Casement Social Club Junior Hurling Championship, Group 2

Glen Rovers, Armoy 7-16-1-09 Lámh Dhearg

Kevin Herron reports from Slemish Park

Armoy all but secured themselves a place in the semi-final of the Junior Hurling Championship with a comfortable 7-16-1-09 win over Lámh Dhearg at Slemish Park on Friday evening.

They laid out their stall early on and had struck two goals within the first five minutes. Trevor Linton running onto the end of a Ciaran McKenna pass before slamming a low shot to the net and full-forward Owen Kinney added a second.

On each occasion Lámh Dhearg responded, first through an Adam Murray free and Calum Fegan split the posts after Kinney’s goal.

Kinney would clip over his sides first point of the evening and Murray doubled his account from the placed ball in response.

Goal scorer Linton converted a free – though Daniel Murray drove over a point from range and Mark Finnegan followed up with his first of the evening to narrow the deficit at the midway point (2-02-0-05).

The sides would trade the next four points, Thomas Burns sent a fantastic shot between the large posts and Trevor Linton added to his personal account with an angled effort that dropped over.

In between times Ciaran Boyd produced an excellent score and Mark Finnegan converted a free.

Adam Murray’s first point from play brought the Hannahstown side to within two-points five minutes before the break, however Armoy finished with a late flurry to take firm control at the break.

They restored their three-point lead through Owen Kinney’s second point of the half and then extended their advantage through successive Linton points, one from play and the other from a free.

A minute before the interval Kinney doubled his goal tally, taking full advantage of a mishap and rifling home to give his side a 3-07-0-08 lead.

Linton would add a further point from a free in the aftermath as Armoy were very much in the driving seat at the interval.

The Glen’s men picked up where they left off as Emmett O’Hara confidently landed a score inside the opening seconds of the restart and Owen Kinney then flicked home on the 33^rd minute to seal his hat-trick and make it 4-09-0-08.

Things didn’t let up with Kinney adding two further points, Turlach McBride scored a long range free in-between, and Arthur Devlin produced another impressive score from range.

Armoy’s fifth goal arrived on the 38^th minute as Emmett O’Hara’s long range shot squirmed to the net to make it 5-13-0-08 and 2-05 without reply since the restart.

Lámh Dhearg eventually got up and running for the half with Mark Finnegan converting his second free of the evening.

Turlach McBride dropped over another long-range free and two goals inside less than a minute before the midway point in the second half really emphasised the gap between the sides.

Kinney conjured up his fourth of the evening after it looked as the danger was clear and after a goal-mouth scramble less than 60-seconds later, Trevor Linton shot home his second goal to make it 7-14-0-09.

The changes flowed in the aftermath and after almost 10 scoreless minutes there was scant consolation for the Lámhs after Adam Murray’s side-line cut fell to substitute Aaron Ferris and he squeezed a low shot to the net.

Armoy added to their impressive tally in the closing stages with Turlach McBride adding another two frees from range to wrap up a 7-16-1-09 win and a home semi-final spot baring a monumental collapse in their final group game in two-week’s time.

GLEN ROVERS, ARMOY: C Devlin, C allum Coyles, S Devlin, L Dillon, T McBride (0-04f), A Devlin (0-01), E O’Hara (1-01), R Lavelle, C Lordan, C McKenna, C Christie, E Boyle, T Linton (2-05, 0-03f), O Kinney (4-05), T Burns. SUBS: K McToal for E Boyle (41), T Burns for C Christie (45), C Watterson for C McKenna (45), D Connolly for S Devlin (52), Ciaran Coyles for O Kinney (52).

LÁMH DHEARG: R Camlin, N McGarry, O Waldron, F Clenaghan, D Murray (0-01), R Diamond, F Mervyn, C Boyd (0-01), A Murray (0-03, 0-02f), A McGuigan, M Finnegan (0-03, 0-02f), C Fegan (0-01), O Lee, SP Gibson, D Martin. SUBS: T McKenna for R Camlin (36), M McGarry for F Clenaghan (42), A Ferris (1-00) for O Lee (53).

REFEREE: Paul O’Neill (CREGGAN)

JHC Group 2

Gort na Mona 2-18 All Saints 1-11

Gort na Mojna proved too strong for All Saints in this Junior Hurling Championship, Group 2 encounter at Whitehill on Friday night with this win putting the Mona Byepass side in a strong position for qualification to the knockout stages while making qualification unlikely for the Ballymena men.

Two goals from Patrick McCaffrey, one in each half paved the way for this Gort na Mona victory. Their opponents All Saints looked to be well in contention when they trailed 0-8 to 1-8 at the change of ends but the city side pulled away to win with something to spare after the break.

Mark Rea, Patrick McCaffrey and Thomas McCaffrey were the early marksmen for the West Belfast side with Darach Bradley keeping the Ballymena side in touch with one from play and a converted free.

A goal from the impressive McCaffrey and a series of points from Dessie McClean, Neil Henry and Patrick McCafferty saw Gort na Mona push on to lead by three at half time with Darach Bradley’s free taking and Points from Damian Gillan and  Daniel Kelly keeping the Ballymena side in touch.

After the break Gort na Mona found another gear with Dessie McClean hitting some excellent points and Patrick McCafferty putting the final nail in the All Saints Coffin with his second goal.

