ACHL Division 1

Cuchullian’s 2-26 Ballygalget 1-14

By Paul McLean

Dunloy recorded their first victory of the season with a fifteen point win at home to Ballygalget. Second half goals from Anton McGrath and Tom McFerran laid the foundation for the win, aided by a fine display of scoring from Nicky McKeague who barely put a foot wrong over the hour.

Had it not been for a string of top class saves by Ballygalget net minder Eoin Clarke the margin of victory could have been even greater. The visitor’s keeper was in great form as he produced a fine exhibition to prevent Dunloy from increasing their scoring.

It was the visitors who started the stronger, against the wind, with three points in a row from Oisin Coulter, Eoin Pucci and Shea Pucci. It took until the 7th minute for Dunloy to register when full forward Gabriel McTaggart opened Dunloys account.

Tom McFerran and a Nicky McKeague free brought the game level for the first time but a brace of Eoin Pucci points between an impressive score from wing half back Kevin Molloy kept the Down men in front before Dunloy began to gain a foothold.

The visitors wouldn’t score again until the 26^th minute when Eoin Pucci recorded his fourth of the half.

In between three pointed Nicky McKeague frees along with scores by Anton McGrath, Deaglan Smith and Ryan McFarlane gave the home side a five point lead.

With four minutes left in the first half Deaglan Smith was denied by Eoin Clarke and the Ballygalgert net minder also denied Anton McGrath as Dunloy began to turn the screw.

Dunloy would however finish off strong with frees from Nicky McKeague (2) and one from substitute Padraig Martin to give them a 0-13 to 0-06 lead at the break.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with Dunloy outscoring their opponents all over the pitch.

Padraig Martin got the first score of the half for Dunloy with the impressive Eoin Pucci replying for the visitors but Tom McFerran stretched the home teams lead to nine points after he picked off two scores on the trot.

Eoin Clarke continued to provide stern resistance for the visitors, denying Anton McGrath and then Gabriel McTaggart soon after with two fine saves. Dunloy continued to ask questions of the visiting keeper and it was Anton McGrath who finally found a way past him.

A ball in from Paul Shiels caused problems in the Ballygalget back line where McGrath found an inch of space to fire low past Clarke from close range.

The visitors kept battling and Eoin Pucci (2) and Cathal Coulter replied with points but they suffered a blow when Ben Teggart dismissed following a reckless pull under the dropping ball with referee Colm McDonald issuing a straight Red.

Nicky McKeague then went on a one man scoring spree with four scores on the trot, firing over three frees and one from play to really put his side well clear.

Tom McFerran put the game out of sight for Dunloy when he fired low to the net to cap off a good hour for himself personally.

Cormac Coulter & Eoin Pucci continued to work up front as they replied for the Down men but it was all too little at this stage of the game.

Hard work tends to see rewards and that was the case for Shea Pucci. He forced a turnover on his own 45, before battling through and firing to the net. A fine individual reward for the work he put in over the hour.

Dunloy saw the game out with scores from Nicky McKeague(3), Oisin McCamphill & Ryan McFarlane.

An entertaining game from both sides who were able to let all of their panels get some much needed game time.

Dunloy: Paul Doherty, Oran Quinn, Daire McMullan, Padraig McGilligan, Eamon Smyth, Paul Shiels, Kevin Molloy (0-01), Tom McFerran (1-03), Deaglan Smith (0-01), Ryan McFarlane (0-02), Nicky McKeague (0-13 – 10 frees), Conal Kelly, Ryan Mort, Gabriel McTaggart (0-01), Anton McGrath (1-02). Subs – Padraig Martin (0-02), Cathair McCloskey, Oisin McCamphill (0-01)

Ballygalget: Eoin Clarke, James Higgins, Ciaran Watson, Joseph Smyth, Ben Teggart, Cathal Coulter (0-01), Rory Teggart, Michael Toner, Eogan McDermott (0-01), Eoin Pucci (0-08 4 frees), Shea Pucci (1-00), Oisin Pucci (0-02), Cormac Coulter (0-01), Michael Dorrian, Fergal Gilmore. Subs – Odhran Birt, Ben Murray, Conaire Monan, Ryan Watson, Ciaran Moran

Referee: Colm McDonald

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

Ballycastle 2-21 Loughgiel 1-07

Ballycastle bounced back from last week’s defeat to Rossa when they beat Loughgiel in Sunday’s league game at Pairc MacUilin. Leading by o-13 too 1-06 at half time they maintained their dominance throughout the second half and in the end had seventeen points to spare as new manager Cian Waldron collected his first league win.

