeper Mark Christie, but to their credit they kept battling when the odds were stacked against them. Padraig Martin sent over two late points from frees to leave four between the sides and when Oisin McCamphill blocked down an attempted clearance by a Loughgiel defender before picking up the loose ball and drilling a great shot to the net, the gap was back to one. However time was up and referee Ray Matthews blew the final whistle after the next puck out.

LOUGHGIEL

Mark Christe, Ronan McLaughlin, Pearse Patterson, Ashdon McGarry, Tiago McGarry, Ben McGarry, Charlie O’Hagan, Laim Glackin, Preston McGarry, Ronan Fitzgerald, Jack McCloskey, Ryan O’Boyle, Danny McAuley, Darragh Patteron, Roan McGarry.

Sub – Conan Johnston and Eddie Smyth

DUNLOY

Eoghan Richmond, Cahir McMullan, Sean Og Blaney, Luke McFerran, Jack McKeever, Francis McMullan, Reece Cunning, Cathaoir Gormley, Joseph Magee, Oisin McCamphill, Ben O’Kane, Ryan Scott, Caolan McFerran, Conal Elliott, Padraig Martin

Referee – Raw Matthews.

WINS FOR OISINS, CUSHENDALL AND CORPUS CHRISTIE GAELS

Glenariffe 5-29 Rossa 1-7

Glenariffe Oisins hosted O’Donovan Rossa in the Minor Hurling Championship on Sunday in near perfect conditions however it was a difficult afternoon for the Rossa lads, who to their credit battled right to the end.

The young Oisin players started on fire and picked off some great points from all over the field. Rossa played with a sweeper in the first half but Glenariffe were able to recycle the ball well hitting a number of scores from distance to finish the half on a scoreline of 1-18 to 0-2, with Phelim Ward getting Glenariffe’s goal.

Glenariffe made a number of changes at halftime but the scores continued to flow. Rossa kept working hard and were rewarded with a well taken goal of their own on the 40th minute. However this seemed to spur Glenariffe on and they hit right back with four well worked goals of their own through Orrin O’Connor (two), Joe Leech and Daniel Douthart to win on a scoreline of 5-28 to 1-7. Glenariffe now play Loughgiel in the semi-final

In the other two games played Cushendall beat All Saints by 3-24 to 1-14 while Corpus Christie Gaels beat Ballycastle by 4-12 to 2-9. The semi-final are scheduled for Sunday September 18th with Loughgiel playing Glenariffe and Corpus Christie Gaels facing Cushendall