Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship – Group 2

Cushendall 1-24 Dunloy 0-19

Saturday 7 September

Brendan McTaggart reports from Paírc Naomh Mhuire, Cushendall

Cushendall made the first major statement in the Antrim senior hurling championship on Saturday evening as they swept aside the challenge of Dunloy.  It was a ruthlessly efficient display from the Ruairi’s who played with precision, speed and quality to lead this contest from start to finish.

Played in bright sunshine and with the evening showing little signs of cooling, this encounter spiced up in the second half with the officials needing eyes on the back of their head.  Don’t let anyone tell you this was a dead rubber.  It wasn’t.  Both sides wanted to win this one and the Ruairi’s were well worthy or the margin of victory.

Seaan Elliott top the scoring charts for the Cuchullains with eight white flags while Keelan Molloy continued his fine scoring form with five white flags from play.  Joseph McLaughlin once again topped the scoring charts in another impressive outing for the Ruairi’s, firing 1-9 with his goal coming early in the second half while four of the other starting six forwards also got their names on the scoresheet.  With Neil McManus also getting over 20 minutes of the match into his legs, the Ruairi’s attack shone and with 1-17 coming from play, they were in scintillating form.

Defensively, they restricted the Cuchullains to just one serious goal chance throughout the hour, Aodhán McGarry missing the target when faced with the chance in the first half.  Led superbly by the Burke brothers and Scott Walsh, Dunloy never looked like eating into the five point half time lead the Ruairi’s had earned. 

The home side upped their intensity in the second half in answer to the Cuchullains playing with more vigour and hunger after the restart.  Both sides had a man sent off late in the game, Ed McQuillan and Ronan Molloy seeing red for an off the ball incident but it had little bearing on the outcome of this game.

Both sides made two changes from their previous games with McQuillan and Paddy McGill coming in for the Ruairi’s while Daire McMullan and Aodhán McGarry made the starting 15 for the Cuchullains.

It was an even opening quarter with McLaughlin’s free taking to the fore for the home side while Seaan Elliott and Keelan Molloy were on target for the Cuchullains.  With the sides tied at four apiece, it was Fergus McCambridge’s first of two points that got brought the first moment of brilliance in the game.  Soloing through the middle of the pitch and unable to put the sliotar into his hand again, McCambridge split the uprights off his hurl to give the Ruairi’s a five points to four lead.

With the next attack, it was a piece of genius from Keelan Molloy that created a half goal chance for the Cuchullains.  Eoghan Campbell looked to have the Dunloy man tied up but a flick of his hurl and the vision to spot the run of Aodhán McGarry on the run, he laid the sliotar into his path.  McGarry bore towards Conor McAllister’s goal but his unorthodox shot went to the right hand side of the post and wide.

It was a let off for the Ruairi’s and they made the most of their luck.  They outscored Dunloy 0-6 to 0-2 in a six minute period with Ryan McCambridge, McLaughlin (two), McQuillan and Fred McCurry finding their range while points from Kevin and Keelan Molloy were the only response for Dunloy.

Five points was the difference and that remained until the end of the half, every time the Cuchullains looked to eat into the Cushendall advantage, the home side always found that little extra to keep Dunloy at arm’s length.

The Cuchullains needed a fast start to the second half, but it was the home side who were quickest out of the blocks.  A pointed free from Paddy McGill was followed by McLaughlin’s goal in the 38^th minute.  The sliotar sent to the left hand side of the Dunloy defence and as the sliotar broke, McLaughlin was there.  He stole in behind and once the sliotar was in his hand, there was an inevitability in the outcome.  Despite the angle being less than favourable, McLaughlin found the back of Ryan Elliott’s net to open a nine point lead.

Mid-way through the half that lead was stretched to 11 with McManus firing over a brace of points just minutes after his introduction.

The Cuchullains did begin to find their range with Chrissy McMahon, Keelan Molloy and a brace from Seaan Elliott (one free) coming in just under four minutes in response to Ryan McCambridge’s third point of the match.

With eight minutes of the hour remaining and plenty of niggle, referee Colm McDonald issued red cards to Ronan Molloy and Ed McQuillan after consultation with his linesman.  It did little to calm affairs though and the officials did well to keep a lid on proceedings.

