O’Neills Antrim ACHL Division Two

Sarsfield’s 2-18

Carryduff 1-24

Visitors Carryduff claimed the points on day one of the ACHL Division 2 when they overcame a strong challenge from Sarsfields at the Bear Pit on Sunday.

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The visitors played their way into the contest after a slow start and led by two at the break following a quick exchange of goals, but powered home in the second period with a late Sarsfield’s goal a mere consolation.

Sarsfield’s Fionn Jemfrey landed the first score of the season for Sarsfield’s despite Carryduff protests the shot was wide and Jemfrey doubled the advantage with Caolan McKernan and Oisin Coleman also on target.

At this stage the home side were looking good with Carryduff were off finding the target elusive but Donal Rooney opened his account from a free in the 8^th minute.

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However, the Paddies were calling the shots with strong pressure forcing a turnover that Daniel Smyth pointed and then Donal McKernan converted a sideline.

Eventually the South Belfast side settled into their rhythm and began to get into their stride as after an exchange of points, Donal and Eoin Rooney and Lavery would fire over points to help their side into the lead for the first time.

Donal McKernan replied from a free, but Carryduff were on a roll and they opened a three-point gap late in the half.

Sarsfield’s responded through McKernan pointing and then Enda McCartan found Jemfrey to lash to the net and at this stage the smart money was on the home side.

However, Carryduff responded in kind with Sean O’Callaghan’s initial effort saved by Daniel McKernan, but Ciaran O’Callaghan finished the rebound to help his team into a 1-12 to 1-10 advantage at the interval.

They added to that lead at the start of the second half with Conor McAlister leading the way and he would finish the game with six points. He landed the first two on the restart before the hosts hit back when Donal McKernan found Daniel Smyth with a superb crossfield sideline to score.

After Rooney pushed the gap out to three with a 65, points from Anthony McGarrigle and Brendan Jackson left one in it, but this was as close as Sarsfield’s would get. 

Carryduff finished on the front foot to hit five of the next six points through McAlister and Rooney to extend the gap to six in added time before Fionn Jemfrey responded with his second goal.

This gave Sarsfield’s a lifeline, but they couldn’t engineer another opportunity as Carryduff claimed the opening day points and could be a side to watch this year. 

Sarsfield’s: Daniel McKernan; D Coleman, J Cunningham, M McCavanagh; J Maguire, C McKernan (0-1), R McKenna; A McGarrigle (0-1), E McCartan (0-1); D Smyth (0-2), Donal McKernan (0-7, 3f, 2x65s, 1 sl), O Coleman (0-2); J Ward, A McKiernan, F Jemfrey (2-3).

Subs: B Jackson (0-1) for M McCavanagh (26), N McAlea for J Maguire (40).

Carryduff: C McLornan; N McArdle, C Cassidy, C Goodwin; M Conway, D Goodwin, O Wyer; O Teague, D Rooney (0-11, 8f, 2x65s); J Lavery (0-3), C McAlister (0-6), C O’Callaghan (1-0); S O’Callaghan, J Woods (0-1), E Rooney (0-3).

Subs: D Sharkey for N McArdle (50), C Ennis for S O’Callaghan (50), C O’Reilly for C O’Callaghan (58), M McCaughey for E Rooney (59).

Referee: John Dornan (East Belfast) 

O’Neills ACHL Division One 

Rossa 1-19-0-16 Ballycastle 

Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa

Rossa got their hurling league campaign off to a winning start, after holding off a strong Ballycastle fightback to claim a 1-19-0-16 win at Rossa Park on Sunday afternoon. 

The hosts dominated the early exchanges on the scoreboard with Deaglan Murphy converting two frees, popping over from play, assisting a Pearse Short point and then landing a magnificent angled score from out by the sideline. 

Neal McAuley opened Ballycastle’s account from a converted free, with Murphy adding his third placed ball at the other end. 

The elder of the returning Murphy brothers continued to add scores at will, conjuring up another free, younger brother Daire got in on the act  and a further Deagaln score from play opened up a 0-9-0-1 lead. 

Ballycastle would claw their way back into proceedings in the later stages of the half but for the meantime had to time their scores with Tiernan Smyth squeezing a shot inside of the posts. 

Rossa almost claimed the opening goal when Deaglan Murphy slipped a pass inside to Pearse Short, but Short was bottled up by full-back Dermot Donnelly. 

Four unanswered points would follow though, Deaglan Murphy adding another two placed balls, Eoghan McMenamin swung an angled shot over and Stephen Beatty dropped a fine point from range. 

