Carey Faughs unbeaten run came to an abrupt end at Ballyvoy on Wednesday evening when they lost to a very good and well organised Carryduff side. The visitors dominated the first half and led at half time by 1.12 to 0.7, the only major of the game coming in the 6th minute from Eoin Rooney after a good save from Carey keeper Darren McGowan. The same player picked up a further 3 points before half time with Gary Rooney knocking over 6 points, 2 from Donal Rooney and points each from McCartan and Goodwin.
First half scores for a Carey side which didn’t seem to find their usual rhythm were Conlith McKinley on four, John McBride on two and James Black picking up the other point. The second half saw a much improved Carey but the goal they desperately required was denied by a resolute Carryduff defence. A further brace of points from Black and McKinley brought the margin down to four but further points for the north Down side from Lynch, Beatty and Rooney put them back in the comfort zone. The home side did finish with points from Mick McVeigh and John McBride but they were mere consolation as Carryduff had the points wrapped up.
This result, Bredagh’s win over Tir na nÓg and Cloney Gaels shock defeat to bottom of the table Gort na Móna means things are really hotting up at the top of the table. Bredagh are now level with the Faughs on 12 points, though the Carey men still have a game in hand, while Cloney Gaels are a point further back on 11 points. Faughs next outing is against Cloney on Sunday week in Aghoghill which should be a very interesting contest.
CAREY
D McGowan, S Matthews, C McGlynn, D Hill, M McVeigh, J McCouaig, F McCarry, C McKinley, S McLaughlin, J Black, F McVeigh, C McCaughan, P Gillan, J McBride.
CARRYDUFF
C McLoran, M McArdle, A Downey, C Goodwin, J Woods, C McAlister, C Cassidy, M McConville, M Conway, D Goodwin, D McCartan, D Rooney, C Beatty, G Lynch, E Rooney.
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
Seven points separated these sides at the end of 60 minutes at Pearse Park as Ballygalget put in a strong performance to see off the Cuchullains. A goal in either half from Caolan and Cormac Coulter laid the foundations for the ‘Galget’ but it was a man of the match performance from Oisin Coulter that caught the eye.
Oisin Coulter in action against Dunloy. He would finish with 0-8 from play and man of the match.
The Ballygalget forward finished the hour with eight points beside his name, all from play. A magnificent performance where he tested the Cuchllains defence to its fullest. Marc Fisher top scored for the Ards men with 0-9, five of those from placed ball but the most significant stat of the evening belonged to the number of scores from play. Of their 2-27, Ballygalget amassed 2-22 from open play. A healthy turnaround to go back down the road with the evening closing in.
The Cuchullains struggled in the first half but the introduction of Eoin McFerran and Nigel Elliott at half time gave them another dimension in the second half. The visitors already held a 10 point lead at the half way mark but between them, the half time substitutes scored 1-5, Elliott with the goal in another match on his return to the Dunloy squad.
Chrissy McMahon top scored with seven points at the end of the hour while Nicky McKeague finished with 0-6, five of those coming from placed ball.
During that second half, Dunloy hit 1-7 to just one white flag from the visitors. Really turning the screw and looking like they could salvage something from the game but that momentum was gone after Barry Scott was red carded with 11 minutes remaining.
Despite the damp and murky conditions, this turned out to be a score-fest with both sides taking some wonderful scored throughout.
The first goal came in the seventh minute with the home side leading by the minimum. Michael Og Doran with the precise assist to Caolan Coulter and the ‘Galget inside forward cut inside before giving Callum Mullan no chance.
Dunloy’s response was typically confident. Three scores inside five minutes cancelled out the Ballygalget goal but the visitors dominated the second quarter scoring 13 points in a devastating 15 minute spell, punctuated by two brilliant points from side line cuts by Fisher. Ballygalget taking a 1-16 to 0-9 lead at the interval.
The visitors scored their second major eight minutes after the restart having already extended their lead to 13 points. Michael Og Doran’s initial shot was well saved by Mullan in the Dunloy goals but Cormac Coulter was first to the rebound.
Chrissy McMahon was in fine form on Wednesday evening with 0-7 at the end of the hour
The Cuchullains responded superbly however with Nigel Elliott and Eoin McFerran’s influence telling. Their goal came in the 41st minute after McFerran broke from midfield, passing to Anton McGrath who laid the sliotar to Elliott. He made no mistake to give the home side hope of getting something out of the game.
The Cuchullains had upped their intensity but the red mist descended on Scott after tangling with James McGrath off the ball. Referee Tarlach Conway had no option but to issue a red card, reducing the Cuchullains to 14 men for the time that remained.
