Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

Town push Cuchullains all the way

Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship – Group One

Sunday August 9

Dunloy 0-17 Ballycastle 0-17

Town push Cuchullains all the way with honours even

Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy

Over six minutes of injury time.  Sweltering heat.  The all ticket crowd in Pearse Park was a small crowd but it felt like it was packed to the rafters.

It’s great to have championship hurling back.

A draw at the end of a pulsating game of championship hurling in which Ballycastle outmuscled Dunloy and tactically had the edge for long periods.  Yet the Cuchullains showed their championship pedigree and never say die spirit. 

Ballycastle veteran Neill McAuley in action against Dunloy’s Eoin O’Neill

It took a wonder score from Keelan Molloy in the fifth minute of injury time and his fifth point of the match to tie the sides yet the reining champions could have snatched an unlikely win in the end.  Early substitute Aaron Crawford, an out and out defender by trade and he did everything right, until the finish.  Ballycastle felt aggrieved from the restart when they felt they were in a position to snatch a win that looked to be on the cards for the majority of this tie but referee Colm McDonald called time on what was a ding dong second half and a mighty opener to this years Bathshack senior hurling championship.

Dunloy’s Eoin O’Neill in action against Ballycastle’s Kames McLister

Ballycastle were immense on the day.  They showed hunger, desire, ferocity and in Ciaran Clarke an ace marksman from placed ball.  He finished with 12 points, all from placed ball and missed just one free during the game but this was a reawakening in the Town.  They fought for every ball and in the first half especially, they were first to the majority of second ball.  Playing Neal McAuley as a sweeper to nullify any direct ball into the Dunloy forward line, McAuley excelled.  Excellent at reading the game and he led by example as they took a stranglehold in the first half.  Conor Boyd and Matty Donnelly also playing major roles for the black and amber.

The Cuchullains showed glimpses in the first half of what they are capable off but they looked lethargic in comparison to the Town.  They were hampered with the loss of Conor McKinley just five minutes into the game.  The Dunloy full back had just claimed an imperious catch at the heart of his defence but seemed to get injured as he cleared.  Any potential absence there could be a major blow for the Cuchullains.  Conal Cunning’s frees kept them in touch while Keelan Molloy always looked lively. 

Ballycastle’s matthew Donnelly clears the ball

The first half belonged to the Town and they were worthy of their four point lead of 0-10 to 0-6 at the interval.  Dunloy came out in the second half a team rejuvenated however.  By the second half water break, the Cuchullains had reeled in the four point lead and with Seaan Elliott’s 45th minute point they retook the lead for the first time since Keelan Molloy’s opening point just 14 seconds into the game.

Ballycastle were undeterred.  Their discipline the tackle and work rate was exemplary and would have been good enough to win many a game.  Seamus McAuley was drafted in at half time and gave another presence in the middle third.  The Cuchuallians were made to work for every score they managed to ween out of a quite brilliant Ballycastle defence.  They tried everything with the home side’s management team working tirelessly on the side line looking for the key to unlock the Town’s defence.

The scores continued to come at both ends.  Tit for tat, blow for blow with these two north Antrim giants slogging it out under the sweltering summer sun. 

Clarkey recorded Ballycastle’s 17th point and his 12th of the game in the third minute of injury time to edge Ballycastle ahead for the third time in the game and they looked to have saw off the Cuchullains resurgence. 

Not so.

The clock ticked further and Dunloy pressed.  The sliotar wide on the right and Keelan Molloy under pressure.  He could have been forgiven for sending this one wide of the posts.  There was no need for apologies.  One umpire nodded to the other and the white flag was raised once again to tie the scores for the seventh time in the match and a score fitting for the occasion.

The drama wasn’t over there.  Neither side were settling for a share of the championship points, but it was the Cuchullains who carved open the clearest opportunity.  The Cuchullains worked the sliotar to Aaron Crawford who left his sweeping berth and soloed clear.  The composure was there but the accuracy wasn’t. 

All square in a gripping contest.  Championship hurling is back. 

TEAMS

Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Conor McKinley, Conor Ferris; Kevin McKeague, Eamon Smyth, Ryan McGarry; Paul Shiels, Kevin Molloy; Ronan Molloy, Keelan Molloy, Nicky McKeague; Chrissy Brogan, Conal Cunning, Eoin O’Neill

Scorers: C Cunning 0-7 (6f); Keelan Molloy 0-5; Kevin Molloy 0-2; E O’Neill 0-1; E Emyth 0-1; Seaan Elliott 0-1

Ballycastle: Brendan Connor; Oran Kearney, Matthew Donnelly, Sean Kelly; James McLister, Conor Boyd, Eamon Elliott; Ronan McCarry, Ryan McCook; Cathal Connor, James McShane, Ciaran Butler; Diarmuid McShane, Neal McAuley, Ciaran Clarke

Scorers: C Clarke 0-12 (11f, 1’65); D McShane 0-2; C Boyd 0-1; C Butler 0-1; Seamus McAuley 0-1

Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)

by thesaffrongael

Latharna Og off to good start

Casement Social Club JHC Group 1 round robin

Davitt’s 1-12 Larne 3-12

Report by Damin Ferran

Last year’s Junior B champions Latharna Og were the visitors to Davitt Park for the first game in this season’s Junior Hurling Championship and came away with the points in what eventually turned out to be an enthralling contest.

