Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship, Group One
Dunloy Cuchullains 0-31 O'Donovan Rossa 1-17
DUNLOY scored another emphatic victory in Group One of the Antrim Senior Hurling Championship as they powered to victory over Rossa at Hightown on Saturday.
The defending champions were in fine form on the day as they put their foot to the floor in the second period and left the city side in the rearview as they took complete charge to move clear at the top of the group with a home game against St John's to come.
Conal Cunning was at his dead-eyed best, splitting the posts on 15 occasions on a day when he couldn't miss, while Seaan and Nigel Elliott also drove their team on and Keelan Molloy picked holes in the city side's defence throughout.
At the other end, they were solid as Rossa landed a multitude of high balls on top, yet they had the answers time and again as they proved they are as hungry as ever for success and although they didn't find the net, when you hit 31 points that doesn't matter a whole lot.
Rossa battled throughout and had some fine performances with Pearse Short at wing-back catching the eye, but will look back at far too many wides over the hour as an aspect that really let them down, but Dunloy are the benchmark and there was always a feeling they could reply when they had to.
Keelan Molloy gets away from Eoin Trainor 
With wind advantage, Rossa would have been hopeful of a bright start and suggested as much with Dara Rocks pointing in the opening seconds, but Dunloy would hit the next five points, there from Conal Cunning with his one from play thanks to a superb pass fro Keelan Molloy, while Paul Shiels landed the others.
Rossa worked their way back and were back on terms 15 minutes in as Thomas Morgan Stephen Beatty, Eoghan McMenamin and Rocks found their range.
Dunloy upped it with the next three as Seaan Elliott and Eoin O'Neill checked in for the day, while Rossa replied through Gerard Walsh and Aodhán O'Brien.
After an exchange of points, the gap remained one with 25 played, but Dunloy enjoyed a nice burst with five points on the spin as Nigel Eliott clipped over two, Shiels and Seaan Elliott with one apiece and again, Keelan Molloy zipped into the hand of Cunning to score.
Rossa were persisting with a long ball as they had the breeze at their backs, but the sun in the eyes - which caused Dunloy goalkeeper Ryan Elliott a problem on one occasion earlier - was not helpful.
Still, they closed out the half with a pair of Morgan scores as Dunloy's lead stood at 0-14 to 0-10.
A Cunning free early in the second half extended the gap, but then came a big moment at the other end as Morgan raced in on goal and pulled the trigger, only to be thwarted by an incredible block by Phelim Duffin when all were expecting the net to ripple.
Gerard Walsh converted the subsequent 65, but Dunloy were now beginning to purr -
Keelan Molloy landing the score his performance deserved and 'Coby' intercepting to fire over another.
Points from Dominic McEnhill and Walsh (free) either side of another from Cunning kept Rossa just about in touch, but not for much longer as Dunloy went through the gears as they rattled off nine without reply as Cunning, the Elliotts and wing-back Ryan McGarry all found their range.
This was game over with the gap out to 14 and although Rossa tagged on a few scores from McEnhill, Walsh and substitute Owen May, the Cuchullians were out off sight with substitute Nicky McKeague getting in on the act.
Gerard Walsh gets to the ball ahead of Nigel Elliott
Rossa did grab a consolation goal late on with Gerard Walsh drilling low past Ryan Elliott in the 58th minute, but it was too little, too late as Dunloy breached the 30-point mark with Cunning's 15th of the day and another of the replacements, Deaglan Smyth added with he last poc of the ball to round off a fine day for Gregory O'Kane's men who are now well placed to top the group to go the direct route into the last four and sound yet another warning they are in no mood to let their status as Antrim's top dogs slip.
For Rossa, their objective will be to round off the group at home to Clooney Gaels with a win to seal second place, but will know they must improve in front of the posts to do that.
DUNLOY: R Elliott; P Duffin, C McKinley, C Kinsella; E Smyth, Kevin Molloy, R McGarry (0-2); N Elliott (0-3), E McFerran; Keelan Molloy (0-1), G McTaggart, S Elliott (0-4); C Cunning (0-15, 11 frees) P Shiels (0-2), E O'Neill (0-1).
Subs: C McMahon (0-1) for G McTaggart (30+2), D Smyth (0-1) for Keelan Molloy (50), O Quinn for C Kinsella (51), C Elliott for S Elliott 952), N McKeague (0-1) for N Elliott (52).
ROSSA: M Devlin; C Orchin, C McGuinness, C Shannon; D McCartney, Stephen Shannon, P Short; G Walsh (1-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 '65'), E Trainor; D McEnhill (0-3), S Beatty (0-1), A O'Brien (0-2 frees); T Morgan (0-3), E McMenamin (0-1), D Rocks (0-2)
Subs: A Orchin for D McCartney (44), D Rogan for E McMenamin (51), O May (0-1) for D Rocks (53)
REFEREE: Darren McKeown (St Gall's)