The visitors ended the half in ascendancy with three unanswered scores of their own. Lorcan Donnelly floated a shot over from Dermot Donnelly’s layoff, he then got his angles right shortly afterwards and Cahir Donnelly would provide another before the short whistle, though they did have their work cut-out- trailing 0-13-0-5 at the interval. 

Half-time substitute Tiarnan Murphy clipped over the opening score of the second period and an Eoin Trainor score shortly afterwards had the winning margin at double figures. 

Like the opening half, Neal McAuley got his side up and running from the placed ball- dropping a 65’ over and it was the first of five in a row that halved the deficit for the visitors

Conor Donnelly opened his personal account for the afternoon, Cahir doubled his and further points from Seamus McAuley and Neal McAuley from play made it 0-15-0-10. 

Momentum was momentarily halted thanks to Deaglan Murphy’s seventh converted free of the day, though Neal McAuley responded from the same scenario at the other end. 

McAuley punished a further three infringements in the aftermath as Ballycastle had closed to within two-points with little over five minutes remaining (0-16-0-14). 

Another Murphy free again stopped the visitors momentum and on the 57th minute Rossa looked to have sealed the points when substitute Tiarnan bore down and steered a low shot beyond the reach of Eamonn Elliott. 

Ballycastle rallied briefly through a Seamus McAuley point from play and a sixth converted free from McAuley. 

However, the hosts ended the afternoons scoring through a splendid Tiarnan Murphy attempt that dropped over and point from youngster and substitute Liam McEnhill. 

Donal Armstrong needed to be alert to deny Conor Donnelly in added time and from the resulting 65’, Seamus McAuley floated the ball towards goal and Declan McCartney made a vital stop on the line as Rossa held out for a 1-19-0-16 win and join Sundays other winners on the league summit. 

ROSSA: D Armstrong, C McGuinness, C Orchin, C Boyle, D McCartney, S Beatty (0-1), O McVicker, D Rogan, D Murphy (0-11, 0-8f), C O’Neill, P Short (0-1), Daire Murphy (0-1), D Rocks, E Trainor (0-1), E McMenamin (0-1). Subs: T Murphy (1-02) for C O’Neill (HT), L McEnhill (0-1) for D Rogan (50), M Armstrong for Daire Murphy (55). 

BALLYCASTLE: E Elliott, O Kearney , D Donnelly, R McCook, M McClean, J McShane, R Laverty, S McAuley (0-2), Cahir Donnelly (0-2), J McToal, N McAuley (0-8, 0-6f, 0-1 65’), R McClean, Conor Donnelly (0-1), T Smyth (0-1). Subs: C Butler for R McClean (HT), D Kelly for J McToal (40), A Kelly for R McCook (45), C McAuley for L Donnelly (49), Darragh Donnelly for C Butler (56). 

REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (LÁMH DHEARG)

ACHL Division 2

 St. Paul’s 0-14 Emmet’s 0-12

St. Paul’s got their league campaign up and running with a good win over a strong Robert Emmet’s, Cushendun on the Shaw’s Road on Sunday.

It was nip and tuck for most of this excellent contest and it was Calum Kilgore who pointed the visitors ahead early in the contest but it would be the only time they led until late in the half.

John V Morgan in the Emmet’s goals pulled of a good save but it was a sign of what was to come as the home side hit the front with points from Sean Munce, Conall Finnegan and Caolan Duffin to take a 0-3 to0-1 lead.

Cushendun began to settle however and Dominic McQuillan, Conrad McDonnell and Andrew Breslin replied with points in answer to one from Declan Chapman and it was all square at 0-4 apiece with little to separate the sides at this stage.

A superb long range effort from inside his own half from Daire Stevenson restored the St. Paul’s lead and another from Caolan Crossan had the hosts two in front but two in reply from veteran Dominic McQuillan had it tied once more.

Once again it was the excellent Caolan Duffin who restored the ‘Hoops’ lead before a cfcouple in reply from Tomas Scally briefly restored the Emmet’s advantage but Caolan Crossan fired over at the other end to leave it 0-8 to 0-8 at the break.

It was St. Paul’s who were first off the mark in the second half as Caolan Duffin pointed to move them ahead once more before Chris Murray pulled of a great save at the other end as the visitors attempted to respond.

Back came the North Antrim side again and Eoin Magee brought the sides level once more with a good point but Thomas Duff split the posts at the other end to put the hosts in front once more.

It was obvious this one was going to go right down to the wire as Dominic McQuillan pointed a ‘65’ for the Glens men but again the home side found a reply and it was Caolan Duffin who pointed from play and then added another from a free to move his side two clear.

Dominic McQuillan was going all in his power to keep the Emmet’s in contention as he converted another free but a superb point from deep in his own half from Daire Stevenson would prove to be the score that would finally break the Cushendun resistance.

John V was at hand as he once again came to his side’s rescue with Paul Magee making the points secure and Conor McHugh responding with a consolation point for Robert Emmet’s.

St. Paul’s: 1 Chris Murray, 2 Mark Munce, 3 Fionntan Gamble, 4 Tiarnan Auld, 5 Thomas Duff, 6 Daire Stevenson, 7 Liam Walsh, 8 Sean Lawell, 9 Caoimhin Killyleah, 10 Caolan Duffin, 11 Declan Chapman, 12 Conall Finnegan, 13 Pol MacAoidh. 14 Caolan Crossan, 15 Sean Munce

Cushendun: 1 John V Morgan, 2 Mark McSparran, 3 Donal O’Hara, 4 Pearse McKeegan, 5 Matthew McCartin, 6 Aidan Corbett, 7 Jack McKay, 8 Aidan McSparran, 9 Andrew Breslin, 10 JohnJoe O’Connell, 11 Archie McSparran, 12 Michael McHugh, 17 Eoin Magee, 21 Calum Kilgore, 14 Shay McGinley, 18 James Morgan, 20 Conor Bannon, 22 Conor McHugh, 23 Conrad McDonnell, 24 Dominic McQuillan, 25 Tomas Scally, 26 Pierce Bannon, 27 Gareth Magee, 28 Colm McKeegan

Referee: Shane McDonnell

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O’Neill’s Antrim Hurling League Division 2

Tir na nOg 2-16 Glenariffe Oisins 0-24

A late fightback by Tir na nOg came up just short in the opening game of the Antrim Hurling League Division 2 at Whitehill as visitors Glenariffe held on for a two point win. When the Oisins opened up an eight point gap with just twelve minutes of normal time remaining it all appeared to be plain sailing for the men from the Glens, but Tir na nOg upped the pace and had the Oisins defence at sixes and sevens down the home straight, grabbing two goals from penalties by substitute Sean Duffin. The gap was down to a single point entering injury time, but a late point by top scorer Alex O’Boyle got them over the line to the great relief of their travelling support.

The game got underway in bright sunny conditions, with the home side playing with the aid of a slight breeze. The early stages were evenly matched with Ciaran Logan and Kevin Sheerin hitting two apiece while Orrin O’Connor, Alex O’Boyle were sending them over for Glenarife. The visitors hit a purple patch Conor Patterson and Brogan O’Connor getting in on the scoring act and O’Boyle sending over two points from sideline ‘cuts’ in quick succession, in reply to points at the other end from Declan Mallon and Kevin Sheering which kept the home side in touch. However the Oisins finished the half strongly and two more Alex O’Boyle points and one from his brother Michael gave them a 0-14 to 0-09 lead by half time.

Despite playing against the breeze in the second half Tir na nOg started strongly with points from Darragh Fagan and Joshua Higgins ( who was to prove very influential in that second half) cut the gap back to three. However Conor Patterson, Michael Haughey and Alex O’Boyle came back with four in a row to leave seven between them.

A magical spell by Higgins, which saw him hit four brilliant points from play, in reply to one from an O’Boyle free closed the gap back to just four as the the Glenariffe defence began to struggle. Two more by O’Boyle and one by Seanie McIntosh appeared to settled matters, but the introduction of substitute Sean Duffin swung things back in the home team’s favour. A goal from a Duffin penalty had the gap back to four again and when he fired in a second one five minutes later there was just a point between the sides. With three minutes of injury time added it looked like it was anyone’s game, but O’Boyle settled it with another point after good work by Brogan O’Connor.

TIR NA nOG

Michael Higgins, Brandon McLarnon, Ciaran O’Neill, Manus Smyth, Ryan O’Neill, Colm Duffin, Caoimhin Duffin, Darragh Fagan, Conor McCamphill, Ciaran Logan, Kevin Sheerin, Joshua Higgins, Niall Davlin, Declan Mallon, Emmet Martin.

Subs – Sean Duffin, Daniel Martin, Dylan McLarnon

OISINS

Paul McMullan, Patrick McIlwaine, Niall Murray, Cailin Devlin, Brogan O’Connor, Michael Haughey, Daniel Kearney, Odhran Gillen, Oliver Kearney, Phelim Ward, Conor Patterson, Alex O’Boyle, Orrin O’Connor, Michael O’Boyle, Seanie McIntosh.

Subs  – James Kearney for Michael O’Boyle. Ronan Leech for Michael Haughey

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