Today in an absorbing, intense final Ruairí Óg seniors restricted Loughgiel Shamrocks to six points whilst scoring fifteen minors themselves and in doing so laid claim to their 11th senior title. They had heroes all over the pitch with the entire backs' unit outstanding and Shane Mc Naughton operating at corner forward a constant threat.
Aidan Delargy was a proud captain when he lifted the Volunteer Cup high above his head just as father John did when Cushendall won their first title back in 1981.
Cushendall power their way to eleventh title - Cushendall 0-15 Loughghiel 0.06
(Courtesy of Antrim GAA website)
Cushendall Ruairi Og produced a superb second-half display to win their third Antrim Senior Hurling title in four years, and their eleventh in all, at Casement Park Belfast on Sunday and in doing so condemned Loughgiel Shamrocks to their sixth successive final defeat.
After a tough and uncompromising opening half in which defences were very much on top, Cushendall held a 0-5 to 0-3 lead, the most pivotal moment of the half coming in the seventeenth minute when Loughgiel’s Liam Watson was sprung from the bench to take a penalty.
Watson, who didn’t start because of a broken jaw sustained in his team’s semi-final replay win over Dunloy, struck the shot well but Cushendall goalkeeper Francis McAuley was equal to the task, a save that struck a major psychological blow to the Shamrocks chances.
Two points up at the break Cushendall took control from an early stage of the second-half, and with centre-back Neil McManus marshalling an excellent half-back line, Loughgiel’s chances were few and far between.
Shane McNaughton, who gave a man-of-the-match display at corner-forward with five points from play, led the line up front and with Sean Delargy improving as the game progressed, and right-half-back Kevin Elliott striking a couple of great long-range points, Cushendall clinched their eleventh title with a bit to spare.
There was a special family moment in the final quarter when the veteran John ‘Jackie’ Carson was sprung from the subs bench, closely followed by his son Conor. Jackie won his first medal as a teenager back in 1987 in his team’s win over Rossa. Little did he think that day that twenty-one years later he would collect his ninth medal on the same team as his son.
For Loughgiel this seemingly endless cycle of final defeats continues. Watson’s injury, which undoubtedly curtailed his effectiveness, and the early withdrawal of midfielder Eddie McCloskey was a severe blow to their hopes, but in truth if both had been fully fit they would still have struggled to match Cushendall’s power and strength, and that great ability they have to produce the goods when it really matters.
CUSHENDALL – Francis McAuley, Aaron Graffin, Oran Scullion, Michael McCambridge, Donal McNaughton, Neil McManus, Kevin Elliott, Karl McKeegan, Paddy McGill, Sean Delargy, Brian Delargy, Declan McKillop, Aiden Delargy, Conor McCambridge, Shane McNaughton.
SUBS – John Carson for McKillop; Conor Carson for Aiden Delargy.
LOUGHGIEL – DD Quinn, Paul Gillen (capt), Neill McGarry, Mark McFadden, Barney McAuley, Johnny Campbell, Declan Laverty, Eddie McCloskey, Benny Dillon, Joey Scullion, James Campbell, Sean McMullan, Shay Casey, Martin Scullion, Tony McCloskey.
SUBS – Liam Watson for Eddie McCloskey, Damian Laverty for Tony McCloskey, Carlin Coyle for Benny Dillon.
REFEREE – Gareth Duffy (St Gall’s)
After a tough and uncompromising opening half in which defences were very much on top, Cushendall held a 0-5 to 0-3 lead, the most pivotal moment of the half coming in the seventeenth minute when Loughgiel’s Liam Watson was sprung from the bench to take a penalty.
Watson, who didn’t start because of a broken jaw sustained in his team’s semi-final replay win over Dunloy, struck the shot well but Cushendall goalkeeper Francis McAuley was equal to the task, a save that struck a major psychological blow to the Shamrocks chances.
Two points up at the break Cushendall took control from an early stage of the second-half, and with centre-back Neil McManus marshalling an excellent half-back line, Loughgiel’s chances were few and far between.
Shane McNaughton, who gave a man-of-the-match display at corner-forward with five points from play, led the line up front and with Sean Delargy improving as the game progressed, and right-half-back Kevin Elliott striking a couple of great long-range points, Cushendall clinched their eleventh title with a bit to spare.
There was a special family moment in the final quarter when the veteran John ‘Jackie’ Carson was sprung from the subs bench, closely followed by his son Conor. Jackie won his first medal as a teenager back in 1987 in his team’s win over Rossa. Little did he think that day that twenty-one years later he would collect his ninth medal on the same team as his son.
For Loughgiel this seemingly endless cycle of final defeats continues. Watson’s injury, which undoubtedly curtailed his effectiveness, and the early withdrawal of midfielder Eddie McCloskey was a severe blow to their hopes, but in truth if both had been fully fit they would still have struggled to match Cushendall’s power and strength, and that great ability they have to produce the goods when it really matters.
CUSHENDALL – Francis McAuley, Aaron Graffin, Oran Scullion, Michael McCambridge, Donal McNaughton, Neil McManus, Kevin Elliott, Karl McKeegan, Paddy McGill, Sean Delargy, Brian Delargy, Declan McKillop, