Bathshack Antrim SHC, Group One
O'Donovan Rossa 0-26 McQuillan's, Ballycastle 0-8

A LOOK at the final score tells you much of Saturday's Antrim Senior Hurling Championship game at Dunsilly.

Rossa eventually shed the yips in front of the posts to pull clear in the second period and the concession of just eight points is a positive sign for last year's finalists.

Yet Ballycastle's cause was dented early on as Ciaran Clarke hobbled out with what looked a nasty knee injury - hopefully a speedy recovery for one of Antrim's best.

It now means that the final round game between Ballycastle and Carey is effectively knockout hurling to see who will take third place in the group and advance into the quarters, a situation Rossa don't have to worry about as they have at least second place sewn up - that to be decided with a trip to Dunloy in a fortnight to decide who tops the group and gets the bye into the last four.

Adrian Kenneally bursts out from the back
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Adrian Kenneally bursts out from the back

On Saturday at a sunny, yet breezy, Dunsilly, Rossa were a class above. All starting forwards and both midfielders registered with some of the scores of the highest quality.

Dominic McEnhill and Tommy Morgan hit five apiece, but outside of Dara Rocks - who spent a time off the field to get stitched - and substitute Diarmuid Rogan, all the other scorers landed at least two.

Ballycastle had seven on the board, but the overwhelming majority hit just one apiece as their attack faltered and just two points in the second period was never going to do.

Rossa hit 11 wides (albeit one from a blockdown) and a few into Ryan McGarry's hands in the opening period, but were much more economical in the second period with just two chances passed upon as Ballycastle's wide tally increased to break even with Rossa on 13 overall.

It was the Belfast side that opened the scoring with Aodhán O'Brien setting up Thomas Morgan for a point, while at the other end, Ballycastle carved out an opening with their defence drawn out of place and Seamus McAuley put through, yet Donal Armstrong made a good save.

Stephen Beatty doubled the Rossa lead when reading a McGarry poc-out to intercept and fire over, while Ballycastle finally got off the mark through McAuley.

Clarke was then forced off, but his replacement, Tiernan Smyth, made an immediate impact when tidily gathering and scoring before spraying a beauty of a pass across to TT Butler to score after Gerard Walsh had nudged Rossa back ahead.

This left the sides locked at 0-3 midway through a stop-start opening period, but Rossa began to find their feet as the minutes ticked by, hitting six of the next seven points with Dominic McEnhill (two), Beatty, Seaghan Shannon, James Connolly and Aodhán O'Brien all finding their range with a solitary Mark McClean point all Ballycastle had to show.

Gerard Walsh gets away from Tiernan Smyth
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Gerard Walsh gets away from Tiernan Smyth

Seamus McAuley took over free-taking for Ballycastle and split the posts before O'Brien cancelled out in kind and then produced an excellent fetch and finish, while James McLister and Beatty traded late scores to leave Rossa 0-12 to 0-6b up at the half.

Ballycastle were still in touch and opened the second period brightly, but completely lost their way with their shooting as Rossa extended the gap with James Connolly landing a brace and Seaghan Shannon firing over for deep before Ronan Laverty drilled over for 'The Town'.

Thomas Morgan then showed a clean pair of heels to the Ballycastle defence to point and while Conor Boyd responded with a 42nd minute 65, it would be Ballycastle's last score of the game.

Rossa put the foot down and carved out some outstanding scores with Michael Armstrong cutting out a Ballycastle attack and delivering an inch-perfect ball on a plate to Gerard Walsh to finish, while the county man then showed his own vision to spray across to McEnhill to score.

Thomas Morgan produced a finish from the acutest of angles - one of his three points down the stretch - while Dara Rocks, substitute Rogan, O'Brien and McEnhill with a pair of late scores saw the Belfast side finish with a flourish.

The trip to Dunloy will be a much stiffer test for Rossa to come, while Ballycastle now face that do-or-die derby with Carey if they are to prolong their season.

ROSSA: D Armstrong; A Kenneally, C McGuinness, C Orchin; Stephen Shannon, M Armstrong, E Trainor; Seaghan Shannon (0-2), G Walsh (0-2); D Rocks (0-1), S Beatty (0-3), A O'Brien (0-4, 2 frees 1 65); T Morgan (0-5), J Connolly (0-3), D McEnhill (0-5).
Subs: C McGetttigan for D Rocks (54), C McVeigh for J Connolly (58), O May for Stephen Shannon (59), D Rogan (0-1) for Seaghan Shannon (60), R O'Neill for A O'Brien (60+4).

BALLYCASTLE: R McGarry; M McClean (0-1), M Donnelly, O Kearney; J McLister (0-1), N McAuley, O McAuley; C Boyd (0-1 65), S McAuley (0-2, 1 free); J McToal, C Clarke, M Dallat; F McKiernan, TT Butler (0-1), R Laverty (0-1).
Subs: T Smyth (0-1) for C Clarke (12), R McCarry for F McKiernan (22), J McGowan for J McToal (HT), C Connor for M McClean (HT), D McShane for M Dallat (42).

REFEREE: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)