St John’s claim Intermediate title

AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship Final:
St John’s (Antrim) 2-11 Eire Og Carrickmore (Tyrone) 1-11

St John’s won the AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Hurling title when they edged out Tyrone champions Carrickmore in a great contest at Casement Park.

When the Antrim champions got away to a flying start with two goals in the opening two minutes from full forward Liam Boyle it appeared that they were on course for a handy victory. However those thoughts were soon dispelled at the Tyrone men hit back with a brilliant goal and a point from flying corner-forward Conor Grogan to completely change the complexion of the game.

For the remainder of the opening half Carrickmore matched their more illustrious opponents and St John’s had their goalkeeper Ciaran Cunningham to thank on more than one occasion for keeping them ahead at the break. (2-4 to 1-6)

With a fresh breeze at their backs in the second-half Carrickmore must have fancied their chances of recording a famous win and when they were awarded a penalty seven minutes after the restart it began to look ominous for the Antrim champions. Cunningham came to the rescue again however and with a little help from Barry McFall the ball was turned over for a point to level the score.

Brian McFall and Carrickmore’s Aidan Kelly twice exchanged points to keep the sides deadlocked and as the game entered the final ten minutes it looked to be anybody’s game.

St John’s slowly began to gain an edge in the run to the line and though they had to call on goalkeeper Cunningham a couple more times Colm McFall, Brian McFall and team captain Mickey O’Neill (2) grabbed the scores that sealed the Johnnies victory.

SCORERS
St John’s: Brian McFall 0-7 (0-4f,), L Boyle 2-1, M O’Neill 0-2, G Clarke 0-1.
Eire Og: J Kerr 0-5 (0-4f), C Grogan 1-1, J Kelly 0-3 (0-1 pen), A Kelly 0-2.

St John’s: C Cunningham; C Gannon, M O’Neill, B Hayes; L Knocker, A Downey, C Morgan; G Clarke, C McFall; Barry McFall, N McCallin, S Tierney; C McStein, L Boyle, Brian McFall. Subs: E Caldwell for McStein (36), P Montgomery for Tierney (51), C Rouse for Hayes (57).

Eire Og: C McElhatton; B Begley, D Maguire, M Kelly; C Hughes, M Grogan, SP Begley; J Kerr, A Kelly; G Fox, J Kelly, R McCallan; S MacLoughney, P Hughes, C Grogan. Subs: T Hughes for McCallan (32), S Coyle for MacLoughney (54).

Referee: E Hassan (Derry).

Report: antrim.gaa.ie
Picture: Michael Cullen