Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship, Group One
St Gall's 1-21 Glenariffe 5-18
A HAT-TRICK of goals from Seanie McIntosh ultimately proved the difference as Glenariffe opened their Intermediate Hurling Championship campaign with victory at St Gall's.
A glimpse at the final score may suggest the men from the Glens were comfortable, but it was far from the case and it was only in the final 10 minutes when they exploded in attack to put the game away despite being reduced to 14 players at this stage.
The hosts were right in this one for most of the game but were hit with three goals in that closing period that ultimately broke their resistance.
This was a very entertaining affair with plenty of quality moments from both teams. The first half saw them level on no fewer than 10 occasions with 30 scores in as many minutes, an indicator of the back and forth nature of this game.
After Jackson McGreevy and McIntosh traded early frees, the Glenariffe clipped over on the turn and Oliver Kearney added another to suggest they had settled the better.
Orrin O'Connor was then thwarted by Kurtis McGreevy, but St Gall's went straight upfield and although Paul McMullan was equal to Ronan Crossen's effort, Jackson McGreevy turned home the rebound for the game's first goal.
Brogan O'Connor and Oran McIlhatton contest possession
Brogan O'Connor hit back and this proved the theme of the half as the teams went back and forth with Sean McAreavey, Crossen and McGreevy on target for the hosts, while McIntosh was assisted by Oliver Kearney, Kieran McKendry and Alex O'Boyle as the sides were level at 1-8 to 0-11 with 22 played.
Three on the spin from Odhran Gillan, Conor Patterson and O'Boyle suggested Glenariffe were winning the arm wrestle, but back came the hosts through Fergus Donnelly and a brace from Mark Napier before Jackson McGreevy intercepted and drilled them back ahead.
But with the opening period ticking into added time, O'Connor did well to pop inside to McIntosh to fire to the net before he then landed from deep.
A Fergus Donnelly point right on the break concluded an excellent opening half with Glenariffe leading 1-15 to 1-13.
Oisin's enjoyed the lead and there they would remain, but it seemed they were set to completely take over with a good start to the second period as after Oliver Kearney pointed, they had their second goal as Alex O'Boyle did well to fend off a challenge and play in Conor Patterson to crack home.
That put six between them with 34 gone, but St Gall's would start to dominate in defence to prevent the visitors from extending the gap, while at the other end, set about chipping at the lead.
The scoring rate had dropped considerably but the gap was gradually reduced as McAreavy slung over before Crossen split the posts from an acute angle out on the right sideline. Mark Napier converted a free and Tomás O'Ciarán drove out from the back and launched over from deep. Then came what seemed to be a big moment as with the gap just two, Napier was trailed down as he broke in on goal by Glenariffe full-back Niall Murray who had been booked earlier and left referee Ray Matthews no option but to flash a second yellow, followed by red.
Players search for possession 
Napier tapped over the free and the gap was now down to just one with just over 10 remaining and at this stage, it seemed the hosts were well placed.
But momentum would decisively swing as after Brogan O'Connor landed Glenariffe's first score in 17 minutes, their third goal game as he turned provider for McIntosh to bury.
Marcus Donnelly and McAreavey hit back with points to narrow the gap to just a goal with six to play, but another quickfire 1-1 put the game away as after Alex O'Boyle points, from the poc-out O'Ciarán slipped and O'Connor profited to gather and blast past Kurtis McGreevy.
A Dubhaltach Mac Liam point left St Gall's needing two goals to rescue the situation late on, but the final goal would come at the other end as McIntosh raced clear and found the far corner of the net to put a gloss on his side's win.
ST GALL'S: K McGreevy; D Churchill, E Rush, O McIlhatton; P Friel, T O'Ciaran (0-1), R Irvine; J Hopkins, F Donnelly (0-2); N O'Neill, M Donnelly (0-1), R Crossen (0-3); S McAreavey (0-5), J McGreevy, (1-4, 0-3f) M Napier (0-4, 3f)
Subs: J Morgan for R Crossen (41), D Mac Liam (0-1) for F Donnelly (49), C Sheehan for T O'Ciaran (57), A Mullan for E Rush (60+1)
GLENARIFFE: P McMullan; P McIlwaine, N Murray, R Leech; C McIlwaine, M Haughey, D Kearney; O Kearney (0-3), O Gillan (0-1); K McKendry (0-2), A O'Boyle (0-4), C Patterson (1-1); B O'Connor (1-2), O O'Connor (0-1), S McIntosh (3-4, 0-2f, 0-1 65).
Sub: A Cosgrove for O Gillan (53)
REFEREE: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