The first half was a very cagey affair, dominated by pointed frees and missed opportunities. In fact, it took until the 25th minute before a point was scored from open play. Larne were first to register a score after 3 minutes. A further two pointed frees were added after the Davitt’s had levelled the opening score, through a well taken free from Christopher Gallagher, to lead by 2 points after 10,ins.

A great save from the Davitt’s net minder Joe McCaff gave Larne the opportunity to increase their lead from the resulting 65 which was duly converted. Both teams were unable to settle and traded further frees before Stephen McGivern (Davitt’s) registered the first score from play to reduce the gap to 3. This was quickly followed by a penalty award to the Davitt’s which was put wide and the chance for the game to be levelled was squandered. A further point from Stephen McGivern, following a great save from the Larne net minder, was answered with yet another pointed free from Larne to leave the half-time score Davitt’s 0-4 Larne 0-7.

The 2nd half was just a few minutes old when a point from Don Whelan (Davitt’s) reduced the deficient to two points but Larne hit back immediately with a goal, followed by another pointed free to extended their lead over the host club. Two further converted frees from Don Whelan reduced the visitors lead to 4 points heading into the water break. The Davitt’s management team used this break to fire up their players and this had immediate effect with the Davitt’s pointing four in a row (3 Don Whelan frees and Christopher Gallagher point) in a blistering 4 minute spell to bring the game level. Roared on by a large home support the hosts had the wind in their sails and took the lead a few minutes later through a wonderful goal from Anthony Rowntree following great work from the scorer and Christopher Gallagher. Larne registered another point from play, quickly followed up with two converted frees to once again level the game.

We were in to the last few minutes of the game with both teams now pressing hard to gain the advantage and it was Larne that that struck the killer blow. A well taken goal was quickly followed by a point and the advantage was truly with Larne now. A final score for Davitt’s from Don Whelan’s 65 brought Davitt’s to within one score but this was short lived as the visitors caught the hosts on the break to score the final and decisive score with another goal on the final whistle which gave them a six point victory.

by thesaffrongael

Juniors in action on a day of wall to wall hurling

Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship

It is wall to wall hurling tomorrow as the Junior Hurling Championship gets underway along with the Intermediate and Senior

The Junior Championship is divided into four groups, one of which has four team and three others which have tree each.

Group 1 has four which means all four are in action at the same time. Tomorrows games in the group sees Latharna Og, last season’s Junior B winners, taking on Davitt’s at Davitt Park, while their East Antrim neighbours Glenarm host St Paul’s at Feystown in what should be a really top class contest.

Group 2 sees Lamh Dhearg have a rest day tomorrow while St Teresa’s take on Con Magees Glenravel. The winner of that game will be in the driving seat in that group so it should be a good contest.

In Group 3 Robert Emmet’s Cushendun look to be the form team and they start off with a home game against Loch Mór Dál gCais tomorrow. Many people will be writing the Loughshore men off but Emmet’s will take note that their visitors ran up a big score against All Saints a couple of weeks ago. St Agnes sit it out tomorrow before they get into action against Loch Mór next weekend.

In Group 4 Ardoyne are the team who have a rest day while Rasharkin host All Saints Ballymena at Dreen. The St Mary’s outfit are fancied to be one of the front runners in this competition but games between themselves and their neighbours from the ‘Town’ are always feisty affairs and the Dreen men will be taking anything for granted.

by thesaffrongael

Emmet’s say thanks to Randal at the Blue Room

By Denis O’Hara

RANDAL McDonnell, mine host of the iconic Blue Room at Cushendun Hotel, was taken by surprise on Thursday last (August 6) when members of the local Robert Emmet GAC Quiz team marked his 80th birthday with special tributes.

The proprietor of the river-mouth hostelry has been a generous benefactor of the Emmet’s weekly fund-raising Quiz which has been, until the present Covid 19 lock-down, a constant stream of financial help to the Club for almost thirty years.

Special presentation to Randal McDonnell (centre) includes Cushendun Emmet GAC Quiz officials Mrs Pearl McQuillan, Sean McKendry (Emmet’s chairman) Mrs Marie Mort and Fr Perry Gildea.

Mrs Marie Mort, a Quiz Committee official, said: “We couldn’t let the occasion go by without recognizing Randal’s 80th birthday. Our Quiz team decided on a special tribute. We presented Randal with a specially engraved mirror, featuring a picture of the village’s McBride’s pub, which his family was associated with for decades.

