Casement SC Antrim Junior Hurling Championship quarter-final
Gort na Móna 4-20 Ardoyne 2-6
IT went to script at Enright Park on a scorching Saturday afternoon as Gort na Móna advanced into the semi-final of the Antrim Junior Hurling Championship at the expense of Ardoyne.
Last year's semi-finalists were favoured to take care of business against a side that win Junior B honours last year and they did so with Desi McClean and Patrick McCaffrey contributing 3-13 between them.
Ardoyne were full of endeavour for the most part and enjoyed a decent spell in the opening period, but shipped two late goals before the break that gave them a mountain to climb and the hosts made sure any notions of that were squashed as they powered on after the break.
The visitors would have hoped to keep it tight early and also limit the influence of Desi McClean but they managed neither as the Gort na Móna talisman hit the first 1-3 of the game, his goal coming when fetching Neil Henry's long ball, spinning and burying to the net.
Ardoyne got off the mark through Padraig McGreevy and although Thomas McCaffrey replied, the North Belfast men would receive a huge confidence booster with seven played as a long free from Paul Baker evaded everyone and dropped into the net.
Ardoyne's Aran Stewart tries to gather under pressure from Nathan Gibson
It was clear this gave Ardoyne a huge shot of confidence and after McClean tapped a free in reply, they could have had a second goal when Sean Searle was put clear on the left but his shot was lifted too high and had to settle for a point.
The hosts seemed to take control again with the next four scores through Patrick McCaffrey (two), Nathan Gibson and McClean (free), but Ardoyne enjoyed another decent spell with Patrick Healy landing after his team had put a few shots wide of the posts and McGreevy added another two from frees to leave just four between them with 25 played.
Gort na Móna's response would be emphatic as after Brendan Cousins pointed, a superb line ball from McClean was well won by Manus McMullan who played in Darron Boyd to crack an unstoppable shot in off the underside of the crossbar.
In the final minute of the half, the Gorts added a third goal from a McClean penalty after substitute Tiarnan Morton had been dragged down on his way to goal and at the half the hosts had opened up a healthy 3-10 to 1-5 lead.
The goal burst didn't end there, however, as two minutes after the resumption, McClean controlled a long delivery and passed outside for Patrick McCaffrey rot crack home and leave no doubt as to which of these teams would progress.
Gort na Móna would rattle off the next seven points with McCaffrey contributing three, while McClean (free), Thomas McCaffrey and substitute Ciaran McMullan also registered with full-back Padraig McHugh scoring the pick of them when splitting the posts on the spin.
Patrick McCaffrey looks to get past a challenge
It took Ardoyne until the 54th minute to add to their tally with a McGreevy free, but they did then grab a goal of their own as Caolan McCrory opted to bat down Patrick Heaney's dropping shot, but Sean Searle whipped home the rebound.
It was mere consolation as another two from McCaffrey to bring his tally to 1-7 would follow and substitute Michael Carlin pointed a late free to put a gloss on it for the Gorts who move into the last four against Rasharkin.
GORT NA MÓNA: C McCrory; J Connolly, P McHugh (0-1), M Rea; N Gibson (0-1), N Henry, G McKenna; B Cousins (0-1), J Hicks; C Scullion, D Boyd (1-0), T McCaffrey (0-2); P McCaffrey (1-7), D McClean (2-6, 1-0 pen, 0-4f, 0-1 65), M McMullan.
Subs: T Morton for N Gibson (24), C McMullan (0-1) for D Moore (43), L Dixon for P McHugh (47), T O Caillaigh for J Hicks (49), M Carlin (0-1f) for D McClean (52)
ARDOYNE: JP Agnew; P Clarke, P Baker (1-0f), C Wallace; S Searle (1-1), M McGreevy, K McCallan; D Goodall, P McGuigan; D Moore, P McGreevy (0-4, 3f), A Stewart; M McKillen, P Heaney (0-1), C Barnes.
Subs: C McShane for A Stewart (HT), M Cromie for P McGuigan (32), E MacLochlainn for C Barnes (42), C O'Neill for K McCallan (49), P O'Neill for M McKillen (54).
REFEREE: Darren McKeown (St Gall's)
