Thank you to Chris Dornan for this report
SRHC Semi Final
Ballygalget v Ruairi Og
Ruairi Og made the long journey down to the Ards Penninsula and started this match playing with the breeze, and Dominic Delargy made the perfect start when he slotted over the 1st point of the game with a neat finish from 30 yards. Ronan McGrady then got in on the act when he caught a ball in midfield and from a full 70 yards to split the uprights. Eoin Laverty then slotted over his 1st free of the night after his brother Eamon was fouled and the 'Dall were up by 3.
Ballygalget got their 1st score of the game when Kieran Savagewon a ball and split the uprights. Eoin Laverty knocked over another free and Ronan McGrady added his 2nd point of the game after a strong run through the heart of the 'Galget defence. Then came a moment of class, Ciaran Kearney pulled the ball up the line to Eoin Laverty, he won the ball and handed it off to Dominic Delargy, Dominic then moved the ball to Eamon Laverty and he put the ball over the bar for a great score.
Ballygalget's John Mc Manus then knocked over a point but Eoin Laverty replied with 2 points in a row from the dead ball. John Mc Manus then added another point for Ballygalget but again Eoin Laverty responded with a nice point from play. Ballygalget's Andy Smith then added a point while Ronan McGrady replied with a point to bring his tally to 0-3.
Ballygalget then put the cat among the pigeons when Gareth Dynes fired a shot to the 'Dall net after Sean McKillop made a good stop on the line but then lost the ball. They then added a neat point from main threat Andy Smith but there was time for Cushendall's Eamon Laverty to slot over another point to leave the half time score:
Ballygalget 1-05 Ruairi Og 0-11
Ballygalget got the 1st score of the half through Paddy Coulter. Only good defending stopped Ballygalget adding to their tally at this time and Cushendall needed a goal to get a bit of breathing space and Mark Donaghy obliged after great play from David Kearney, Eunan McKillop and Eoin Laverty.
Instead of taking the wind out of Ballygalget's sails, the goal they conceded lifted them and they went on to score the next 4 points of the game throughPaddy Coulter(f), and efforts from play from Andy Smith, John Mc Manus and Kieran Savage. Mark Donaghy stopped the rot with a nice point but Ballygalget knocked over a free from Paddy Coulter. Eoin Laverty added a free of his own and Mark Donaghy added another point from play, but back came the Down men through PaddyCoulter who added points from a free and play to leave it a one point game with 5 minutes to play.
Eoin Laverty steadied the ship for the 'Dall with a nice score from the dead ball. Cormac McClafferty added another after he got on to an indirect free from Eoin Laverty, beat his man and slotted over a nice score. To their credit Ballygalget never gave up but a mixture of poor shooting and desperate defending kept them at bay and Eoin Laverty added the final point of the game to leave the final score:
Ballygalget 1-13 Ruairi Og 1-17
Man of the Match
For me one man stood out all night for Ruairi Og and that was Shea McNaughton in full back. Time and time again he cleared ball, made blocks, caught ball and led by example when times were tough in the Cushendall defence.
Team:
1. E Gillan 2. C Grant 3.S McNaughton 4. S McKillop 5. D Kearney 6. P Burke 7. C Kearney 8. R McGrady (0-3) 9. C McClafferty (0-1) 10. Mark Donaghy(1-2) 11. E McKillop 12. Eamon Laverty (0-2) 13. Eoin Laverty (0-8, 0-7 frees) 14. D Delargy (0-1) 15. J McManus
Subs used:
C McAlister, C McDonnell, R McCambridge and Andrew Delargy
Ballygalget v Ruairi Og
Ruairi Og made the long journey down to the Ards Penninsula and started this match playing with the breeze, and Dominic Delargy made the perfect start when he slotted over the 1st point of the game with a neat finish from 30 yards. Ronan McGrady then got in on the act when he caught a ball in midfield and from a full 70 yards to split the uprights. Eoin Laverty then slotted over his 1st free of the night after his brother Eamon was fouled and the 'Dall were up by 3.
