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by thesaffrongael

Carson’s late goals sends the Johnnies to the top of the table

Senior Hurling League – Division One

Dunloy 0-9 St John’s 1-7

Sunday 1 June

Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy

A 58th minute goal from Conall Carson proved to be the decisive score of this match as the Johnnies defeated Dunloy by the minimum.  In a match played in horrible conditions more accustomed to early winter than late spring, this was a contest won by the team that made less mistakes. 

The Cuchullains hit an uncharacteristic number of wides in both halves and while St John’s didn’t fare much better, they took the goal chance that came their way.

Defensively, St John’s were solid with Ryan McNulty, Michael Darragh and Conal Bohill all excelling while Kevin Molloy, Deaglan Smith and Oran Quinn performed well for the home side.

Both sides looked to play a short passing game to combat against the elements.  There wasn’t much room for any articulate hurling but both St John’s and Dunloy went about their business with controlled aggression and precision.

The home side started brighter with Nicky McKeague pointing frees either side of an Aodhan McGarry point to give Dunloy a three point lead by the seventh minute.

Oisin MacManus fired over for the Corrigan Park’s side first point of the match in the seventh minute to get the Johnnies firing but despite playing against the wind, Dunloy were making hay. 

Points from the influential Tom McFerran and Ryan Mort stretched the Cuchullains lead to four points by the 10th minute but it would be over 15 minutes before the home side would register another score.

St John’s fired over four points unanswered in the same time period with Aaron Bradley, substitute Michail Dudley, Shea Shannon and MacManus tying the scores before a Nicky McKeague free in the 26th minute gave Dunloy a one point lead at half time.

Goal chances were at a premium in the first half with Eoghan Richmond not troubled while Domhnall Nugent did well to deny Nicky McKeague’s rifled effort midway through the half as the rain came down to resemble that of a monsoon.

With the elements showing no signs of improving, both sides work rate never dipped.  Space was in scarce supply in forward areas with MacManus firing over the opening score of the half in the 34th minute.

Aodhan McGarry split the posts for his second point of the match moments later but that would be the last score of the game for almost 20 minutes.  Dunloy had another half chance of goal with Luke McFerran going close with a drive from distance but Nugent was equal to his shot.

Nicky McKeague stretched the Dunloy lead to two points with four minutes of the hour remaining and with the Cuchullains looking to see out the hour, St John’s found the back of the net.  Running off the shoulder, Conall Carson collected the sliotar and fired to the back of the net to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.

A point from the impressive Aaron Bradley followed to give his side the insurance they needed and while the home side pushed for a goal, a point from substitute Paul Shiels was all they could manage in the time that remained.

With these two facing off in the championship group stage later this year, both will be hoping that they’ll be playing with more fluidity and maybe drier weather.  Winning the two points takes the Johnnies to the top of the table as the league splits ahead of the next round of fixtures.

TEAMS

Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Eoin McFerran, Sean Og Blaney, Oran Quinn; Ben O’Kane, Kevin Molloy, Deaglan Smith; Ciaran Elliott, Ryan McGarry; Sean Martin-McShane, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Aodhan McGarry, Luke McFerran, Ryan Mort

Scorers: N McKeague 0-4 (4fs); A McGarry 0-2; T McFerran 0-1; R Mort 0-1; Paul Shiels 0-1

St John’s: Domhnall Nugent; Ronan Donnelly, Ryan McNulty, Michael Darragh; Daragh McGuinness, Conall Bohill, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson, Shea Shannon; Aaron Bradley, Danaan McKeogh, Oisin MacManus; Conall Carson, Michael Bradley, Ruairi Galbraith

Scorers: C Carson 1-1; O MacManus 0-2 (2fs); A Bradley 0-2; S Shannon 0-1; Michail Dudley 0-1

Referee: Mark O’Neill

TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Dunloy complete the Feile double

Dunloy’s talented bunch bunch of player overcame a strong St Galls side in the sunshine at Dunsilly on Saturday to not only win their first A Football Feile since 2006, but also to win a historic first double Feile in both Hurling and Football for the North Antrim dual club, just 3 weeks apart. 

