Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Group One
O’Donovan Rossa 0-26 McQuillan’s Ballycastle 2-14
ROSSA edged out a gallant Ballycastle side to make a winning start to their 2021 Antrim Senior Hurling Championship campaign last night.
Colly Murphy’s side led 0-18 to 1-8 at the break after a stunning first half display with Antrim star Ciaran Clarke grabbing a goal for the visitors.
Although the ‘Town’ improved in the second half, the hosts always had enough in hand with James McLister scoring his side’s second goal in final minutes of the game.
All in all, it was a deserved win for the West Belfast men, who were pipped by county champions Dunloy in a pulsating semi-final clash at Dunsilly last year.
Rossa were fastest out of the traps and raced into a five-point with points from Déaglan Murphy (two frees), Aodhán O’Brien, Aidan Orchin and Dominic McEnhill.
Conor Boyd opened Ballycastle’s account on seven minutes before Clarke fired past Donal Armstrong to leave just a point between the sides. Boyd’s second point levelled the contest on 10 minutes before Murphy and Clarke exchanged points.
Seaghan Shannon gets ready to starve with Caolan Butler closing in
There was nothing to split the teams at the first water break, 0-8 to 1-5, but the home side upped the ante in the second quarter – outscoring McQuillan’s 0-10 to 0-3 to take a commanding advantage into the half-time interval.
Rossa simply carried a greater scoring threat across the pitch with Orchin scoring 0-3 from corner-back while O’Brien operated in the half-back line and helped himself to 0-4 in the first half.
Just before the break, Clarke had an attempt at goal from a close-range free brilliantly saved by Armstrong as Rossa led by seven at half-time.
Ballycastle landed the opening two points of the second half via Clarke (free) and a fine score from midfielder Seamus McAuley before Ryan McGarry made a superb save to deny Tiarnán Murphy.
Tiernan Smyth also raised a white flag for the North Antrim men, but Rossa never lost their grip on the game and kept their rivals at arm’s length with Stephen Beatty, Déaglan Murphy (free) and Gerard Walsh all scoring for the hosts.
Indeed, Beatty switched positions with Christopher McGuinness for the second half and ensured that Ballycastle weren’t able to dominate the middle third despite impressive showings from both Boyd and Cormac Donnelly.
They might have been afforded a lifeline midway through the second half had it not been for some excellent awareness from Armstrong, who was smartly off his line to cut out Clarke’s intended pass inside to McLister.
Deaglan Murphy in action
The Ballycastle full-forward did manage to flick the sliotar past Armstrong some 10 minutes later following a great pass from substitute Jack McGowan. However, Rossa had put the game beyond reach at that stage with Seaghan Shannon, Beatty and substitute Eoin Trainor all hitting brilliant points from play.
In stoppage time, Boyd tested Armstrong’s reflexes once more, but the gap remained six at the full-time whistle.
Rossa will hope to build on their encouraging start when they travel to Hightown to take on Naomh Éanna in round two on Saturday (throw-in 4pm) while Ballycastle host Loughgiel in Saturday’s second Group One fixture at 6pm.
A win for Rossa would guarantee themselves at least a place in the quarter-finals ahead of their final game against the Shamrocks at Fr Healy Park on Sunday, September 5.
ROSSA: D Armstrong; C Orchin, Stephen Shannon (0-1), A Orchin (0-3); A O’Brien (0-5, 0-1f), M Armstrong; G Walsh (0-1); Déaglan Murphy (0-5, 0-4fs); D McEnhill (0-2); Dáire Murphy, Seaghan Shannon (0-2), C McGuinness; T Morgan, S Beatty (0-3), T Murphy (0-3).
Subs: A Kenneally for Morgan (46), E Trainor (0-1) for Dáire Murphy (50), D Rocks for McEnhill (50), C Shannon for A Orchin (52), C McGettigan for Beatty (60).
BALLYCASTLE: R McGarry; O Kearney, T McIlroy, R Laverty; C Boyd (0-3), M Donnelly, N McAuley; R McClean, S McAuley (0-1); C Butler (0-1), KB McShane, C Donnelly; T Smyth (0-1), J McLister (1-0), C Clarke (1-7, 0-6fs, 0-1 ’65).
Subs: M McClean for R McClean (HT), F McKiernan for Smyth (44), L Donnelly (0-1) for McShane (49), E Elliot for S McAuley (50), J McGowan for C Donnelly (53).
REFEREE: F McCotter (Sarsfield’s).
