Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship, Group One
Naomh Éanna 0-17 Loughgiel Shamrocks 2-21
TWO second half goals from James McNaughton helped Loughgiel put daylight between themselves and Naomh Éanna on Sunday afternoon to get their Antrim Senior Hurling Championship campaign off to a good start.
Both teams went into this game knowing they will be in the knockout phase alongside Ballycastle who have the bye due to just three teams operating in Group One, but there was still the not insignificant prize of a route straight to the last four for the table toppers and Loughgiel have put themselves in a good position with this win.
McNaughton top-scored with 2-7 for last year's finalists and Rian McMillan chipped in with four points as Loughgiel opened a healthy gap and maintained it against the hosts who battled hard but didn't have the penetration in attack to really threaten.
Damon McMullan and Niall O'Connor traded early scores before Loughgiel, aided but he wind, opened a gap with Paul Boyle pointing either side of a James McNaughton free.
The hosts were competing well and had three of the next four points with Cormac Jennings converting a pair of frees after Luke O'Connor and Rian McMullan traded, but the Shamrocks were back to three in front thanks to McNaughton and Christy McGarry.
That lead really ought to have been greater as they were on top around the middle and in their defence as they had numbers with Naomh Éanna opting to pull Ruairi Donaghy back to sweep, but the the chances were coming and going for the North Antrim men.
They had 22 shots int he first half but took just 10 of them with as many wide and one off the post and another into the hands of Martin Curran. Still, they pulled four clear with McNaughton and Dan McCloskey responding to one from Luke O'Connor, but the hosts were right in contention with Joe Maskey and Dan Lowry narrowing the gap to two, but a late McNaughton free left three between them at the half with Loughgiel 0-10 to 0-7 ahead.
James McNaughton is challenged when on the attack
Despite playing into the wind in the second period, Loughgiel made the better start with half-time substitute Eoin McGrath on target within seconds, followed by another from Rian McMullan.
Although Jennings landed a free for the hosts, they were rocked in the 37th minute as James McNaughton had a sight of goal and wrong-footed Martin Curran at his near post.
Naomh Éanna hung in there with Niall O'Connor and Jennings finding their range in response to McMullan and Shan McGrath, but the second goal would arrive with 43 gone and again it was McNaughton through, giving Curran no chance with a bullet of a shot.
That put nine between them and had Loughgiel out of sight as they could manage that gap for the remainder as McNaughton, McMullan and McGrath all added to their tallies with Declan McCloskey and Ruairi McCormick on the board.
The hosts kept battling with Cian O'Connor and Eoin Conlon chipping in to assist Jennings, but they were unable to make inroads as Loughgiel claimed a solid opening win.
NAOMH ÉANNA: M Curran; D Maguire, M McGibbon, R Eager; E Conlon (0-2), R Diamond, J Maskey (0-1); B Cormican, N O'Connor (0-2); L O'Connor (0-2), C Jennings (0-8, 6f), P Curran; R Donaghy, E O'Connor, D Lowry (0-1).
Subs: C O'Connor (0-1) for B Cormican (34), J McGoldrick for D Lowry (48)
LOUGHGIEL: C McFadden; T Coyle, R McCloskey, C Blair; D McMullan (0-1), Declan McCloskey (0-1), R McCormick (0-1); P Boyle (0-2), C Hargan; Dan McCloskey (0-1), D Patterson, C McGarry (0-1); R McMullan (0-4), S McGrath (0-2), J McNaughton (2-7, 0-5f)
Subs: E McGrath (0-1) for D Patterson (HT), C McCloskey for R McCormick (55), C O'Mullan for S McGrath (59), M Connolly for J McNaughton (60+1)
REFEREE: Colum Cunning (Dunloy)
