Leadon Timber Frames Ulster Minor club Hurling Cup final: Glenariffe-Glenravel (Antrim) v Lavey (Tuesday, Ballinascreen, 12 noon)
FRIDAY afternoon’s second semi-final in the Leadon Timber Frames Ulster minor championship was as good a game of hurling as you could get at this age-group.
There was a high level of skill throughout and it was very closely-fought despite the fact that the Glenariffe-Glenravel amalgamation led from Oisín Gillan’s goal in the 8th minute until the final whistle.
Although the Glens’ team management was on edge throughout, in hindsight they will have welcomed the tough challenge Bredagh set them and be in better shape for this final with a Lavey team that pulled away from Eoghan Ruadh Dungannon after half-time in the first semi-final to win by 3-16 to 0-12.
Patrick Birt’s goals in the last ten minutes sealed victory, but their run of four points in a row early in the second half opened a gap that Dungannon simply couldn’t close.
Like both teams in the second semi-final, Lavey hadn’t played a competitive game in three months and were a little ring rusty at times. Nevertheless they have a strong spine to their team with Tiernán Melaugh making up for missing last season through injury and dual player James Sargent lording the centre-half back/midfield area. Ryan McGarvey, the Birt brothers, free-taker Riain Collins and Charlie Mulholland are all players that will present the first time Saffron champions with something to think about.
The Glens’ team had to field without the injured Peadar McDonnell against Bredagh and spent a short while without Callum McIlwaine after the midfielder picked up a knock. But McIlwaine returned to the play on the edge of the square for a few minutes before resuming his role at midfield and finishing with an impressive seven points from open play.
A third injury worry for them is the other midfielder John Scullion who limped off with an ankle problem close to the end when Bredagh were closing the gap between the sides. If all three are fit to play, Lavey will have their hands full.
Orrin O’Connor, who hit 3-7 in the Antrim final, wasn’t just as prolific in Friday’s semi-final, but he also will take some watching while Oisín Gillan’s sharpness in space is worth a goal or two.
Although both teams scored heavily in their respective semi-final, I can’t see this final being just as high-scoring unless there are a lot of frees at each end. It’s more likely to be a tough physical battle with both defences capable of keeping scores at a premium.
While Glenariffe-Glenravel look more likely to hit goals that would make a huge impression on the score-board, the injuries picked up in Friday’s second semi-final could hamper them before the close of play. Lavey on the other hand are capable of dominating the one-on-one battles, but need to convert that into scores.
It should be a closely-fought battle with Lavey looking to close a gap of 19 years to the last of their two provincial titles while Glenariffe-Glenravel are just 60 minutes away from clinching a title that they might never get the opportunity to challenge again.
