Battling Eire Ogs lose out to Loughgiel

LOUGHGIEL 3-11   EIRE OGS 0-8

ÉIRE Óg minor hurlers’ memorable season came to an end on Saturday afternoon at a windswept Ballinascreen at the hands of reigning champions Loughgiel.

The Carrickmore side had the wind at their back in the first half and deservedly led 0-6 to 0-2 before Jack McCloskey buried Loughgiel’s first goal to shoot them back in contention.

The Shamrocks added a second goal to lead in stoppage time before Aidan Woods converted his fifth point to level the game, 2-2 to 0-8, at half-time.

It was the last Carrickmore score as Loughgiel raced out of the blocks with an early McCloskey point before a 1-3 blitz inside a three-minute spell left the Tyrone side playing catch-up.

Éire Óg played with Conn Sweeney as a sweeper, Caolan Martin out at midfield with Shea Munroe and Conor Kerr playing inside.

Urged on by a vociferous support, Éire Óg were quickly out of the blocks with Aidan Woods arrowing over a sweet score from the wing.

It didn’t take long for an Antrim response, with Roan McGarry flicking over after Loughgiel won a puck-out. The breeze was playing havoc with their attempts to find the inside line and Éire Óg built from the back.

Woods shot his side back into the lead and looked to have added to his tally only for his booming shot to drop short, but when the sliotar broke free it was Shea Munroe who hit his first score for a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.

Jack McCloskey and Woods traded frees before Éire Óg pushed on. When Ben McGarry drilled a ball down the throat of Sweeney he drilled a diagonal ball to space to Munroe who turned to shoot over the bar for a 0-5 to 0-2 margin after 18 minutes.

Munroe was on the end of a long ball to hit a sixth Éire Óg point before Loughgiel got themselves back into the game. A defensive slip up saw Codai McGarry win the ball and he did enough to force the ball to Jack McCloskey who pulled a low shot to the net.

Woods was off-target with three frees, but added on from the 65 metre line before Loughgiel found the net again. A high ball from McCloskey hung in the air and when goalkeeper Hughes didn’t clear the ball bar enough, Roan McGarry put Loughgiel 2-2 to 0-7 ahead.

A Woods free did level matters, but the writing was on the wall at the break. Jack McCloskey hit an early point for a Loughgiel side who were turning the tide.

Goalkeeper Hughes was overworked with their pressure. McCloskey did have the ball in the net before it was disallowed in the 35th minute.

Ben McGarry put over a 65 in the moment when Loughgiel put the game out of sight. A long ball into the Éire Óg full-back line was touched to the net by Roan McGarry.

Ronan Fitzgerald and Darragh Patterson tagged on two points after angled runs on the wing and the Shamrocks were 3-7 to 0-8 ahead after 42 minutes.

Éire Óg were struggling to breakdown Loughgiel’s half-back line and powerful midfielder Liam Glackin.

Roan McGarry, Jack McCloskey and Darragh Patterson added three points for the winners who needed goalkeeper Christie to save Woods’s close-range free to ensure Loughgiel capped off their win with a clean sheet.