Dunloy kept pushing and prodding the Cushendall defence, looking for goals to eat into the Cushendall lead and they had the deficit reduced to six thanks to the accuracy of Seaan Elliott from placed ball but a brace of scores from Eoghan Campbell added further gloss to the score line for the Ruairi’s who showed just exactly why they are county champions.  They progress to the semi-finals in four week’s time while Dunloy will look to tomorrow’s match in Loughgiel with eager eyes and find out their quarter-final opponents.

TEAMS

Cushendall: Conor McAllister; Liam Gillan, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Ruairi McCollam; Fred McCurry, Alex Delargy; Ronan McAteer, Ryan McCambridge, Fergus McCambridge; Ed McQuillan, Paddy McGill, Joseph McLaughlin

Subs: Neil McManus for P McGill (40); Ciaran Neeson for R McAteer (46); Charlie McAuley for A Delargy (54); Andrew Delargy for F McCurry (57)

Scorers: J McLaughlin 1-9 (5fs 1’65); R McCambridge 0-3; P McGill 0-2 (1f); F McCambridge 0-2; M Burke 0-2; E Campbell 0-2; N McManus 0-2 (1f); E McQuillan 0-1; F McCurry 0-1

Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Daire McMullan; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Ronan Molloy; Paul Shiels, Seaan Elliott; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Eoin McFerran; Chrissy McMahon, Eoin O’Neill, Aodhán McGarry

Subs:  Nicky McKeague for S Elliott (blood – 23/HT); N McKeague for E McFerran (blood – 41/44); Oran Quinn for D McMullan (41); N McKeague for E O’Neill (45); Deaglan Smith for C McMahon (50)

Scorers: S Elliott 0-8 (5fs 1’65); Keelan Molloy 0-5; C McMahon 0-2; N Elliott 0-1; A McGarry 0-1 (1f); N McKeague 0-1; Kevin Molloy 0-1

Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)

Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship Preview

Saturday 24 August

Group 1

Ballycastle v Naomh Eanna

Venue: Pairc MacUilin, Ballycastle

Throw In: 6pm

Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)

Sunday 25 August

Group 2

Dunloy v Rossa

Venue: Dunsilly

Throw In: 2pm

Referee: Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel)

Cushendall v St John’s

Venue: Ballymena

Throw In: 5pm

Referee: Colum Cunning (Dunloy)

Brendan McTaggart looks forward to this weekend’s Senior Hurling Championship games

SO what did we learn from the opening round of fixtures?  Not a huge amount if we’re honest.  St John’s gave Dunloy their fill of it in a bruising encounter in the Cuchullains back yard.  The Corrigan Park side were shorn of a couple of regulars and will take plenty of positives from the performance.  While discussing the match with punters since, I got the feeling that the Johnnies were more content to stop Dunloy from playing than exerting their own game.  It was a contest that pretty much mirrored the clash between the two sides in the 2023 group stage, the Cuchullains looked a bit off the pace in the early exchanges but when they clicked into gear, St John’s didn’t have many answers.

The usual suspects were leading the Dunloy charge, Keelan Molloy who at this stage must wish he could play St John’s every week given how he terrorizes their defence while Paul Shiels is like a fine wine and improves with age.

Shea Shannon, Conor Johnston and Conal Bohill were influential for Mickey Johnston’s side while Aaron Bradley and Peter McCallin where always a threat in attack.

The Cuchullains managed to pull away in the second half, thanks largely to a 10 minute period where they really went through the gears.  Scoring six points and creating goal scoring chances at will in a ten minute period where the Johnnies couldn’t live with them.

In Rossa Park, the hosts gave Cushendall a run for their money as the Ruairi’s opened the defence of their crown with a narrow win.  I described this contest as a match that Cushendall had to win three times, but from a Rossa perspective it was a match that they showed they have plenty of fight, determination and guts.  Perhaps all they were missing was a little bit of lady luck?  It’s easy carried and every team needs a little during a championship campaign but Cushendall, without being brilliant, did enough.  Joseph McLaughlin in fine form, moreso in the first half while Dominic Delargy’s influence had a major say in the outcome of the contest.  His battle with the Rossa defence under high ball was a spectacle. 

