Antrim U21 Hurling Championship semi-final
O'Donovan Rossa 1-14 Dunloy Cuchullain's 2-24
AN impressive performance saw Dunloy through to the final of the Antrim U21 Hurling Championship as they powered to victory at Rossa on Monday evening.
The North Antrim men were on top throughout the field and when Padraig Martin struck for his first goal right on the stroke of half-time, they were virtually out of sight.
Their ability to take scores from deep set the early tone, but so did their use of possession and movement in attack carved out opportunities to gradually pull away and book a meeting with Cushendall who accounted for Loughgiel in the evening's other semi-final.
Rossa actually took the lead from a Diarmaid Rogan free, but were reliant on those in the early stages as Dunloy soon got down to work with Eoin McFerran levelling immediately and Jack Martin drilling over from deep.
Although Rogan tied it up, the visitors were clicking as Aodhán McGarry and Jack Martin landed from deep either side of a Luke McFerran score.
Dunloy were 0-10 to 0-3 ahead with 20 minutes played as McGarry hit four between frees and play, while the lively Oisin McCallin opened his account.
Rossa's first score from play finally came after 21 minutes as Liam McEnhill found his range from out on the left and that was followed by a goal as Conall Shortt's ball inside broke to Rogan who slammed home.
That left just three between them, but Dunloy would respond well with another three from McGarry before McCallin's second of the evening and then in storage time, a loose ball seemed to cannon off Martin and ended up in the net as Dunloy took a commanding 1-14 to 1-4 lead into the dressing room.
Diarmaid Rogan goes on the attack 
It was a long way back for Rossa and the gap was extended further when Luke McFerran drilled over just seconds after the restart.
Goals were what the hosts needed to give themselves a shot at getting back into it, but Eoin Trainor was denied when his shot was stopped by a Dunloy body, but they did get a point out of the attack through substitute Shea Cunningham.
There was no stopping Dunloy as they rattled off five of the next six points though Paddy Martin, Eoin McFerran, Jack Martin, Joe Magee and a McGarry free before their second goal came. McCallin was the architect as he sprayed an intelligent ball out to Padraig Martin to race in and find the corner of the net to make it 2-20 to 1-6 with 43 played.
To their credit, Rossa wouldn't give up and did keep chipping away with Pearse Short clipping over two and Ruairi Murray also on target to assist Rogan as Dunloy's scoring rate slowed over the home stretch. But they were long since out of sight with McCalling doubling his tally for the evening to four and Padraig Martin also nothing another pair.
Rogan did have the final say for the hosts, but the issue had been long decided as Dunloy reached the decider.
ROSSA: D Boylan; P Moyes, C Boyle, F McDonald; C Shortt, R Murray (0-1), B Hegarty; D Rogan (1-8, 0-7f, 0-1 '65'), B McCauley; L McEnhill (0-1), P Short (0-2), M McKiernan; C Walsh (0-1), E Trainor, N May.
Subs: S Cunningham (0-1) for N May (19), D Morgan for M McKiernan (40), B Crawford for B Hegarty (60), S McDonald for F McDonald (60).
DUNLOY: E Richmond; R Cunning, S Og Blaney, M Trainor; F McMullan, B O'Kane, J Magee (0-1); J Martin (0-3), A McGarry (0-9, 3f, 2 65s); B McCloskey, L McFerran (0-1), E McFerran (0-3); P Martin (2-3), R Mort, O McCallin (0-4).
Subs: C McMullan for M Traynor (33), C McMullan for F McMullan (44), E O'Kane for B McCloskey (51), C Mullan for L McFerran (53).
REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (Lámh Dhearg)