The group stages for the southwest A Teams were hosted in Dunloy and the champions started with a comprehensive win over Tir Na Nog by 2-5 to 0-1.  Dunloy Started brightly with a goal from full forward Dylan McTague. A flurry of points from Oisin O’Brien widened the gap and a second goal sealed the first group points.

Next up was Casements Portglenone and Dunloy started brightly again playing with the strong breeze. Goals from Paidi O’Kane in both halves secured another win with a scoreline of 2-07 to 1-02.

Dunloy team captin Paidi O’Kane received the cup after his team’s win over St Gall’s at Dunsilly

The final group game saw Dunloy play Aghagallon, which was a winner takes all encounter, as a win for the Aghagallon side would have saw them finish top of the group by virtue of the head to head win and proceed to the all-county final later in the afternoon at Dunsilly.  Dunloy were in no mood to let that happen and again stamped their authority early in the game with goals from Paidi OKane , Oisin O’Brien and Tom Richmond, running out eventual winners on a score-line of 4-03 to 1-01.

The final played in perfect conditions in Dunsilly was a great contest for the majority of the game and the football on show belied the age groups playing. Dunloy started strong again with an Oisin O’Brien goal, before St Galls responded with a major of their own.  A second goal for Dunloy this time by Paidi O’Kane saw the eventual champions lead by 2-02 to 1-01 at half time. Further goals by Blaine Mullan & Harry Blaney extended Dunloy’s lead and it looked like it was all over.  However, St Galls had chances of their own and two outstanding saves by the Dunloy netminder Ciaran O’Brien, halted any resurgence from the Belfast team. A second point from Dunloy midfielder Ethan Guiney confirmed that the dual club from North Antrim would win a historic first Double Feile Championship.

Dunloy now proceed to the All Ireland Football Feile in County Derry on the 28th June, a week after they will compete in Wexford in the All Ireland Hurling Feile.

A great achievement for this talented bunch of lads. Team Mentors Enda Doherty, Tim McGarry, Kevin Doherty, Malachy McAleese, Ady Traynor & Adrian Black.

Feile A fooball Champions Cuchullains Dunloy

Feile A Hurling Champions Cuchullains Dunloy

by thesaffrongael

Antrim overcome London challenge to book a place in the knockout stages

Tailteann Cup Group Three

Antrim 1-22 London 1-14

Antrim overcame a strong challenge from London in Pairc Esler on Sunday to book a place in the knockout stages of the Tailteann Cup where they will face Wexford in Wexford Park next weekend.

They would have to wait on results from the other third round games being played today and when the news came through that Leitrim had defeated Tipperary it was the result that Antrim needed to keep their Tailteaan hopes alive.

The Saffrons started nervously against a London team that had ran them tight in last year’s competition and who obviously fancied their chances of claiming a major scalp.

Antrim’s Ryan Murray escapes the chasing pack

It was a tight enough encounter for three quarters of the game, but a black card for London’s Matt Moynahan was a prelude to a run of 1-4 without reply as Antrim pushed on to win by eight in the end.

Antrim trailed by four at half time, but given the severity of the conditions, it didn’t seem an unsurmountable lead and that proved to be the case as the Saffrons struck two early 2 pointers in the opening minutes of the second half to draw level.

It was a day where both teams were not just seeking victory, but by as much as possible with scoring difference in play, yet with a strong wind that seemed to favour The Exiles, but swirled throughout, scoring remained difficult.

Antrim did get off the mark with Ryan McQuillan kicking points off either foot and the Glenravel man would play a big part in his sides success, but London grew into it as Daniel Clarke pointed and might have had a goal but Mick Byrne pulled off a fine blocking save to deny Ciaran Diver with the ball rebounding to Joshua Obahor to level.

Diver edged his side into the lead before Conal Gallagher slung over the first two-pointer of the game, while Byrne was again called into action to save from Ruairi Rafferty with the subsequent ‘45’ struck sweetly between the uprights by Sean Taylor.