Full forward Neal McAuley opened the scoring when he caught a high ball on three minutes and sent it between the post and five minutes later they went two up when Ciaran Butler was sent clear by Cathair Donnelly to add a point. Loughgiel opened their account on nine minutes with a point from Shan McGrath before Mark McClean sent over from distance, but once again Loughgiel came back with a point, this time from a free on thirteen minutes.

A strong run from left half forward Darragh Donnelly ended with a well taken point midway through the first half and Seamus McAuley added one from a free on nineteen minutes to open the gap to three, and they stretched their advantage to five when centre forward Ciaran Butler added points in the twenty-first and twenty-second minutes, the second one coming after good work by half-back Ardan Kelly.

The Shamrocks brought the gap back to four when Shan McGrath sent over another free but Seamus McAuley pointed from midfield for the home side after good work from Oran Kearney and in a strong spell Cathair Donnelly, Conor Donnelly and Neal McAuley all found the target.

Loughgiel bounced back with a brilliantly taken goal by Rian McMullan who lobbed the Ballycastle goalkeeper but just on half time Seamus McAuely sent over a 65 to give his team a four point lead at the interval. (0-13 to 1-06)

A Conor Donnelly goal early in the second half really lifted the home side and they pushed on as Donnelly hit three in a row to stretch the lead to ten, before they stretched their advantage even further when Seamus McAuley and Darragh Donnelly split the Loughgiel posts. Midway through the second half Neal McAuley delivered the killer blow when Tiernan Smyth picked him out with a pass and while Rian McMullan came back with a point for the Shamrocks it was to prove their only score of the half. Ballycastle finished strong and they added a few more points before the end, the stand out one coming from Rambo McCarry in the final minute.

BALLYCASTLE

1 Eamonn Elliott 2. Oran Kearney 3. Dermot Donnelly 4. Ryan McCook 5. Mark McClean 6. Ronan Laverty 7. Ardan Kelly 8. Seamus McAuley 9. Cathair Donnelly 10. Ronan McCarry 11. Cíaran Butler 12. Darragh Donnelly 13. Connor Donnelly 14. Neal McAuley 15. Tiarnan Smyth

Subs made in second half

Conal Colgan for Dermot Donnelly, Cathal Connor for Darragh Donnelly, Gavin McToal for Connor Donnelly, Reuben McClean for Cathair Donnelly, Callum Campbell for Ciaran Butler

LOUGHGIEL

1 Shea McDonnell

2 Connor Dickson

3 Enda og McGarry

4 Cahir Connelly

5 Caolan Blair

6 Nickolas McNaughton

7 Conal McCloskey

8 Ryan McKee

9 Patrick Laverty

10 Rian McMullan

11 Eoin McCarry (replaced by Tiernan Coyle 50min)

12 Shan McGrath (off injured at ht replaced by Conor O’Mullan )

13 Charlie O’Hagan (Replaced by Danny McAuley 40mins)

14 Ronan McCollum ( replaced by John F Connelly 40mins)

15 Dan McCloskey

O’Neill’s Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 2

Glenariffe Oisins 1-22   St Gall’s 0-14

A good start that saw them hit the first five points of the game set Glenariffe up for a win over St Gall’s on Sunday at Waterfoot. St Gall’s finished the half strongly with three points in the last three minutes to cut the gap to three at the break and with the wind in their favour in the second half they were right back in contention. However the Oisins steadied the ship after the change of ends and with man of the match Alex O’Boyle unerring from frees they pulled clear again to win comfortably in the end.

Three from O’Boyle and one each from Seanie McIntosh and Phelin Ward had the Oisins five ahead after eight minutes. Aidan Mullan got St Gall’s first score in the ninth minute, and though Oliver Kearney got one back right away the visitors got four in a row to get back in contention, two of them from Dubaltach Wilson and one each from Marc Napier and Paddy Friel. Arnie Cosgrove, Oliver Kearney and Niall Murray replied for the home team to bring them six clear with minutes left in the first half, but St Gall’s strong finish which brought two points from Napier and one from Wilson to cut the deficit to three at the interval.

Alex O’Boyle turned out to be the man who dictated things in the second half and he stretched the Oisin’s lead to five with two early points from frees. Churchill and Wilson came back with two for St Gall’s but after adding another point from a free  O’Boyle struck the killer blow with a brilliantly taken goal on forty minutes. It was going to be hard for the visitors to get back at this stage and though Aaron Mackle and Aodh Mullan got a couple back for the men in blue O’Boyle’s brother Michael chipped in with a couple for the home team and Alex finished it all off with two more at the end.

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ACHL Division 3

Ballycastle 2-21 Rasharkin 4-18

St. Mary’s Rasharkin maintained their good start in division 3 when they travelled to Ballycastle and recorded a three point win over the home side.

Conor McKeever led the way for the Dreen side and recorded an impressive 0-12 and gave an exhibition of free taking, converting 0-9 on the day and three from play.

