ANTRIM’S Senior Hurling Championship group phase came to an end with the final placings in each group solidified in a fantastic weekend of hurling.
The Johnnies shipped a defeat at Corrigan Park at the hands of high-flying Dunloy; meanwhile St Enda’s and Rossa enter their final group game desperate for a win to give themselves a chance at progression.
Group A
St John’s 3-19
Dunloy 5-23
Dunloy blitzed the Johnnies at Corrigan Park, striking a hugely impressive 5-18 from open play as they sealed top spot in the group and earned automatic entry into the semi-final.
Sean Elliott and Eoin O’Neill scored two goals apiece while Luke McFerran added another late on. Elliott would top-score with 2-6 as he formed part of a formidable attacking unit that really cut loose on the day, despite the county star only playing the first period.
The Johnnies struggled to cope with the onslaught unleashed by the Elliott clan, with Luke McFerran being an ever-stinging thorn in their side.
Shea Shannon and Conor Johnston proved to be shining stars for the Johnnies early on as they managed to strike ten points between them in the first half.
On a normal day the Johnnies score of 3-19 (28 points) would put any side to the sword. Unfortunately for them this Dunloy outfit are in a league of their own at the moment with talent studded throughout the 15 starters and many more in reserve.
Enda McGurk, Peter McCallin and Daragh McGuinness all chipped in with majors for the Johnnies but could not do enough to outscore the North Antrim side as they stormed to victory.
The Johnnies fell to a ten point defeat
Ballycastle 1-20
St Enda’s 1-15
The battle of the Yellow and Blacks saw Ballycastle hold off a late challenge from the visitors in Saturday evening’s final Championship game at Pairc Mac Uílin to secure their first win of the campaign and knock St Enda’s out in the process. The score was all the more remarkable as the home side played the entirety of the second period a man down.
The home side were reduced to 14 men just before the half-time whistle. This spurred St Enda’s on to reduce the deficit to seven points – a real concern for Ballycastle as the away side would be playing into a stiff breeze for the second 35.
But Seamus McAuley pointed for Ballycastle from the off and a goal by corner forward Diarmaid McShane set them up for the win. St Enda’s began to close in the final minutes, with scores courtesy of Niall O’Connor and Joe Maskey, but the home side were able to keep the gap around the eight-point mark, thanks to some heroics by their full back line and goalkeeper Ryan McMullan in particular.
The Glengormley side grabbed a goal and a point in injury time to reduce the gap to four and set home nerves jangling again, but Ballycastle saw their anxieties relieved when substitute Lorcan Donnelly sent over a late point to send his team through to the quarter finals.
Group B
Carey Faughs 1-13
Rossa 2-30
Rossa went to Carey in full expectation of a win and win well and that is exactly what they claimed as they travelled to North Antrim facing the bottom side in Group A, knowing victory would secure their spot in the knockout stages.
Carey took an early lead but scores from Deaglan McCartney, Gerard Walsh, Declan McEnhill and Pearce Short saw momentum shift in favour of the Jeremiahs.
Walsh added a second goal for Rossa before Eoin Trainor made his return from suspension in week one to get in on the scoring alongside Deaglan Murphy and Dominic McEnhill as they impressed to strike 30 points between the posts for the Shaws Road side.
The victory sets up a mouth-watering tie with St John’s in the quarter-final stages with Rossa having held the upper hand in recent games.
Rossa enjoyed a big victory on Saturday 
Cushendall 2-15
Loughiel 0-19
Another impressive display by Neil McManus saw the former county all-star drive his side on to victory as they clinched a two-point win over rivals Loughiel Shamrocks on a miserable afternoon on the Antrim coast.
The Dall have their eyes firmly fixed on a third Championship in a row and their winning streak in the Antrim Championship was never in any real danger despite a spirited showing by neighbours Loughiel who found the scoring prowess of Joe McLaughlin and McManus to much to handle.
Ruairi Óg now look forward to a mini-break as they earn direct entry into this year’s semi-final whilst Shamrocks must face off with Ballycastle in a huge quarter-final derby clash in a fortnight's time.
