13 May 2010
Glenariffe moved to joint top of Division One of the Antrim All County Hurling League when they beat Portaferry by 2-15 to 1-13 in Wednesday evening’s game at Waterfoot.
The Oisins got away to a great start and were 0-5 to no score to the good with three from Johnny ‘Tosh’ and two from Conor McAlister, but they lost their way as the half progressed and a goal from a free by Portaferry’s Paul Braniff brought them right back into the game,
Braniff’s accuracy, especially from placed balls, was to proved the visitors most potent weapon and he picked off the scores to give his team a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at half-time.
Glenariffe were a much more spirited outfit in the second-half and they kept stride for stride with the Ards men until the forty-forth minute when a Johnny ‘Tosh’ sideline cut dipped over the keeper’s head and into the net. Portaferry closed the gap to a point once again as Braniff and Paul Rodgers sent over points, but Tosh all but sealed the win when he blasted a penalty to the Portaferry net with just eight minutes left for play.
Braniff again found the target, but Glenariffe were now on top and with Tosh operating further out the field they closed out the game with late points to keep their league challenge very much alive.
In Tuesday night’s games a late goal from Neill McManus earned Cushendall a one point win over Dunloy in a well contested game at Middlepark. Dunloy led at half-time by a point after Chris Brogan (Dunloy) and Brian Delargy (Cushendall) had exchanged goals, but Shane McNaughton cleverly lobbed Dunloy ‘keeper Gareth McGhee to put Cushendall back in front in the second-half. McGhee then had a penalty touched over the bar by his opposite number Ronan Kearney before Paul Shiels goaled to give Dunloy back the lead.
With time almost up Dunloy appeared to have sealed both league points as they edged two clear but Cushendall moved Neill McManus up front and the gamble paid off when he fired the ball to the net in injury time to seal a narrow win.
Glenariffe’s win brings them level with Loughgiel and Ballycran on six league points, though the Ards men are in the driving seat having played one game less than other two.
Loughgiel, who lost to Ballycran last time out, bounced back at the weekend with a 3-10 to 1-10 win over Dunloy thanks to goals from ‘Skinner’ Laverty, Benny McCarry and Liam Watson, who also added eight points.
In Tuesday evening’s bottom of the table clash Ballycastle and Ballygalget grabbed a point apiece, their first of the season, when their game ended in a 2-11 to 1-14 draw at Pairc MacUilin.
