16 August 2009
Four goals from former county star Johnny McIntosh helped Glenariff to a runaway win over the South West Antrim combination side in the third of the senior hurling quarter finals at Loughgiel on Sunday evening.
The pace may have slowed a little but ‘Tosh’ showed he still has all the tricks in the book as he grabbed two goals in each half and added a succession of fine points into the bargain to see his team through to a semi-final against either Dunloy or Ballycastle in three weeks time.
However, good as Tosh’s goals were, they were bettered by two superb strikes, one from South West Antrim full forward Philip Curran in first half injury time, and one by Tosh’s Glenariff team-mate Seamus McDonnell midway through the second-half.
Curran, who had kicked in a goal a minute earlier, connected beautifully overhead on a long delivery by Kevin Kerr to send the ball flying into the Glenariff net while McDonnell ran sixty yards before doubling beautifully on a shoulder high cross from the wing to score one of the finest goals ever seen at Fr Healey Park.
As for the game itself Glenariff were always too strong, and after the South West had opened promisingly with a succession of pointed frees by Kevin Shearan, they took control as soon as Kevin McDonnell grabbed their first goal.
Seamus McDonnell scored goal number two for the Ossians and Tosh tagged on two more to put them firmly in control, though Curran’s two quick strikes saw the South West cut their arrears to just four points at the half-time whistle. (4-7 to 2-9)
The second-half was less than a minute old when McIntosh completed his hat-trick and when he fired in number four soon afterwards the result was never in doubt. McDonnell’s super strike put the icing on the cake as Glenariffe moved to within one win from reaching their first senior county final since 1971.
