Ballycastle reserves wrapped up the Division 3 Hurling League title when they beat their nearest challengers Dunloy in Wednesday evening’s game at Pairc MacUillin. The win puts them two clear of the Cuchullains with both teams having one game each still to play. If the McQuillan’s men were to lose their final game against Gort na Móna and Dunloy win their the following week then they would be level on points, but Ballycastle would come out on top on the head to head between the two.
Despite falling behind to an early Gabriel McTaggart goal Ballycastle bounced back with three on the trot from James Bakewell, Lorcan Donnelly and Cathal Conor to draw level before Anthony Mullan gave them the lead with a well taken goal. Oisin McCamphill, who was to be the outstanding player on the night, pulled one back with his first point of the game, but Ballycastle were on top and a point from a Croisti McAuley free was followed by a Lorcan Donnelly goal, following a long delivery from inside his own half by Oisin McAuley.
Dunloy’s Oisin McCallin who scored 12 points, despite ending up on the losing team
The rest of the half became a bit of a shoot-out between McAuley and McCallin, McAuley hitting four of his team seven points and McCallin hitting all seven for his side, in a superb display. However the most significant moment of the half came five minutes from time McCallin got in behind the Ballycastle defence and appeared to have a clear run on goal. However just as the left half forward was about to ‘pull the trigger’ Ballycastle full back Cormac Donnelly somehow managed to block the shot to deny what looked a certain goal.
Croisti ‘Bamba’ McAuley who was top scorer for Ballycastle
McCallin ( who was to end the night on 12 points) got the first score of the second half to cut the gap back to four, but that was as close as they would get and three in a row from McAuley, Oisin Donnelly and Niall McClean pushed the lead out to seven. That was the biggest it was to be and each time McCallin reduced the gap McAuley was there to claw back the deficit. The deficit was down to just four with time almost up but late points from Croisti McAuley and substitute Conor Donnelly sealed the win for the Town.
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Dunloy U15 Hurlers embarked on a memorable trip to Wexford on Friday last to compete in the All Ireland Division 1 Hurling Feile.
Having come through a tough Antrim Feile a few weeks earlier as well as the Football a few weeks later, this talented bunch of lads were going down without any inferiority complex to play in the top Division in Ireland.
Played at the Wexford Centre of Excellence in Ferns on a scorching summer’s day, they were drawn in a group that consisted of Ballygunner, Raparees & Monageer.
First up was Ballygunner who would go on to win the tournament, and it was a nervy start by both teams with Dunloy giving their Waterford counterparts as good as they got. The game ended in a 3 point win for Ballygunner with Dunloy relishing the possibility they might get another crack at them later in the tournament.
The next two group games were comfortable wins against the two Wexford teams winning by 13 and 11 Points respectively. A goal scoring spree by full forward Ronan Elliott certainly helped in these two games.
Fr PJ McCamphill, who was part of the Dunloy group at Feile in Wexford, met up with his good friend GAA President Jarlath Burns
This was enough to progress to the quarter final stage to play the winners of the other group in Division 1 which was Kilmacud Crokes. They had overcome hurling royalty in Na Piarsagh & Sixmilebridge in their group to earn the right to face Dunloy.
With the games coming thick and fast you would have expected a slow start, but Dunloy were first out of the traps with an early Ronan Elliott goal. It was a lead they would never lose in a tense and thrilling encounter, eventually running out 7 point winners thanks to a second half goal by Harry Blaney and a penalty save by Tom Richmond. Other notable performances in this knockout game were Paidi O’Kane, Oisin O’Brien, Aaron Richmond, Peader Doherty, Blaine Mullan & Cillian Cunning.
The Semi-final pairing was against Ballinora from Cork and once again Dunloy started the strongest, going in at the short whistle 0-05 to 0-01 ahead. They stretched their lead to 6 points early in the second half but the game turned following two goals from the strong running Ballinora team. They say sport is just a game of inches and it certainly was proved the case on several occasions in the dying seconds with Dunloy trying to overhaul a 3 point deficit. The final whistle came too soon for the gallant cuchullain lads and a 1 score defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for the boys from North Antrim who had dominated long periods of this contest.
Fr PJ and GAA President Jarlath Burns with the O’Reilly brothers in Wexford
Dunloy mentors and players, although disappointed at the time, should be extremely proud of the effort of this group of lads (who all played their part) and they showed that they were able to compete with the top teams in Ireland. On another day they could have been in an All-Ireland Final and who knows what could have happened.
It’s onwards and upwards for the same group of lads as they go on to Derry next Saturday to represent Antrim in the All Ireland Division 2 Feile.
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
Cushendall recorded a two point victory over Dunloy on Tuesday evening to book their place in this years Feis final. In a game that saw both sides play excellent hurling, it was the two Joes who paved the way for the Ruairi’s with Joseph McNaughton and Joseph McLaughlin doing the lions share of the scoring for Cushendall.
McNaughton would finish the hour with an impressive tally of nine white flags and just two of those coming from placed ball while McLaughlin split the uprights on six occasions.
Francis McCurry’s goal proved to be the decisive score of the game, coming 11 minutes from time and under fortuitous circumstances but that mattered little on the scoreboard.
Seaan Elliott was exceptional for the home side and finished the game with 13 points beside his name, eight of those from placed ball while Tom McFerran continued his fine form this season by adding five points but the Cuchullains rarely looked like scoring the goal that would swing the momentum in their favour at the death.
The first half was largely an even contest that the visitors to Pearse Park edged 0-10 to 0-9. Cushendall did have goal chances throughout the opening 30 minutes with Ed McQuillan and Fiontan Bradley both going close but for some outstanding defending from Phelim Duffin and Paul Shiels, the Ruairi’s would have had a goal early doors.