Donagh Quigg was once again in fine form for St. Mary’s and finished with 1-2 while Cahir Henderson, Conor McKillop and Emmet McKeever got the other Rasharkin goals.

Mid-fielder Shane Hasson struck two fine points for the visitors with Conan McMullan and Thomas McMullan also on target as the Dreen men make it two wins from two starts

Rasharkin: 1 Brian Og O’Neill, 2 Conor Higgins, 3 Conor Doherty, 4 Conor Donaghy, 5 Tiernan O’Boyle, 6 Aidan McKeever, 7 Conan McMullan, 8 Shane Hasson, 9 Conor McFerran, 10 Cahir Henderson, 11 Conor McKeever, 12 Thomas McMullan, 13 Conor McKillop, 14 Emmet McFerran, 15 Donagh Quigg

Subs

Daniel Doherty for Conor Doherty

Terry McGregor for Conor Mc Killop injury

Jason McGregor for Emmet McFerran injury

ACHL Division 2

Cloney Gaels 2-17 St. Paul’s 2-16

Cloney Gaels withstood a late rally from St. Paul’s to claim their second brace of points in a well contested ACHL Division 2 clash in Ahoghill on Sunday. The home side were pushed all the way by a Shaw’s Road side who were excellent on the press and gave the home side little time to settle on the ball.

It was Caolan Crossan who pointed the visitors in front in the second minute but their lead was short lived as Dan O’Neill cut in from the right and fired past Chris Murray to give the Gaels the lead.

The game was being played at breakneck pace and Sean Munce closed the gap to the minimum with a point for the visitors before Patrick Graham restored the Ahoghill side’s two point advantage with only four minutes gone.

Both sides were giving it everything and Dan O’Neill 0-2, for the home side and Caolan Duffin 0-2, for St. Paul’s kept the score board ticking before Daire Stevens from a long range free and Ronan Graham exchanged further points as play swung end to end.

St. Paul’s had trailed for most of the opening half but they responded with a goal of their own in the 20^th minute when Caolan Duffin’s well struck free from 25 meters appeared to have been blocked but the sliotar deflected of an Ahoghill stick and crept over the line.

Duffin added a point and Paul Magee followed with a second goal and the visitors were five ahead and worthy of their lead but Cloney finished the half strongly with points from Ronan Graham 0-2 and Patrick Gram to leave it 2-7 to 1-7 for the visitors at the halfway point, Duffin getting the last point for St. Paul’s

It was Cloney Gaels who made the better start to the second half and within 2 minutes they were back on level terms as Dan O’Neill from play and Ronan Graham from two pointed frees tied the contest.

Graham added another from play and then Patrick Graham was on hand to finish to the net from close range after Colla McDonnell’s shot had been saved by Chris Murray in the St. Paul’s goals.

The visitors rallied once more and Caolan Crossan from play and a couple of pointed frees and one from play from the excellent Duffin had them back on terms by the 19^th minute.

It was end to end hurling as the intensity of the game increased and Bernard Graham and Ronan Graham pushed the Ahoghill side two in front again and when James O’Connell split the posts with his first touch after entering the contest things appeared to be turning in the Cloney Gaels favour.

Caolan Crossan for the visitors and Ronan Graham exchanged further points and two more from Colla McDonnell and the sweet striking Graham looked to have sealed it for the Ahoghill men but the visitors quite simply refused to go away.

They dominated the closing exchanges as they fought to take something from the game and replied through Crossan and a massive free from full-back Daire Stevens deep in injury time to close the gap to one but that was as close as they got.

An excellent game of hurling, played at real championship pace with Aiden Graham, Patrick Dougan, Patrick Graham and Ronan Graham excellent for the Gaels and Daire Stevens, Caoimhin Killyleah, Caolan Duffin and Caolan Crossan in great form for St. Paul’s.

Cloney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham 2 Shea Neeson, 3 Patrick Dougan, 4 Harry O’Donnell, 5 Charlie McCloskey, 6 James Magee, 7 Diarmaid Graham, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Bernard Graham, 10 Patrick Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Eoin Graham, 13 Donal Graham, 14 Dan O’Neill, 15 Colla McDonnell.

Subs: Fionnbar O’Neill, Jack McFall, James O’Connell, Neil O’Connell

St. Paul’s: 1 Chris Murray, 2 Padhraic McKevitt, 3 Daire Stevens, 4 Tiarnan Auld, 5 Mark Munce, 6 Liam Walsh, 7 Thomas Duff, 8 Sean Lawell, 9 Caoimhin Killyleah, 10 Caolan Duffin, 11 Caolan Crossan, 12 Declan Chapman, 13 Sean Munce, 14 Paul Magee, 15 Declan Quinn

Referee: Colin Thompson

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