28/08/05 St. John's Minor hurlers defeat Glenarm to advance to semi- final

Antrim Minor Hurling Quarter Final Corrigan Park

St. Johns 4:21 (33) Glenarm 1:07 (10)

St. John’s Minor Hurlers progressed into the semi-finals of the Championship with a comprehensive victory over a weak Shane O’Neill’s outfit on Sunday.

Darren Hamill opened the Glenarm account in the second minute with a pointed free. Conal Ward added a point from play a minute later. Eoghan Caldwell opened the Johnnies account in the 3rd minute with a 35m point from the left. The wind assisted Glenarm struck back with a Brendan McDermott free but this was soon countered by a point from a 30m free from Simon McCrory. Then Conal Maskey delivered a long ball into the Glenarm area where Paul Gribbin collected and pointed sharpley from 15m.

On 20 minutes Caldwell added a 4th point for St. Johns but Shane O’Neills replied with a McDermott point to level the scores. McCrory then burst through the centre of the field for St.Johns on a 50m solo run. He released an intelligent pass to Aodhan Mulholland who pointed from 25m to give St. Johns the lead. Mulholland shortly afterwards releasesd a shot for goal which fortunately bounced into the path of the ‘PREDATOR’ Kevin McGuinness who goaled for St. Johns. Mulholland followed this up a minute later with a well taken goal from 4m to put some day light between the sides (2:05 to 0:04).

David McGarrity then latched onto a loose ball and picked off a nice point from 15m to leave the half time score 2:06 to 0:04 in St. Johns favour.

The expected 2nd half wind assisted St. John’s onslaught began on cue with a David McGarrity goal in the first minute. Gribben followed this almost immediately with a point which he collected after a feeble puck out from the Glenarm defence. Caldwell was then fouled in possession and he pointed the resulting 40m free. McCrory then burst on another powerful solo run. He ran diagonally some 45m from right to left before pointing from 40m (3:09 to 0:04). Niall Hamill managed to pull a point back for the Glenarm men. But this recovery is short lived as Peter McGarrity slotted over another point.

McDermott points a 40m free for the North Antrim men on 40 minutes. But the sharp Aodhan Mulholland adds further points in the 41st and 42nd minutes. McCrory adds another 45m free to pile the misery on Glenarm in this now one sided affair.

Anthony ‘GaGa’ Moore the burst forward and pointed for St. Johns before McDermott collected and soloed 30m through the Johnnies defence and blasted a consolation goal for Glenarm.(1:06 to 3:14). Substitute Conor McSteen pointed in the 44th and 45th minutes before Moore delivered an intelligent ball to Gerard McCann who pointed from 25m.

Kevin McGuinness then goaled again for St. Johns before Niall Hamill replied with a point for Glenarm. Further points in the last three minute from Barry McFall, McGuinness and McFall again, finished off an extremely disappointing championship match.

Indeed with Glenarm arriving at 1:50pm for a 2:00pm throw in you felt that they weren’t perhaps up for this game.

Sean Moran, Paul Abram, Chris Matthew, Niall Hamill and Darren Hamill were best for Glenarm. St. Johns had good performances , particulary from their defence who never allowed Glenarm in the game. Simon McCrory, Anthony Moore, Aodhan Mulholland, Brian Holmes and Gerard McCann were the pick of the Johnnies.

St. Johns: 1.Tomas Shannon 2.Aodh Hamilton 3.Ciaran McCurdy 4.Anthony Moore 5.Brian Holmes 6.Conal Maskey 7.Barry McFall 8.Eoghan Caldwell 9.Gerard McCann 10.Peter McGarrity 11.Kevin McGuinness 12.Simon McCrory 13.David McGarrity 14.Paul Gribben 15.Aodhan Mulholland.
Substitutes: 16.Conor McSteen for 13 David McGarrity 36 minutes. 17.Jamesey McGibbon for Aodhan Mulholland 40 minutes. 18.James Darragh for Anthony Moore 50 minutes.
St. Johns Scorers: Aodhan Mulholland 1:04, Kevin McGuinness 2:01, David McGarrity 1:01, Eoghan Caldwell 0:03 (1f), Simon McCrory 0:03(1f & 1 X 45), Conor McSteen 0:02, Paul Gribbin 0:02, Barry McFall 0:02, Peter McGarrity 0:01, Gerard McCann 0:01, Anthony Moore 0:01.

Shane O’Neills Glenarm: 1.Michael Abrem 2.Sean Moran 3.Mark Ward 4.Michael Mellon 5.Padraig McDermott 6.Paul Abram 7Michael Killon 8. Chris Matthes 9.Brendan McDermott 10.Conal Ward 11.Darren Hamill 12.Niall Hamill 13.Joohn Kelly 14.John McLaughlin 15.Johnny Neeson 16.Daire McMullan 17.Chris Maltese 18.John Dobbin
Scorers: Brendan McDermott 1:03(1f), Niall Hamill 0:02, Darren Hamill 0:01(1f), Conal Ward 0:01.