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Rossa 0-12 – 2-20 Ruairi Og Cushendall
Kevin Herron reports from Randalstown
Ruairi Og cruised home and claimed the Reserve Hurling Championship after a 2-20-0-12 over Rossa at Randalstown on Monday evening.
Goals in each half from Eoin Laverty and Patrick Sharpe helped the Ogg who had a little too much for the Shaws Road outfit.
The sides traded scores repeatedly in the opening quarter with Rossa often edging ahead. Daire Murphy gave his side the lead on three occasions- two from converted frees and the opener a nice, angled effort with Eoin Trainor registering in-between times.
Cushendall were able to respond each time, Eoin Laverty led his sides revival in the first instance and would also restore parity for his side for the final time with a converted free. Francis McCurry and Scott Walsh were also on hand to level up during an evenly contested opening quarter.
A second converted free from Laverty had his side ahead for the first time at 0-05-0-04 with Daire Murphy on-hand with his third converted free at the other end.
On 21 minutes the opening goal arrived, Christy McNaughton slipped the ball to Francis McCurry who had his shot blocked and Eoin Laverty made no mistake at the second time of asking- powerfully firing past Philip Creen to give his side a 1-05-0-05 lead.
Eoin Trainor swung over his second of the half in reply before Creen made an excellent stop to deny Colm McKeegan from finding Ruairi Og’s second goal.
The resulting 65’ was converted by Laverty who added three further scores before the break- two coming from converted frees and the other a nice score from play to bring his first half tally to 1-07.
Francis McCurry weaved his way towards the target and shot over the bar with Daire Murphy converting his fourth free of the half between times, though at the break Rossa trailed 1-10-0-07.
Daire Murphy cut the deficit upon the resumption with his second point from play of the evening.
Scott Walsh replied from distance before Eoin Laverty hit two further placed balls- one from a free and the other from a 65’, Francis McCurry hooking over another in-between times and Patrick Sharpe making an immediate impact as Cushendall were beginning to pull into the distance.
A mini Rossa revival saw the Shaws Road side register three unanswered points. Talisman Daire Murphy converted his fifth free of proceedings, Conal Shannon hit a fine point before Murphy added his seventh score.
Their momentum was brought to a shuttering end before the water-break however as Ruairi Og hit the net for the second time.
Ronan McAteer moved in for the kill but saw his shot crash off the post as substitute Patrick Sharpe rocketed the loose ball into the corner of the net to move his side 2-14-0-11 ahead.
Eoin Laverty added to his ever-increasing tally with his sixth converted and he picked off a terrific score from range shortly after with Francis McCurry inflicting further punishment.
Laverty finished his sides scoring for the evening with another brace of converted frees and Conal Shannon landing one from the same scenario late-on.
In the end Cushendall ran out convincing winners to deservedly clinch the County reserve hurling honours for 2021.
Rossa: P Creen, A Murphy, D Murphy, C Boyle, A McLean, E O’Neill, E May, C Shannon (0-02, 0-01f), E Trainor (0-02), D Murphy (0-08, 0-05f), C Rocks, C McVeigh, C McParland, R O’Neill, D Rocks. Subs: G McGrath for A Murphy (26), N Devlin for R O’Neill (34), B McAuley for C McParland (43), J Reynolds for C Rocks (49), J Quinn for C McVeigh (51).
Cushendall: E Gillan, S McKenna, L Gillan, J McCurry, C McCollam, R McCollam, S Walsh (0-02), E Laverty, A Delargy, C McNaughton, S Black, R McAteer, F McCurry (0-04), C McKeegan, E Laverty (1-13, 0-07f, 0-03 65’). Subs: P Sharpe (1-01) for C McKeegan (39), C Brown for R McAteer (50), M Emerson for C McNaughton (54), M McCann for C McCollam (54).
Referee: Francis Traynor (Loughgiel)