Bathshack Antrim SHC quarter-final
Dunloy 1-24 Ballycastle 1-18
A WORM’S eye view of the action is always the best view. From inside the wire and just a couple of feet away, you get a deep appreciation of absolutely everything that occurs on the field.
Watching close-up, Ballycastle’s sheer determination and guts were nothing short of awesome as they thundered into favourites Dunloy at every opportunity in sunny Loughgiel on Sunday.
From just a few privileged feet away, you could also appreciate the technical brilliance – it’s probably closer to wizardry – of some of the Cuchullains play.
For pure talent, nobody touches Dunloy.
Seaan Elliott was outstanding for the Dunloy footballers last week as they crashed out to St Brigid’s – and he was outstanding again during Sunday’s keenly fought quarter-final showdown with McQuillans.
Dunloy have hurlers that do things that others simply can’t. In the first half, Elliott flicked the ball over his opponent’s head along the sideline and spun away in a flash.
It didn’t lead to anything of note, but it was another reminder of the ridiculous skill that resides in Gregory O’Kane’s team.
In the 54th minute, and with Ballycastle having made it a one-point game after substitute Lorcan Donnelly hammered the ball past Ryan Elliott in the Dunloy goal, the ball was fizzed up the line to Keelan Molloy.
With his first touch he killed the sloithar stone dead with his hurl and with his second touch he nabbed his fifth point of the day from a difficult angle.
Nigel Elliott, Aodhan McGarry and Eoin O’Neill also posted moments of pure class throughout this tie as the Cuchullains struggled to shake off their rivals.
Ballycastle couldn’t have given it more on the day and were just beaten by a slicker opponent.
A missed penalty in the second half and a few first-half wides will haunt them though, while Dunloy were wasteful themselves for periods in both halves.
A keen breeze saw a host of efforts turn away from Ballycastle’s posts in the second half while Ryan McGarry in the McQuillans goal made a fantastic double save in the 11th minute to deny Conal Cunning and then Eoin O’Neill.
And with Dunloy threatening to blow Ballycastle completely off course in the opening half, McGarry denied Dunloy’s Aodhan McGarry with another incredible reflex save two minutes before the interval.
Cunning was featuring in his first hurling championship game of the season after suffering a broken arm earlier in the year and also played in last week’s football championship defeat to St Brigid’s.
Indeed, 11 players that featured against St Brigid’s seven days earlier were in action for the hurlers on Sunday. And the pick of the bunch in the first half was Aodhan McGarry at wing-forward who helped himself to 1-3 from play.
Played in beautiful sunshine in front of a healthy crowd at Healy Park that included new county manager Davy Fitzgerald, Ballycastle’s tactics were clear from the outset.
They launched a succession of high balls on top of their rotating full-forward line to test the resolve of Dunloy’s defensive mettle.
For the most part, Conor McKinley, Phelim Duffin and the likes of Ryan McGarry coped well – but Ballycastle’s front men still mined 10 points from play with Neal McAuley top-scoring for McQuillans (0-8, 0-4 frees).
Dunloy, who were pursuing five-in-a-row last season before they came unstuck against Loughgiel Shamrocks at the semi-final stages, should have been further ahead at the break than 1-12 to 0-9.
Seaan Elliott off-loaded to Aodhan McGarry in the 28th minute to raise what turned out to be their only green flag of the afternoon.
Despite conceding a goal before the break, Ballycastle emerged with renewed vigour and landed some incredible scores from Neal McAuley, Ciaran Butler and Seamus McAuley that kept them within striking distance.
Sitting in his familiar centre-back position, Conor Boyd led by example throughout for Ballycastle - but he opted to go down the middle with his 45th minute penalty and Ryan Elliott had an easy enough stop to make.
As a result, Ballycastle still trailed by 1-14 to 0-12 but showed impressive resilience to get within a point of Dunloy when Loran Donnelly rippled their net in the 52nd minute.
But every time Ballycastle roused their supporters with an inspirational score, Dunloy would race down the field and quieten them with a score of their own.
Neal McAuley hit a raking point for Ballycastle in the 55th minute – but it proved his side’s last rage against the dying light.
Substitute Chrissy McMahon swivelled and converted a fine point and Nigel Elliott, who had a running battle with Ryan McCook, had the last laugh of their duel when he put five between the sides with a minute remaining after a lovely hand-off by Seaan.
The latter took a whack to his hand in the dying seconds but recovered to convert the last score of the day, while Keelan Molloy took a minor knock and was replaced with seconds remaining.
Dunloy were made to fight all the way to book a semi-final meeting with Loughgiel Shamrocks in a fortnight’s time.
With no football distracting them now, Dunloy appear to be peaking nicely for the business end of the year.
Dunloy R Elliott; P Duffin, R McGarry, O Quinn, E Smyth, Kevin Molloy, C McKinley; P Shiels (0-1), S Elliott (0-5, 0-2 frees); N Elliott (0-2), K Molloy (0-5), A McGarry (1-3); E O’Neill (0-3), C Cunning (0-3), N McKeague Subs: G McTaggart (0-1) for N McKeague(44), T McFerran for P Shiels (44), K McKeague for E Smyth (52), C McMahon (0-1) for E Smyth, (55), E McFerran for E O’Neill (55), A McGrath for K Molloy (60+1)
Ballycastle R McGarry; O Kearney, D Donnelly, C Colgan; O Donnelly, C Boyd (0-2, 0-1 free), R Laverty; J McGowan, R McCook (0-1); M McClean, J McShane (0-1), R McCarry; C Butler (0-3), N McAuley (0-8, 0-4 frees), S McAuley (0-3) Subs: J McLister for D Donnelly (30+3) inj), L Donnelly (1-0) for R Laverty (41), C McAuley for C Colgan (50), F Donnelly for O Donnelly (55)
Referee T Conway