Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship
Group 2 – Match Day 2
Dunloy 1-27 Naomh Éanna 2-19
Friday 22 August
Brendan McTaggart reports from Dunsilly
Dunloy made it two championship wins from two games on Friday evening but they were pushed all the way by a brilliant Naomh Éanna side. Five points the difference at the end of a helter-skelter hour of hurling where the Hightown Road side showed a tenacity and ability to dig in, proving difficult for the Cuchullains to pull away from.
Ruairi Donaghy was the major threat for Naomh Éanna, scoring two goals and but for a brilliant block from Phelim Duffin, he could have had a hat-trick when there was just three between the sides and less than 10 minutes remaining.
Niall O’Connor gave another eye-catching performance, albeit missing a penalty while Cormac Jennings and Eddie O’Connor share eight points between them.
Defensively, Joe Maskey excelled at six but the Naomh Éanna defence struggled to curtail the Dunloy attacking unit. Indeed, where it not for a brilliant display from Niall McGivern between the sticks for the Glengormley side, the deficit at the end of the hour could have been more.
Dunloy created seven clear goal chances, McGivern denied them on five of those occasions and the width of the post on another while Luke McFerran bagged their major early in the second half.
It was another display where the Cuchullains racked up an impressive scoring tally, 1-10 of their final score coming from open play and 11 different names on the scoresheet by the time Ray Matthews blew the final whistle.
Seaan Elliott was once again top of the scoring charts for the Cuchullains, three of his final tally of 10 white flags coming from open play while Eoin O’Neill and Aodhan McGarry shared six points between them.
It was a game of hurling that realistically, it didn’t feel like Dunloy were going to lose but there were a number of occasions in the second half when Naomh Éanna looked like they were poised to cause an upset but Dunloy showed their class in the closing stages to win by five points.
The opening exchanges of this game set the tone for the contest. Naomh Éanna Eddie O’Connor putting in a serious shift from midfield and firing over between points from Niall O’Connor and Cormac Jennings. Dunloy’s opening score came through O’Neill and but for McGivern, it could have been a goal. His effort was deflected over by the Naomh Éanna ‘keeper.
Scores from Seaan Elliott, Tom McFerran and Aodhan McGarry came in response to a brace of points from Eddie O’Connor and Ruairi Donaghy to leave Naomh Éanna two ahead after 10 minutes. Luke McFerran the second Dunloy forward in the opening exchanges to test the reflexes of McGivern.
A Niall O’Connor free and Eddie O’Connor point came either side of scores from Nicky McKeague and Paul Shiels, O’Connor’s score would be Naomh Éanna’s last for almost 15 minutes however as the Cuchullains took a semblance of control.
Six points unanswered from Tom McFerran, Keelan Molloy, Seaan Elliott (3) and O’Neill put Dunloy five ahead with as many minutes remaining of the first half. It could have been better for the Cuchullains but O’Neill’s effort was well saved from McGivern when the Dunloy man had the goal at his mercy.
A point from Luke O’Connor briefly halted the Dunloy charge but scores from Ryan McGarry, Seaan Elliott (free) and Tom McFerran took the Dunloy lead to seven points. McGivern once again denying the Cuchullains and Seaan Elliott.
Eoin Conlon pointed with the last puck of the half to leave the half time score 0-15 to 0-9 in Dunloy’s favour.
It was a brilliant first half that was played at a hectic rate, owed much to the refereeing by Ray Matthews who was happy to let the game go as much as he could. The second half was much of the same attacking frenzy. Points from Nigel Elliott and Aodhan McGarry were responded to by a brace from Niall O’Connor inside the opening two minutes.
The Cuchullains finally scored the game’s opening goal in the third minute of the second half and it came after a brilliant move, started by Keelan Molloy in the half back line. He found Kevin Molloy who passed to Nigel Elliott. The Dunloy midfielder went on a trademark run through the middle, luring the defence and finding Luke McFerran and he made no mistake putting nine between the sides.
The Naomh Éanna response was excellent though with three unanswered points for the first time in the game, Niall O’Connor pointing from a ridiculous angle before adding another from a free while Eddie O’Connor added to his tally.
Shiels and Tom McFerran pointed either side of a Cormac Jennings point before Naomh Éanna hit a purple patch. Two goals in four minutes from Donaghy, the first after a brilliant catch after a long delivery from Joe Maskey. Donaghy evaded the Dunloy tackles before kicking the sliotar beyond Elliott in the Dunloy goals. The second came from Donaghy’s predatory instincts. Naomh Éanna were awarded a penalty after a foul on Donaghy and while Ryan Elliott saved Niall O’Connor’s effort, Donaghy was first to the rebound and pulled to the back of the net to put just two between the sides.
The final quarter saw Dunloy gain an element of control however. With just three between the sides and nine minutes remaining, Donaghy looked to have sealed his hat-trick but Dunloy defender Phelim Duffin produced an outstanding block to deny him.
At the other end of the pitch, McGivern was at his work again, denying Seaan Elliott and Keelan Molloy but the Cuchullains saw out the time that remained with minimal fuss.
The Cuchullains have booked at least a place in the quarter-final before their next group game, that coming against St John’s in Corrigan Park while Naomh Éanna will travel to Ballycastle looking for the points that will see them reach the knockout of the senior championship in a game where both sides will need something from.
TEAMS
DUNLOY: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Eoin McFerran, Oran Quinn; Ryan McGarry, Keelan Molloy, Kevin Molloy; Nicky McKeague, Nigel Elliott; Tom McFerran, Paul Shiels, Aodhan McGarry; Luke McFerran, Seaan Elliott, Eoin O’Neill
Subs: Ciaran Elliott for L McFerran (40); Eamon Smyth for N McKeague (57)
Scorers: S Elliott 0-10 (6fs, 1’65); T McFerran 0-4; E O’Neill 0-3; A McGarry 0-3; L McFerran 1-00; P Shiels 0-2; R McGarry 0-1; Keelan Molloy 0-1; Kevin Molloy 0-1; N Elliott 0-1; N McKeague 0-1
NAOMH ÉANNA: Niall McGivern; Ronan Eager, Diarmuid Maguire, Ciaran McAllister; Eoin Conlon, Joe Maskey, Cormac Jennings; Oisin Ó Cuinn, Eddie O’Connor; Mal McGibbon, Brendan Cormican, Niall O’Connor; Luke O’Connor, Manus Mullan, Ruairi Donaghy
Subs: Killian Jennings for B Cormican (HT); Conor McAllister for E Conlon (46)
Scorers: N O’Connor 0-7 (4fs); R Donaghy 2-1; E O’Connor 0-4; C Jennings 0-4; E Conlon 0-1; J Maskey 0-1; M McGibbon 0-1
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
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