Ballygalget got their 1st score of the game when Kieran Savagewon a ball and split the uprights. Eoin Laverty knocked over another free and Ronan McGrady added his 2nd point of the game after a strong run through the heart of the 'Galget defence. Then came a moment of class, Ciaran Kearney pulled the ball up the line to Eoin Laverty, he won the ball and handed it off to Dominic Delargy, Dominic then moved the ball to Eamon Laverty and he put the ball over the bar for a great score.
Ballygalget's John Mc Manus then knocked over a point but Eoin Laverty replied with 2 points in a row from the dead ball. John Mc Manus then added another point for Ballygalget but again Eoin Laverty responded with a nice point from play. Ballygalget's Andy Smith then added a point while Ronan McGrady replied with a point to bring his tally to 0-3.
Ballygalget then put the cat among the pigeons when Gareth Dynes fired a shot to the 'Dall net after Sean McKillop made a good stop on the line but then lost the ball. They then added a neat point from main threat Andy Smith but there was time for Cushendall's Eamon Laverty to slot over another point to leave the half time score:
Ballygalget 1-05 Ruairi Og 0-11
Ballygalget got the 1st score of the half through Paddy Coulter. Only good defending stopped Ballygalget adding to their tally at this time and Cushendall needed a goal to get a bit of breathing space and Mark Donaghy obliged after great play from David Kearney, Eunan McKillop and Eoin Laverty.
Instead of taking the wind out of Ballygalget's sails, the goal they conceded lifted them and they went on to score the next 4 points of the game throughPaddy Coulter(f), and efforts from play from Andy Smith, John Mc Manus and Kieran Savage. Mark Donaghy stopped the rot with a nice point but Ballygalget knocked over a free from Paddy Coulter. Eoin Laverty added a free of his own and Mark Donaghy added another point from play, but back came the Down men through PaddyCoulter who added points from a free and play to leave it a one point game with 5 minutes to play.
Eoin Laverty steadied the ship for the 'Dall with a nice score from the dead ball. Cormac McClafferty added another after he got on to an indirect free from Eoin Laverty, beat his man and slotted over a nice score. To their credit Ballygalget never gave up but a mixture of poor shooting and desperate defending kept them at bay and Eoin Laverty added the final point of the game to leave the final score:
Ballygalget 1-13 Ruairi Og 1-17
Man of the Match
For me one man stood out all night for Ruairi Og and that was Shea McNaughton in full back. Time and time again he cleared ball, made blocks, caught ball and led by example when times were tough in the Cushendall defence.
Team:
1. E Gillan 2. C Grant 3.S McNaughton 4. S McKillop 5. D Kearney 6. P Burke 7. C Kearney 8. R McGrady (0-3) 9. C McClafferty (0-1) 10. Mark Donaghy(1-2) 11. E McKillop 12. Eamon Laverty (0-2) 13. Eoin Laverty (0-8, 0-7 frees) 14. D Delargy (0-1) 15. J McManus
Subs used:
C McAlister, C McDonnell, R McCambridge and Andrew Delargy
Ballygalget:
1, Danny Mc Manus, 2. Dan Taggart, 3. Kevin Mc Greevy, 4. Andy Toner, 5. Paddy Lennon, 6. Gavin Burns, 7. Peter Mc Manus, 8. Conor Dougan, 9. Paddy Coulter, 10. Gareth Dynes, 11. John Mc Manus, 12. Andy Smith, 13. Kieran Savage, 14. Conor Doran, 15. Kieran Savage
1, Danny Mc Manus, 2. Dan Taggart, 3. Kevin Mc Greevy, 4. Andy Toner, 5. Paddy Lennon, 6. Gavin Burns, 7. Peter Mc Manus, 8. Conor Dougan, 9. Paddy Coulter, 10. Gareth Dynes, 11. John Mc Manus, 12. Andy Smith, 13. Kieran Savage, 14. Conor Doran, 15. Kieran Savage