In the following five minutes, Ballygalget took their lead to 12 points once more with Oisin Coulter in superb form. Dunloy pushed in the time that remained and had a number of half goal chances but a run of five points unanswered meant Ballygalget took the league points on offer with seven points to spare.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Callum Mullan; Eamon Smyth, Karl O’Kane, Cahir McCloskey; Kevin McKeague (0-1), Dara McMullan (0-1), Paudie McGilligan; Nicky McKeague (0-6 3f, 2’65), Anton McGrath; Gabriel McTaggart (0-2), Kevin Molloy, Ryan Mort; Ciaran Elliott, Barry Scott (0-1), Chrissy McMahon (0-7)
Subs: Eoin McFerran (0-4) for K Molloy (HT); Nigel Elliott (1-1) for R Mort (HT)
Ballygalget: Eoin Clarke; Joseph Smyth, James Higgins, Michael Toner; John McManus (0-2), Conall Fay, John Hughes; Jordan Doran, Paul McManus; Oisin Coulter (0-8), Marc Fisher (0-9 4f, 1 ‘65, Ciaran Watson (0-2); Caolan Coulter (1-1), Michael Og Doran (0-3), Cormac Coulter (1-1)
Subs: James McGrath for J Higgins (23); Eoin McDermott (0-1) for Caolan Coulter (54); Eoin Pucci for Cormac Coulter (54); Ryan Watson for J Doran (56); Daniel Doran for C Watson (56)
It might seem like a strange thing to say about a game featuring seven goals, but Tuesday evening’s U15b hurling league game between Gort na Móna and Kickham’s Creggan is probably best described as a game of two goalkeepers. In the first half, the Gort na Móna ‘keeper withstood a barrage of high balls, batting most of them to safety. Similarly, Cillian McEldowney in the Creggan goals, made a number of important high catches and blocks which contributed massively to a narrow Creggan win.
The home side took an early lead, but in the 6th minute Creggan’s Harry McKay won a ball inside the ’13 and fired to the net. Creggan added further points from Ronan Colgan and Sean O’Hara, before the home team took complete control of the scoreboard. In a period of eight minutes they scored an impressive 2-02, with the teams exchanging points just before the short whistle, to leave the half-time score line on Gort na Móna 2-04, Creggan 1-03, Conor Loughran having reduced the deficit for the visitors.
Whatever was said in the half-time Creggan huddle appeared to have done the trick as within seven minutes of the restart Ronan McGuckian, who impressed all evening in the forward line, had fired home a goal, later followed up by a point from play, with Conor Loughran following up with another shot to the net. In the third quarter Creggan had scored 2-01 to the home side’s 0-02, to go into the final period leading 3-04 to 2-06.
Perhaps understandably, given the way that the game was tipping backwards and forwards, the final quarter became tense, and was characterised by a lot of frees, and became a very stop-start affair. Gort na Móna took full advantage on the scoreboard and fired over three consecutive frees, with Sean O’Hara responding with a nice point from play from an increasingly acute angle. Gort na Móna continued to profit from some indiscipline from the visitors, firing over two further frees, and a nice point from play. These were answered in the 24th minute by another McGuckian goal to leave the socre line on 2-12 to 4-05 to the home side approaching injury time. Having seen his younger brother raise a green flag in the first half, corner-back Domhnall McKay decided to get in on the action. Collecting the ball out of a ruck, McKay ran clear inside the ’21 and fired to the roof of the net. Creggan added two further points from Conor Loughran and Ronan Colgan to seal a four point win.
There was very little between these two teams, and both deserve a lot of credit for a battling performance. Even after Creggan’s late goal, the home side continued to push forward, and even though Creggan had squeezed ahead in the final minutes, the points only felt secure with the sound of the final whistle. Next up for Creggan is a visit from fellow South West team Clooney Gaels, while for Gort na Móna it is a visit from near neighbours O’Donovan Rossa.
Dunloy made it two wins out of two in Division 1 of the Antrim Under 20 Hurling League when they beat Cushendall by double scores in Monday evening’s game at Pearse Park. Dunloy were in charge from the throw-in and after Conlith McKinley had given Cusehndall the lead the Cuchullains hit back with a goal and four points inside seven minutes, the goal coming from centre back Dairi McMullan while Barry Scott, Ryan Mort Oisin Elliott and Oran McFerran got the points. Ciaran Magill got Cushendall off the mark with a point from a free, but two from Mort and one each from Padraig McGilligan and Callum Mullan helped them push on to a 1-12 to 0-5 lead at the interval.
Dunloy pushed the lead out to eleven points within a minute of the restart as Dairi McMullan pointed but three in a row from Joseph McMullan and Ciaran Magill (2) cut it back to eight. McMullan and Magill twice exchanged points to keep the gap at eight, but two quick goals from centre forward Ryan Mort, one from a penalty and one from play, ended any lingering hopes that Cushendall may have had.
The visitors did hit three points in a row through Conlith McKinley (2) and Stephen McAuley but Dunloy were in ruthless form up front and further goals from Eoin McFerran and Barry Scott put them out of site.
Looking back at Saturday’s final for the last time we look at the players celebrations after the game. Many of them had family members join them on the field after the game. When the final whistle sounded some of the players didn’t know how to react. Relief more that elation was the first sentiment but soon it sank in what they had achieved and the celebrations soon got goin in earnest.
Conal Cunning receives the Man of the Match award from GAA Presdient Larry McCarthy
