A.C.M.H.L Match Report | Ruairi Og CLG

All County Minor Hurling League St Johns v Ruairi Og (18/5/12)

Cushendall travelled to Belfast looking to get their League campaign of to a succsessful start . St Johns got the 1st score of the game when Conor Johnston slotted over a good point. Cushendall hit 2 or 3 wides in a row and were getting on top of things, but were hit with a sucker punch when a long hopeful ball played into the Cushendall square was misjudged and found its way into the net to give St Johns a 4 point advantage.

From the resulting puck out Ryan McCambridge fielded the ball, turned his man and slotted the ball between the uprights to get the 'Dall of the mark. St Johns then attacked and got another point from Jude McCurdy. Alex Delargy then charged through the Johnnies rearguard and slotted over a point. Cushendall were growing into the game and it was no surprise when Cormac McClafferty lifted the net to draw the teams level. Centre Half for Cushendall Paddy Burke really came into his own around this stage and won numerous balls and played a pile of quality ball into the 'Dall forward unit and this really was the catalyst for RuairiOgs period of dominance.

Christy McNaughton lofted over a '65 and Ryan McCambridge expertly fielded another puck out beat 2 men and banged over another magnificent point, Christy McNaughton added another '65, David Kearney then went on a rampaging run and fired over another point for the'Dall and when Cormac McClafferty banged in another goal, Cushendall were well in the ascendancy.There was just time for Jude McCurdy to loft over another point to leave the half time score:

St Johns 1-03 Ruairi Og 2-06

St johns got the ball rolling in the second half with a series of 8 points without reply by Paidraig Nugent with a '65, Conor Johnston, Ciaran Johnston (2), Michael Bradley (4). The Ruairi Og forwards were not getting the ball but some of the defending from their teammates in particular Ryan McCambridge, Paddy Burke, Stephen Walsh, Eoin McManus and Ciaran McAlister was of sheer quality and it was backs to the wall stuff with no quarter asked and none given .

On Cushendalls 1st real attack of note they forced a '65 and Christy McNaughton lofted it over to get Ruairi Ogs off the mark in the 2nd half, and when that man McClafferty lifted the net for the Ruairi Ogs and it was game on again. Conor Johnston replied with a white flag for the Johnnies to go one behind and when midfielder Michael Bradley rifled over his fifth point of the day from a set play to tie the game with 10 minutes to go, this game was delicately poised.

Cushendall were really pushing on now and 1st Alex Delargy and then Cormac McClafferty had good efforts saved by the st Johns Goalkeeper but Christy McNaughton made no mistake when with 5 minutes to go, he banged in an unstoppable rocket of a shot into the roof of the net and Cushendall were 3 up with 3 minutes to go.

St Johns were out of ideas now and kept running into a wall of Maroon and white who were defending and hurling as if there lives depended on it. Christy McNaughton then got the last point of the game and the Ruairi Ogs had won on a scoreline:

St Johns 1-13 Ruairi Og 4-08

Man Of the Match

There was quite a few contenders from Ruairi Ogs Paddy Burke, Stephen Walsh, Christy McNaughton, Ryan McCambridge and Eoin McManus had good games but for me Cormac McClafferty gets my decision today as his 3 goals were good quality finishes and the work rate he showed in the 2nd half was phenomonal

Ruairi Og

1. Niall McNaughton 2. Eoin McManus 3. Fergal McKillop 4. Ciaran McAlister 5. Stephen Walsh 6. Paddy Burke 7. Cormac McAlister 8. Darren McLaughlin 9. David Kearney (0-1) 10. Conrad McDonnell 11. Ryan McCambridge (0-2) 12. Alex Delargy (0-1) 13. Eoghan Allen 14. Christy McNaughton (1-4) 15. Cormac McClafferty (3-0)

Subs Used: Sean Delargy and Joe McCurry

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