“Fr Perry Gildea, one of our regular quizzers, kindly made the presentation. The Quiz was launched almost three decades ago by Mrs Pearl McQuillan, when she and her late husband Danny generously hosted the Quiz in their Bay Hotel, Cushendun.

“When the Bay Hotel closed forever Randal came to our rescue by offering the use of his nearby premises. We have been there ever since, never missing the Weekly Quiz until this present lock-down.

“We are especially grateful to Randal. The venue in the Cushendun Hotel premises has been a great source of enjoyment every Thursday evening. So, we did not want this special day go by without wishing Randal a ‘very happy birthday’.

“He has been an ever faithful supporter of our fund-raising Quiz programme, which also donates to various charities. Ever since the Emmet’s Quiz began Mrs Pearl McQuillan has been our enthusiastic quiz-master.”

With typical modesty the redoubtable Randal, a Justice of the Peace who spent some thirty years a Councillor in the old Moyle District Council, where he was elevated to Chair that Council before retiring, wondered what all the fuss was about.

“I was preparing to go for my mid-afternoon walk on the beach, went outside to find a horde of people waiting to greet me. It was a very pleasant surprise. There was no need for this, really.

“Not only was I presented the specially designed mirror, but also baskets of fruit, and a commissioned painting of the original Cushendun Hotel, which was opened by my grandmother, Elizabeth McBride, in 1927. This is an intriguing painting, of great historical significance, locally. Beside the present Cushendun Hotel site is the old Anchorage Hotel, and nothing else.

“This new 20-bedroom Anchorage Hotel, built by Maurice Finlay, opened in 1924, had some restoration completed and a name change to the Glendun Hotel when purchased in 1928 by the Elliott family, who later added a further facility by building the iconic Bay Hotel in the mid 1930’s.”

Incidentally, Maurice Finlay, a giant of a man and noted salmon fisherman and oarsman, was a member of the Cushendun Brian Boro hurling team that won the second Feis na nGleann ‘Shield of the Heroes’ final of 1905.

Cushendun beat holders Carey Faughs in a repeat of the inaugural 1904 Feis decider at Waterfoot. The Brian Boro team later had the name change to Robert Emmet GAC.

Incidentaly the Emmet’s begin their Junior Hurling Championship campaign tomorrow (Sunda) when they host Loch Mór Dál gCais at the Riggs at 2pm

by thesaffrongael

Intermediate hurlers start their campaigns tomorrow

Andersonstown Social Club Intermediate Hurling Championship

Tomorrow sees the start of the Intermediate Hurling Championship and while their counterparts in the Intermediate Football Champions could look forward to at least five games, that is not the case for the hurlers.

Four out of the nine clubs playing in the three groups of three are hurling only clubs, and for them the pressure will be intense. If they lose their two games in the group, chances are their summer is over. While some of the dual clubs can always fall back on getting a game or two of football that is not the case for Glenariffe Oisins, Carey Faughs, St Brigid’s Cloughmills and Armoy Glen Rovers.                  

In fact the same can be said for the two hurling only clubs at senior level Loughgiel and Cushendall. They play each other tomorrow so whoever loses that game have the trap door waiting for them. Now the chances are because of the group they are in they will be OK, but why their competition is not played on the same lines as the football championship is hard to figure out.

However that is a question for another day. Tomorrow throws up some really exciting games, and none more so than Creggan Kickhmas v Carey Faughs. The semi-final places will be made up of the winner in each group, plus the best runner-up from three groups, but with Sarsfields being the third team in their group it looks like it is going to be very tight and on the face of it you would say it is likely that just one will emerge from their division.

Unfortunately there has been little to judge the teams form on so far this season, with just one league game so far. No doubt Carey will have had a few friendlies organised, but with Creggan being heavily involved on the football front their preparation will have been a bit more hampered. Unfortunately that is one of the drawbacks of the terrible times we are living though. These two have had some great battles down the years and tomorrow promises to be another closely fought affair.

The game in group 2 is between two exclusively hurling clubs, Cloughmills and Armoy. Cloughmills have home advantage in this one and have two games under their belts in the league, the first one a big win over Glenarm in Feystown and the other a narrow defeat to Cushendun. Amoy played Creggan in their game back on July 22nd and while they lost out by five points they still put together a good performance. Tir na nÓg are the third team in the group and they travel to Armoy next Sunday.

In Group 3 Oisins make the journey to Ahoghill to take on Cloney Gaels and once again this one is hard to call. The Glenariffe men played one game in the league at the end of the lockdown when they lost out to Carey Faughs by a goal but Ahoghill’s scheduled match with St Gall’s fell by the wayside. These two have had a few bruising battles over the years and Cloney will be no place for the weak hearted on Sunday. Gort na Móna are the third team in this group and they journey down to Waterfoot next Sunday to take on the Oisins.