09 August 2009
Antrim Senior Hurling Championship
Champions safely through opening round
Ruairi Og Cushendall 4-9 Brian Ogs (South Antrim combination) 0-9
Goals made the difference as county champions Cushendall eased past the South Antrim combination side Brian Ogs in Loughgiel on Sunday.
An early goal from right-half forward Eamon Laverty and one from full forward Sean Birt just before the break put the Ruairi Ogs firmly in control with a 2-5 to 0-4 lead at the half-time interval.
Neil McManus grabbed goal number three before the south Antrim boys conceded an unfortunate own-goal as the Ruairis coasted through with a bit to spare.
County star Karl Stewart top scored for Brian Ogs with seven points but the Dall’s goal power made the difference.
Cushendall scorers – Karl McKeegan 0-4, Shane McNaughton 0-3, Neil McManus 1-0, Eamon Laverty 1-0, Sean Birt 1-0, Paddy McNaughton 0-1, Aiden Delargy 0-1.
Brian Ogs scorers – Karl Stewart 0-7 (6f), CJ McGourty 0-1, Brendan Herron 0-1.
Ballycastle comfortably saw off the challenge of North Antrim in the opening round of the Antrim Senior Hurling Championship at Cushendall on Saturday evening.
The North Antrim side, one of three combinations sides newly introduced to this year’s hurling championship, made a promising start and were on level terms at five points apiece at the end of the opening quarter.
Martin McAuley (2), Aaron Smylie, Liam Kearns and Brendan McDermott all hit very good points during a competitive and entertaining opening quarter, while Chrissy Boyle contributed the bulk of the ‘Castle’ scores from frees.
However when Malachy Dallas grabbed Ballycastle’s opening goal in the nineteenth minute they took control of the game and by half time they had opened up a six point gap. (1-9 to 0-6).
A Kieran Kelly goal within a minute of the restart was the score that really dealt the new boys a killer blow, and from here on it was a real uphill struggle.
Ballycastle continued to pile on the scores with Boyle deadly accurate from placed balls, before ‘Pinky’ Kelly got through for his second goal, and his team’s third, in the forty-fifth minute to seal the win and book a quarter-final spot against Dunloy next weekend.
BALLYCASTLE – Ryan McGarry, Kieran Davidson, Cormac Donnelly, Michael Dallat, David Donnelly, Neal McAuley, Matthew Donnelly (0-1), Christopher Boyle (0-8), Shane Staunton, Malachy Dallas (1-1), Peter Dallat (0-1), Ryan Donnelly (0-1), Kevin Barry McShane (0-1), Kieran Kelly (2-1), Sean McVeigh (0-1).
SUBS USED – Callum Boyle, Owen Turner, Gerard Laverty, Conleth McCaughan.
NORTH ANTRIM – Michael Abram, James Doherty, Seamus Bailey, Blain McDermott, Ciaran Campbell, Aaron Smylie, Rory McQuillan, Brendan McDermott (0-2), Nathaniel Hunter, Darren Hamill, Martin McAuley (0-2), John Dillon, Neil McCann, Shane Woulahan, Liam Kearns.
SUBS USED – Conor Laverty, Barry Hamill.
REFEREE – Tommy McIntyre (Loughgiel)
Last year’s beaten finalists Loughgiel got the better of St John’s in their tempestuous meeting in Cushendall. The Shamrocks had one man sent off, and the Johnnies two, but Loughgiel always looked the stronger, though they only led by a single point at half-time.
In the second-half the Shamrocks began to pull away and nine points by Joey Scullion helped them to a 0-17 to 0-8 win, which sets up a quarter-final meeting with Rossa next weekend.
Loughgiel scorers – Joey Scullion 0-9, Eddie McCloskey 0-2, Mickey McFadden 0-2, Declan Laverty 0-1, Liam Watson 0-1, Barney McAuley 0-1, Sean McMullan 0-1
St John’s scorers – Brian McFall 0-4, Gerard Cunningham 0-3, Barry McFall 0-1
The Glenariffe v South West Antrim match was postponed because of a bereavement.