Substitute Fintan Brady marked his introduction with a goal and a point for the Slemish Park side but it was too little-too late and Gort na Mona look to have secured a place in the knockout stages.

Gort na Mona face Lamh Dhearg in their final game on Friday the 23d August where a draw would secure both sides a quarter-final place and only a big win over Armoy would be enough for All Saints the following day should there be a loser at Enright park.

Gort na Mona: 1 Caolan McCrory, 2 Mark Rea, 3 Padraig McHugh, 4 James Connolly, 5 Nathan Gibson, 6 Neil Henry, 7 Gavin McKernna, 8 Brendan Cousins, 9 James Aaron Hicks, 10 Darron Boyd, 11 Dessie McClean, 12 Niall Henry, 13 Thomas McCaffrey, 14 Patrick McCaffrey, 15 Manus McMullan.

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Conor O’Rawe, 3 Eoin McAllister, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Archie McGreevey, 6 Liam Cassley, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Vincent Esler, 9 Damian Gillan, 10 Jack Magill, 11 Darach Bradley, 12 Sean McDermott, 13 Daniel Kelly, 14 Sean O’Rawe, 15 Cathaoir Cunning.

Subs: Fintan Brady

Referee: Colm McDonald

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Antrim JHC, Group One

Davitt’s 3-11 Rasharkin 2-20

Davitt’s staged a late comeback in this Junior Hurling Championship,

Group 1 meeting with Rasharkin at Davitt’s Park but it came too late to affect the result as the men from Dreen collected an opening day win in this year’s championship.

The South West side led by 10 with only six minutes remaining but had been reduced to 14 men and it seemed the game was done and dusted with Conor McKeever in sparkling form, but the hosts struck with two late goals to give their visitors a few anxious moments as the clock ticked down.

Rasharkin got off to a dream start when Conor McFerran found Donagh Quigg with an astute pass and he had only one thing on his mind as he drilled home.

Davitt’s replied when Christopher Gallagher converted a 65 and they added a goal of their own just four minutes in when Marcas Toner caught the visiting defence napping from a 20-metre free as he finished to the top corner.

A Conor McKeever free brought the sides level with McFerran edging the visitors ahead as Davitt’s, aided by the wind, were going long, but were off target on several occasions.

Quigg extended the Rasharkin lead before Daeglan Mooney drove out of defence to reply and notch the hosts’ first score in 10 minutes, but further scores from Quigg and McFerran put the visitors three ahead.

St. Mary’s would double that lead in the 23d minute as they punished a mistake in the home side’s defence and although Geared Cosgrove was equal to Conor McKeever’s effort, Conor McKillop was there to finish the rebound.

Davitt’s responded well with Colm McKee pointing and Toner landing two frees and Rasharkin goalkeeper James O’Mullan then had to be alert to gather from a long delivery from Anthony Rowntree.

The visitors led by three as Darren McKeown sounded his half-time whistle as McKeever and Stephen Thompson traded late points with Rasharkin 2-6 to 1-6 ahead.

With the wind now at their backs, Rasharkin extended their lead at the start of the second half with Shane Hasson and Emmett McFerran hitting early points and although Toner hit back on the run, further scores from Hasson and McKeever extended the gap to six.

The South West side were dealt a blow in the 40th minute when they lost a man to a Red card after his umpires had drawn the referee’s attention to an off the ball incident.

Toner pointed the resulting free but McKeever stamped his class on proceedings as he hit the next four points of the game and Quigg added another to leave 10 in it with as many minutes remaining.

It seemed that was that, but Davitt’s managed to mount a charge and after an exchange of scores, Stephen McGivern converted a 65 and then a long ball into Anthony Rowntree saw him finish to the net.

McKeever and Gallagher then traded points but after Rasharkin substitute Tiernan O’Boyle landed his second, Colm McKee struck with a third Davitt’s goal to make the final minutes interesting.

That left just four in it with time still to play and the long ball into Rowntree was now beginning to cause problems, but the goal that Davitt’s needed failed to materialise as St. Mary’s held on for an opening day win.

Indeed it was McKeever who would strike the final two points to bring his personal tally to 10 for the evening and the Dreen side join their hosts on two points but Davitt’s have a game more played and await the final game between Rasharkin and Ardoyne to see where they finish for the knockout stages.

Davitt’s: G Cosgrove; J Park, T Toland, C Rainey; P Og Carleton, C Heaney, D Mooney (0-1); M Og Rowntree, C McKee (1-1); M Toner (1-4, 1-3f), S McGivern (0-2, 1f, 1 ’65’), C Maguire; S Thompson (0-1), A Rowntree (1-0), C Gallagher (0-2, 1f)

Subs: J Maguire for C Maguire (34)

Rasharkin: J O’Mullan; C Higgins, C Doherty, C Donaghy; R O’Boyle, A McKeever, J Higgins; C McFerran (0-2), D McKay; C Henderson, E McFerran (0-1), S Hasson (0-2); C McKillop (1-0), D Quigg (1-3), C McKeever (0-10, 7f)

Subs: T O’Boyle (0-2) for R O’Boyle (42), C Maria for C McKillop (51), D Hasson for C McFerran (53)

Referee: Darren McKeown (St Gall’s) 

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