McQuillan replied but Liam Gallagher sent over another two for London who were now five up before Antrim began to make some inroads with points from Conor Stewart and Paddy McBride.

Diver and Shay Rafter restored the Exiles 5 point advantage but after Stewart pulled one back, Antrim had an opportunity for a goal but Ryan Murray was denied from close range with the Lamh Dhearg man’s appeal for a penalty waved aside.

Instead referee Seamus Mulhare blew for half time and it was clear that Antrim had work to do as they headed to the dressing rooms trailing by four points.

Conor Hand gets his shot away despite Eoin Walsh’s attempted block

The Saffrons were level within minutes of the restart with McBride and Dominic McEnhill landing two-pointers with the wind at their backs.

It remained tight with a Conor Hand 2pts briefly giving Antrim the lead for the first time before Obahor levelled it again.

The sides remained level going into the final quarter when Antrim struck for home as points from Adam Loughran and Ryan Murray were followed by an excellent sweetly struck Byrne ‘45’, which came after McEnhill’s 56th-minute penalty was saved by Andrew Walsh.

Matt Moynahan was sin-binned as the result of events leading up to the penalty and by the time he returned, Antrim had taken control to go nine clear with substitute Niall Burns finding the net despite the best efforts of Sean Taylor. Burns followed immediately with a point to announce his arrival in style and it looked well and truly sewn up at this stage.

The visitors continued to fight however and Shay Rafter fired through a crowded goalmouth from a free in added time, with management and spectators anxiously looking for the Limerick v Tipperary result, but late points from Marc Jordan and Dominic McEnhill were enough to see Antrim home and into the knockout phase.

Shay Rafter’s close range free ends in the Antrim net depite the best efforts of their defence

Antrim: M Byrne (0-1, 1×45); E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, M Jordan (0-1); C Hand (0-2, 1x2p), C Stewart (0-2); R Boyle, A Loughran (0-1), P McBride (0-3, 1x2p); R McQuillan (0-4), R Murray (0-1), D McEnhill (0-6, 2x2p, 2f).

Subs: N Burns (1-1) for A Loughran (52), J Morgan for J McAuley (70+1), J McDonnell for R Boyle (70+1)

London: A Walsh; D Rooney, S Taylor (0-1, 1×45), M Moynahan; E Walsh, C Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p), K Healy; T Barry, L Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p); J Obahor (0-2), D Clarke (0-1), C Diver (0-3); R Rafferty, N McElwaine, S Rafter (12, 1-1f).

Subs: Subs: C McCarrick (0-1) for N McElwaine (25), C O’Donoghue for D Clarke (58), M Carroll for R Rafferty (61), C McKelvey for C Gallagher (63), O Hilley for K Healy (68)

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Ballycastle hold on to secure their place in the top five

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

St Enda’s 0-18 Ballycastle 3-15

Ballycastle qualified for the top half of the Division 1 Hurling League when they beat St Enda’s in their final game of the first half at Hightown on Sunday. In a game dominated by a strong wind the McQuillan’s men managed to hold off a fight-back by the home side to squeeze through. Six points separated the side at the end but the Glengormley men were pushing hard in the last quarter and Ballycastle goalkeeper Ryan McGarry had to be sharp to deny heavy St Enda’s pressure in the end.

Both teams actually played better against the strong wind, the visitors winning the toss and deciding to play against it, and they went ahead with a Neal McAuley point in the first minute. However St Enda’s came back with three quick points through Cormac Jennings, Brendan Cormican and Eddie O’Connor to go two clear. At this stage it looked like the home side were going to steadily pull away but three brilliantly taken points by Tiernan Smyth swung the game in Ballycastle’s favour

Free taker Ruairi Donaghy pulled one back for Naomh Eanna but two from Niall McKenna, and a goal from Tiernan Smyth, which was set up by McKenna, put Ballycastle four ahead by the twentieth minute. The smart money would have been firmly on the visitors at this stage, but St Enda’s dominated the last ten minutes of the half hitting seven points, while conceding just one to turn the game on its head. Two of the points came from Niall O’Connor which Ruairi Donaghy, Joe Maskey, Ciaran McAllister, Niall O’Connor and Cormac Jennings got the others, while Conor Donnelly got the Ballycastle score in the final minute of the half to leave the teams tied on 0-12 to 1-09 at half-time.