Dunloy had a couple of half chances themselves with Tom McFerran electing for a point at a time when he had plenty of grass to run into while Aodhan McGarry’s effort from an acute angle was well saved by Gillan in the Cushendall goals.
Cushendall did seem much sharper throughout the first half with their half forward line and middle third in general creating space for puck-outs coming from Eoin Gillan as Dunloy struggled to make an impact on the Cushendall restarts.
Neither side was exactly prolific in front of the target, 19 wides shared between them with the home side reaching double figures will be something both sets of management will be hoping is an off-day rather than the standard.
The Cuchullians started the second half brightly with Seaan Elliott moving to the inside forward line to give them a greater attacking threat. They opened a two point lead going into the final quarter with Seaan Elliott firing over four of their five scores of the third quarter while the Joe’s were keeping the ‘Dall ticking at the other end of the pitch.
The home side had a glimmer of the Cushendall goal in the 45th minute when Ciaran Elliott broke free from the middle third and had his eyes set on goal but the Cushendall defence did enough to put the Dunloy midfielder off his stride and his shot was well saved by Gillan.
Trailing by one point going down the stretch, Cushendall got the only goal of the game in the 49th minutes. When McCurry gathered the sliotar close to the half way line, he took aim at the target and with his effort dropping short, it looked like a scoring chance had gone. Dunloy ‘keeper Ryan Elliott misjudged the flight of the sliotar however and it nestled into the back of the net.
Aodhan McGarry responded with his second point of the game to leave the minimum between the sides but Cushendall were always able to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Dunloy had a half chance of goal when substitute Gabriel McTaggart looked to latch on to a dropping sliotar that came back off the upright but he couldn’t connect cleanly when under pressure from Paddy Burke.
A brace of points from Joseph McNaughton stretched the Ruairi’s advantage to four points with a little over five minutes of the game remaining and while the home side finished strongly with Tom and Luke McFerran finding their range along with Keelan Molloy, scores from McQuillan, McCurry and Joseph McLaughlin ensured the Ruairi’s would advance to the final by the time referee Mark O’Neill called time.
TEAMS
DUNLOY: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Keelan Molloy, Paul Shiels, Eamon Smyth; Kevin Molloy, Ciaran Elliott; Seaan Elliott, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Luke McFerran, Aodhan McGarry, Ryan Mort
Subs: Conor Kinsella for P Shiels (41); Gabriel McTaggart for C Elliott (50)
Scorers: S Elliott 0-13 (8fs 1’65); T McFerran 0-5; A McGarry 0-2; Keelan Molloy 0-2 (1f); L McFerran 0-1
CUSHENDALL: Eoin Gillan; Charlie McAuley, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Austin Birt, Eoghan Campbell, Ryan McCambridge; Scott Walsh, Francis McCurry; Ed McQuillan, Joseph McNaughton, Thomas McNaughton; Ciaran Neeson, Joseph McNaughton, Fiontan Bradley
Subs: Dominic Delargy for J McLaughlin (inj); Padraig McKillop for A Birt (inj)
Scorers: J McNaughton 0-9 (2fs); J McLaughlin 0-6 (4fs 1’65); F McCurry 1-1; E McQuillan 0-3; F Bradley 0-3
Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)
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Na Magha of Derry won the Regional Feile at Fr Maginn Park on Saturday beating the hosts, Con Magees in the final at the end of a great days completion. Seven of the teams who took part were from Ulster, while London made up the eight. The teams were Shane O’Neill’s of GLenarm, who reached the Cup semi-final, Cuchullains Armagh, Patrick Rankins of Down, Lisbellaw of Fermanagh and Tullach Og of Tyrone
Cuchullains Armagh who won the Shield final
Con Magees beat the London in their first game, but Na Magha proved too strong for the hosts in the second game out. However they went on to win their other two games to qualify for a semi-final with north Antrim rivals Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s. In a great contest the home team prevailed but the Derry side Na Magha again held all the aces. There was hope at half time as the gap was just a single point (Na Magha 0-02 Con Magees 0-01) but after the change of ends Na Magha turned on the style to grab the honours.
Host club Con Magees, Glenravel
In the Shield final Cuchullains of Armagh, who had actually beaten overall winners Na Magha in the group stages, had too much power for London.
A lot of praise must go to the Glenravel club for the fantastic way they hosted the event.
Overall it was a great day and while Con Magees were disappointed to be beaten, nobody can deny the Derry champions who were very worthy winners.
Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm
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Cross and Passion held a celebration dinner at the Marine Hotel, celebrating the outstanding achievements of their senior hurlers. This years Mageean Cup and Paddy Buggy All Ireland winners came together for an evening of celebration hosted by head of PE Oran Kearney.
The night took the opportunity to look back on the crop of players journey through CPC winning multiple titles on the way to the holy grail of the All – Ireland Paddy Buggy Cup.
Slaughtneill and Derry dual star Brendan Rodgers who was guest of honour at the CPC Mageean Cup-Paddy Buggy Cup celebration dinner in the Marine Hotel
In attendance was special guest, Robert Emmets Slaughtneil and Derry dual all star, Brendan Rogers. Brendan spoke inspirationally to the CPC lads about his own school journey and how it helped him continue on to club and county success. CPC wish for this to inspire their pupils after their 7 year journey through the school.
The lads were all presented with their All Ireland and Mageean Cup medals as well as a new commemorative jersey in recognition of the schools fourth All Ireland success in the last 17 years.
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