14 April 2014
Leinster U16 Hurling Blitz report
The U16 Antrim hurling development squad took part in a Leinster blitz on Saturday April 12th in Kinnitty, Co. Offaly, playing two full 50-minute matches back to back. The first game of the tournament was against a very competitive and physical Offaly team, but the spirited young Saffron hurlers were well up for the task in hand. Of particular note during this game was C J McKenna, playing at centre halfback (the player of the tournament) who was immense.
Antrim forwards, Peter McCallin, Shea Shannon and Harry Kilgore terrorized the Offaly defense and were a constant threat along with full forward Oran McKenna. Mid-fielder John Darragh score a great goal from a penalty after full forward Oran McKenna was dragged down in the square as he was about to make the net bulge for the Saffron’s.
Shamrocks players, mid-fielder Eoin Boyle and centre-half forward Conor Dallas worked hard throughout winning ball and delivering it into the dangerous Saffron forward line. The game was nip and tuck but Offaly finally gained the upper hand in the latter part of the second half and ran out winners on a score-line of 4:11 to 3:9.
In the second game of the tournament Antrim played Laois. This was an extremely entertaining game. Centre-back C J McKenna, was the stand out player for Antrim in this game as well, running the show for the Saffron’s and snuffing out many a dangerous Laois attack, ably assisted by his half-back line of James Cooley and Cathal McDonnell. The Saffron’s upped their game and started to hurl very well. Shea Shannon, Peter McCallin, Harry Kilgore, Eoin Boyle, Conor Dallas and twin brothers Oran McKenna and C J McKenna all scored freely contributing to the Antrim scoreline. This allowed Antrim to race out to an early lead, which they held, and at the half-time break lead by a score-line of 1:6 to 2:1. After the break Laois came back into the game and pegged back the Antrim lead. Under pressure for most of the latter part of the second half Antrim finally succumbed to two late Laois goals, the final score being 1:11 to 4:5. All in all this was a very useful and helpful tournament for the development of the young Saffron hurlers.
Antrim squad:
E Laverty, C. Carson, N Gibson, N. McCann, J. Cooley, C J McKenna, C McDonnell, J Darragh, E. Boyle, P McCallin, C. Dallas, H. Kilgore, S. Shannon, O. McKenna, C. Rice, M. Hanna, S. Carey