St Enda’s moved ahead early in the second half with two points from Ruairi Donaghy free to one from play by Seamus McAuley but the game was to swing dramatically in Ballycastle’s favour in a seven minute spell that saw them grab 2-02 without reply. Tiernan Smyth started the run when fired home following a great save by St Enda’s keeper Niall McGivern to deny Arden Kelly what seemed a certain goal. Two minutes later came the second goal which was blocked down into the net by Conor Donnelly and when Niall McKenna and Neal McAuley added points the ‘Town’ were seven clear entering the last quarter.

As it turned out they needed all of those seven points as St Enda’s threw everything they had at them in a bid to salvage the game. They hit four points down the home straight, and had a few good goal chances, including one from a penalty that was mishit, and two late points from Conor Boyd, one of which was from deep in his own half, and one from Cahair Donnelly, secured the win for the Ballycastle men.

TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Fast start and strong finish seals important win for Ballygalget

ACHL Division 1

Rossa 0-14 Ballygalget 1-16

Ballygalget started and finished strongly at Rossa Park on Sunday to record their second win of the season and inflicted a second defeat on high riding Rossa in an entertaining contest in windy conditions.

It was the home side who had that wind in their favour in the opening half but they were rattled by a Caolan Coulter goal for the visitors after 2 minutes and it would prove an important goal in the end.

Rossa did make a positive response with points from Aodhan O’Brien 0-2, Thomas Morgan and Eoin Trainor to lead by the 11th minute before Coulter levelled matters with a neat, over the shoulder reply.

The Shaw’s Road side attempted to respond but Eoin Clarke in the Ballygalget goals brought off a good save to deny O’Brien before James Connolly pointed from out near the sideline to restore the Rossa lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Back came the men from down the ‘Ards’ and John McManus, Caolan Coulter and Shea Pucci hit three on the bounce by the 21st minute before Connolly responded with his second of the evening for the Rossa Park men.

The visitors were playing controlled hurling into the breeze and making better use of their opportunities and Oisin Coulter, Tim Prenter and Shea Pucci added points.

Thomas Morgan replied for Rossa with Eoin Pucci responding immediately for the visitors and Tim Prenter replied to a massive point from Gerard Walsh to leave it 0-9 to 1-8 in favour of the county Down side as Kevin Parke called for half time.

Now playing into the breeze, Rossa looked to have a bit to do if they were to maintain their recent good form and Aodhan O’Brien gave them a great start to the second half when he pointed after 30 seconds.

Back came Ballygalget with points from Caolan Coulter and Shea Pucci to extend their lead to three with only three minutes of the new half gone and it was going to take a massive effort if the home side were to overturn this lead.

Both sides then began to exchange scores with Eoghan McMenamin’s point bring a reply from Eoin Pucci and Gerard Walsh’s score bring another reply from the same player.

The tit for tat exchanges continued with Gerard Walsh, Deaglan Murphy and Thomas Morgan sending over for the home side and Eoin Pucci, Tim Prenter and Shea Pucci keeping the score board ticking with points at the other end.

Morgan’s point on 25 minutes left just a goal between the sides but that would be as close as Rossa got with Eoin Pucci and Odhran Birt ensuring there would be no way back with late points for the visitors.

An entertaining game of hurling but it was the visitor’s ability to control the pace of the game in the opening half that would decide matters on the day.

They had excellent performers in Caolan Coulter, Sheas Pucci, Eoin Pucci, Tim Prenter and John McManus while Aodhan O’Brien, Eoghan McMenamin, Thomas Morgan and Gerard Walsh caught the eye for Rossa.

Referee: Kevin Parke (St. Enda’s)

TO VIEW MORE OF BERT TROWLEN’S PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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