We started the second half at a higher tempo and were quickly rewarded when Rory McEvoy fired to the back of the Ballymena net to put us into the lead. We continued to press and four unanswered Canice Mooney points opened up a five point advantage.  Two pointed Ballymena frees reduced the deficit to a goal but further points from Canice Mooney and Stephen McGivern restored our five point advantage. At this stage Ballymena dug deep and a point quickly followed by a goal left one between the sides. In the dying minutes of the game Ballymena pressed for the equaliser and it finally came to send the game to extra time.

The extra time was just as tight as both teams battled hard to gain the upperhand. Two Ballymena points put them in the driving seat but to our credit we gave it one final push. A Canice Mooney pointed free left one between the sides and in a frantic finish Rory McEvoy struck the ball on the ground to the back of the Ballymena net to give us a two point cushion which we held to the final whistle.

This was by no means one of our best displays of the season but all over the park we battled hard. When the chips were down we regrouped and worked for each other and in the end this hard work and endeavour was rewarded. We now meet Glencar Manorhamilton from Leitrim in the final.

Ardoyne came out in the second half all guns blazing and chipped away at the deficit. No matter what we tried we just couldn’t get into the same rhythm that we had in the first half.  Ardoyne added four unanswered points and when Gerard Burns fired over a free to leave five between the sides it looked as if we would definitely go on and win the game.  Ardoyne continued to press and some fine saves by Dee Issacs in goal helped us maintain our advantage. However, Dee was finally beaten; after making an excellent save the ball looped into the path of an Ardoyne forward to drive to the net. Our lead had been reduced to two and with time running out all the momentum was with Ardoyne. They scored another point in injury time to set up a nail biting finish but we were able to regain possession of the ball and played ourselves into the Ardoyne half of the pitch and see the game through to the final whistle.

This was definitely a game of two halfs – we controlled the first while Ardoyne hit back in the second. However, a one point victory saw us lift the trophy and make up for our defeats in the last two finals. Well done to Danny Toner and the team for picking up the silverware. Congratulations also to Dee Issacs who picked up the man of the match award.

Cushendun scored the next point but we quickly added another two points with Rory McEvoy picking up a breaking ball and rifling it over the bar while Canice Mooney hit another point from a well executed free. At this stage we were well in control but Cushendun started to get into their stride and added four unanswered points to leave the half time score 1-5 to 0-6 in our favour.

Cushendun picked up the tempo at the start of the second half , picking off three points to edge into the lead for the first time in the match. However, we dug deep and bounced back with the score of the game. Martin Mooney won possession of the sliotar ans solo-ed out on the wing. He laid a handpass off to Canice Mooney who fired the sliotar between the points from an acute angle on the sideline to level the match. A Sean Prenter point of his left side was followed by a Canice Mooney free and we took a two point advantage with ten minutes left.

A Cushendun point reduced the deficit to one but the killer score was a Cushendun goal to give them a two point lead. Before we had time to regroup they added another two points to increase the gap to four. A Canice Mooney point left a goal between the sides but with time running out we were unable to get an equalising goal.

While we are disappointed to lose the game we came out of it with our heads held high. We showed we can compete against teams from a higher division and with a bit more cuteness and experience of playing at this tempo we could definitely hold our own in the next division.

Our next outing is against Ballymena in the semi-final of the Ulster Hurling League on 11 August and this is one we will be aiming to win following last years defeat at the same stage of this competition.

Rossa held a six point advantage at the end of the first period of extra time following a goal and three points scoring spree and there is no doubt they thought they had done enough to see them over the winning line. However, in the second period of extra time we blitzed them with three goals in quick succession, from Jake O’Rawe, Liam McGivern and Collie O’Riordan. Rossa responded with a pointed free but we had done enough to earn a two point success and progress to face Ardoyne in the final.

We then steadied the ship as we made a quick comeback. Sean O’Neill hit two points, Ryan Rooney got on the score board and when Colly O’Riordan laid a pass off to Liam McGivern he despatched a fierce shot to the Aghagallon net to edge us a point into the lead. All the good work was cancelled out as again we allowed the Aghagallon forwards in for another goal and when they added a further three points we were back to square one. Colly O’Rioradn took the last point of the half to leave us trailing 1-4 to 2-5.

In the second half we battled hard but couldn’t make a dent in the Aghagallon lead. Depsite points from Liam McGivern, Sean O’Neill, Gary Nelson and Stevie Dobbin to get within a goal at one stage, Aghagallon finished strongly slotting over four unanswered points to take the win 2-11 to 1-8.

We opened up with a finely taken goal from Rory McAvoy following good work by Stephen McGivern and Darren O’Neill who fed the ball to Anton McCaffrey who handpassed to Rory to finish to the net. Anton then took a point after fielding a Canice Mooney sideline cut and Rory McAvoy added to his tally with a point. Rory McAvoy then returned the favour as he handpassed the sliotar to Anton McCaffrey who blasted to the back of the  Aggies  net. At this stage we lead 2-2 to no score but St Agnes registered a point with a long range free to open their account. Canice Mooney then got his first point of the game before playing Sean Prenter in for another point. A clearance from defense by Michael Brady found Rory McAvoy who side stepped his marker, passed off to Sean Smith who struck the sliotar between the posts. This was the final score of the first half giving us a commanding lead 2-5 to 0-1.

We rattled off five unanswered points on the resumption with Canice Mooney picking off three of the scores, including two fifty metre frees, while Stephen McGivern scored an exquisite point as he split the posts from sixty metres with his back to goal and Sean Prenter added his second. St Agnes then responded with a goal but we immediately hit back with Darren O’Neill taking possession of the ball and finding Canice Mooney who fired over the bar. From the resulting puck out Paul McGivern took a high catch and unleashed a high ball into the St Agnes box: Anton McCaffrey rose above the defenders, plucked the sliotar from the sky and buried it in the net. St Agnes then netted again but substitute Kevin McGrattan raced on to a cross field ball from Stephen McGivern to send over a point with his first touch of the game and when Sean Prenter pointed for his third time was almost up. In the dying seconds St Agnes found the net for their third goal of the half but we had done more than enough to secure the win and progress to the semi-final stage where we will take on Cushendun who beat All Saints in their quarter final encounter. Click here for photos of the game.