The winning of this game came from Eoghan Campbell however.  You can look at his ability to stay calm in a cauldron of pressure in the dying embers of the game within his own ’21, soloing clear and firing over a brilliant point.  But Campbell’s second half performance was outstanding and while the levels of others around him may not have peaked, Eoghan showed the way.  He had plenty of support from Fred McCurry on the day as his reputation within the game in the county continues to burgeon.    

Rossa had threats in Aodhan O’Brien and Dominic McEnhill with Gerard Walsh and Stephen Shannon excellent in defence.  Chris McDonnell used the mercurial talents of James Connolly, Eoghan McMenamin and Conall Shannon off the bench, he has options and with Michael Armstrong closing in on a return from injury, I expect Rossa to up their levels this weekend.

As expected, Loughgiel had a bit to spare against Naomh Eanna in the opening match of Group 1.  James McNaughton making a welcome return from injury to score the Shamrock’s two second half goals and Paul Boyle show casing his talents, especially in the second half.  Just three points separated the sides at half time and despite playing into the wind, Loughgiel moved through the gears to pull clear.  They had 10 different scorers with 2-16 of their total coming from play – impressive statistics for the Shamrocks while Naomh Eanna will be disappointed at coughing up so many chances.  They themselves had six different scorers with 0-15 from open play but they were second best to the visitors and the 10 point difference on the day could have easily been much more.

This weekend, Naomh Eanna will be looking to get back to winning ways against Ballycastle with The Town opening their championship campaign.

The last time these sides met, Ballycastle took the league points on offer with 11 points to spare over the Hightown Road side.  Two goals from Seamus McAuley and one from Joe McToal gave Ballycastle an eight point half time advantage before they would see out the second half.

Naomh Eanna will be hoping that the fact they have a championship match already in their legs will give them an edge against a Town side coming in from the cold.   The free taking of Cormac Jennings will be crucial while they will be hoping for more scores from open play with Eddie and Luke O’Connor expected to lead the fight.

While Ballycastle do come in from the cold, if they can get enough quality ball into the likes of McAuley and Tiernan Smyth, I’d expect them to be too much for Naomh Eanna.

On Sunday, Dunloy and Rossa will match up at Dunsilly.  This promises to be an intriguing encounter where Rossa will be looking to build upon their impressive yet ultimately losing first outing while the Cuchullains will be looking for another level from their St John’s match.

Both sides have had to contend with players involved in the senior football championship while the Cuchullains have some injury concerns.  Conal Cunning is expected to miss the game with Eoin O’Neill also a major doubt.  Both missed the Naomh Eanna match with the big ball while Oran Quinn picked up a nasty facial injury – he may need some further time to recover from that.

The Cuchullains will have options to turn to with Deaglan Smith and Anton McGrath both pushing for a starting position while Aodhan McGarry will also be giving the Dunloy management team something to think about when finalizing their starting 15.

Dunloy will start as favourites but a performance akin to that against St John’s and Rossa will be leaving with a scalp that you just know they would relish.

A short trip at the final whistle from Dunsilly across to Ballymena where Cushendall and St John’s will do battle.  The availability of Neil McManus remains to be seen, he missed the Rossa game through injury while Andrew Delargy had to be replaced during the game.  Fred McCurry didn’t look like he was firing on all cylinders at the full time whistle and was receiving treatment, given his performance and work ethic, Fred not starting would be a serious blow to the Ruairi’s.

The Johnnies could welcome back Michael Bradley from injury while Domhnall Nugent, Oisin Donnelly and Ryan McNulty are expected to be in contention.  Michail Dudley and Oisin MacManus both came off the bench against Dunloy and will be pushing for a starting place.

When thinking on these two in the championship, thoughts turn to matches in the recent past where there wasn’t more than a puck of the ball between them.  Cushendall denied St John’s on more than one occasion at the semi-final stage and while they have the capability to match the Ruairi’s, I see the champions setting out to improve on their last outing where they almost let the win slip through their hands.  If they do that, they’ll have a bit to spare against the Johnnies.

Brendan McTaggart shares a few thoughts ahead of this weekend’s senior hurling championship.

The highs and lows of the county season have come and gone; the rollercoaster ride of the championship is on our doorstep.  This. Is. Life.

