Our senior hurlers made the short journey to Selshion this evening, Tuesday 16/05/23, to take on St Malachy's of Portadown in the fifth round of the Armagh League.
The first fifteen showed three changes from last week's game against Killeavy with Eric Kirwan, Tighearnáin Daly and John McGuigan all being handed starting jerseys.
The lads started the game well and wasted no time in establishing a healthy lead on the scoreboard with no fewer than eight men racking up a healthy 2-14 total in the first half. Centre half forward Gary Mulgrew led the charge firing over seven points in the opening thirty minutes with four of those scores coming from open play. Goals apiece from Tony O'Hagan and Oisín Mór, who also added two points, complimented further points from Rory (0-2), Pete Corr (0-2), Vinny McCann, Conor Doherty and Rónán Maguire. The Portadown first half total of three points left the Black and Red firmly in the driving seat at the beginning of the second half but the St Malachy's men upped the ante after the restart, taking the game to NCC and in the process racking up a tally of 2-9. Our lads, to their credit, didn't sit back and rest on the big lead and helped themselves to a further 2-8 to seal a comprehensive 4-22 to 2-11 victory, with the goals coming from Rory, after a neat ground stroke, and a trademark route one major from Tony who lifted the net from a tight angle with a number of Malachy's men hanging off of him!
Overall it was a good run out for the Cilles and the management team will be pleased with some aspects of the play with the lads showing good improvements in their high fielding, stick work and score taking in particular throughout the evening.
Next up for the squad is a home game against Armagh Cúchulainns at Páirc Chlochóg on Tuesday 30/05/23.

Foireann NCC: Eric Kirwan, Odhrán McMurray, Shéa Devlin, Tighearnáin Daly, John McGuigan, Irwin Donnellan, Seán O’Neill, Conor Doherty (0-2), Vinny McCann (0-1), Peter Corr (0-2), Gary Mulgrew (0-10, 0-6 from frees), Rónán Maguire (0-1), Rory Poncánach Ó Néill (1-3), Tony O'Hagan (2-0), Oisín Mór Ó Néill (1-2)
Fir Ionaid: Paddy McCusker for Oisín Mór, Ryan Dubh O'Neill (0-1) for Vinny McCann, Oisín Mór for Irwin Donnellan