Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Semi Final
Ruairi Og Cushendall V Loughgiel Shamrocks
Match Report courtesy of Colum Thompson.
Ruairi Og produced a swashbuckling second half performance to grab victory from the jaws of defeat in a pulsating contest against their great rivals Loughgiel. Cushendall began the game with a stiff breeze at their backs and they almost got off to the perfect start. A long delivery from Sean Delargy caused panic in the Shamrocks defence, Conor Carson capitalised on the confusion, however his ground stroke skewed wide with the goal at his mercy. Two minutes later Neil Mc Manus got Cushendall off the mark with a pointed free from 45 yards. Barney Mc Auley answered back for Loughgiel from the left wing and then Mc Manus and Liam Watson traded frees to leave the scores 0-2 each after ten minutes. Two more from Mc Manus, one a free and the other an outrageous effort from play, 60 yards out and along the sideline and one from young Cormac Mc Allister brought loud cheers from the Dall support.
However just as quickly Loughgiel came roaring back with three in a row from Liam Watson and the game was well and truly on. Sean Delargy who was having a rip roaring battle with fellow veteran Barney Mc Auley thumped over a long range effort to again give Cushendall the lead. Loughgiel wrestled back the momentum and finished the half strongly with points from Mc Auley, Watson from a free and Joey Scullion and changed ends 0-8 to 0-7 ahead.
The second half began in the same fashion as the first half ended, that man Watson converting two placed balls and at this stage they looked in control of proceedings. However from this point until the end of the game Cushendall hurled like men possessed. Despite facing into the wind and driving rain Neil Mc Manus sent over two frees and Conor Carson added a point from play after getting on the end of a good team move to again restore parity. Dan Mc Closkey again edged Loughgiel in front but the irrepressible Mc Manus again levelled.
As the game entered the home straight Watson and Mc Manus again exchanged fire and then Shane Mc Naughton edged Cushendall in front. Watson leveled from a free and with five minutes to go the game was there to be won. In the closing stages a determined Cushendall surged forward and it was Mc Manus, ice in his veins, who held his nerve to convert a couple of difficult frees to put Cushendall two to the good entering injury time. Loughgiel searched for the goal that would win the game but got no change from a stout Dall defence. They did get a point from a Watson free but it was too little too late and Cushendall held on for a famous victory. Final score 0-15 to 0-14.
How they played: In goals Eoin Gillan had little to do however his poc outs were excellent in the second half setting up a number of Dall attacks. All six backs covered themselves in glory hurling their hearts out with Ryan Mc Cambridge, Eunan Mc Killop and Eoghan Campbell particularly impressive. Aidan Mc Naughton fought tooth and nail at midfield and Shane Mc Naughton is improving with every game after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. However my man of the match goes to that man Neil Mc Manus who registered a superb tally of 0-11, 0-8 coming from frees. He led from the front, fielded some excellent high balls and took the fight to Loughgiel in the second half.
Team: 1. E Gillan 2. R Mc Cambridge 3. M Burke 4. A Graffin 5. E Campbell 6. E Mc Killop 7. S Delargy(0-1) 8. A Mc Naughton 9. S Mc Naughton(0-1) 10. C Mc Allister(0-1) 11. N Mc Manus(0-11) 12. C Carson(0-1) 13. C Mc Naughton 14. S Mc Afee 15. P Mc Gill.
Subs used: D Mc Naughton, K Mc Keegan, E Laverty.