Clubs are the lifeblood of the GAA and their championships are the jewel in the GAA crown.  This weekend, one senior club will begin their journey, their odyssey.  The weeks of planning and battle plans are readied.  The draws have been made, more about that later, and courses through stormy weather has been identified.

Given the draw, some courses into the knockout phase may be a little easier or less choppy, than others.  No fault of the clubs involved.  An 11^th hour change of heart from Creggan and seven teams ply their trade in the senior championship and the race for the Volunteer Cup. 

Loughgiel, Naomh Eanna and Ballycastle will shadow box their way through one group while St John’s, Rossa, Dunloy and reigning champions Cushendall will compete with one fading into the championship abyss.

Before we look at the matches ahead, the overriding feeling after the draw was one of disappointment.  The current format had been working well since its inception in 2021.  With the numbers involved this year, it just doesn’t work as well.  A little bit of brainstorming and a group of seven could have been brought in.  Three home fixtures and three away.  Top two straight into the semi-finals, places three to six into quarterfinals.

Someone put the motion forward and mark as ‘in case of emergencies’ from this day forward.

Back to the games this weekend. 

Naomh Eanna host last years’ beaten finalists Loughgiel on Sunday afternoon with a 2pm throw in.  The Glengormley side have been an emerging force in recent years and while the Shamrocks will start as favourites, Naomh Eanna will be looking to take a scalp.  They pushed Loughgiel all the way last year, coming up short in the closing stages against 14 men.  A game that reinforced Naomh Eanna’s credentials at senior level, if it were needed but a game that showed the battling qualities of a young Loughgiel side.

Cushendall begin the defence of the title they won in 2023 by travelling to Rossa.  The Ruairi’s impressed by winning Ulster and pushed Kilkenny champions O’Loughlin Gaels to their limits in the All-Ireland semi’s.  They will start the championship as favourites and while meeting Rossa in their backyard is far from an easy starter for 10, it’s hard to look beyond a Cushendall victory on Sunday. 

The opening match in that group is on Saturday evening with St John’s making the journey to Dunloy for a 7pm throw in.  The Corrigan Park men have looked like a different side this year and after a strong league campaign will relish the challenge of facing the Cuchullains.  Dunloy will start this one as favourites with the bookies but if they don’t rise to meeting the challenge of a rejuvenated St John’s under the tutelage of Mickey Johnston, they could be in trouble.

One game on Saturday evening, two on Sunday.  The chances of making all three are non-existent.  Bringing a game forward an hour or the other later an hour would have been the ideal scenario for those among us who would be mad enough to take in all three games.  Someone put it forward with the ‘in case of emergency’ motion pencilled above….

Before I go, I’ll leave you with this thought.  I attended a funeral recently of Maura McCloy (RIP), a cousin of my mum’s, Maura was a Bellaghy woman who was camogie and GAA to the backbone.  After the funeral, I was stood having a yarn with a referee who was also in attendance to pay his respect, I won’t name him.  We had a yarn about the championship and schedules when he dropped a wee gem on me before we parted company.  “The schedule for referee’s wouldn’t be any busier but it get’s tougher.  All sense of reasoning and civility goes out the window when the championship begins from all concerned.  The league is all hugs and kisses, everyone loves each other but as soon as the championship begins its insanely different.”

It got me thinking some more.  I attend a lot of games on either side of the Bann, camera in hand and the notebook makes the journey the odd occasion.  You have yarns with officials, craic and banter.  You get to know a bit more about them.  On a couple of occasions this year, the son of a referee has come up to me and asked, “why are all these people shouting at my daddy”.  That’s a tough, awkward and heart-breaking question that I’ve skirted and joked my way around. 

Give respect, get respect?  Remember the man in the middle is human.  The speed of the game is such that the chances are he will make a mistake, just like a player, a manager or even the odd journo will throughout this year.  They are also a brother, a son, a father, an uncle who are proud of their role as a volunteer.  It’s worth remembering when we go to attend any games in the coming days and weeks.

See you all pitch side folks….

Saturday 10^th August

Group 2

Dunloy v St Johns

Throw in: 7pm

Referee: Tarlach Conway

Sunday 11^th August

Group 1

Naomh Eanna v Loughgiel

Throw in: 2pm

Referee: Colum Cunning

Group 2

Rossa v Cushendall

Referee – Barry Winters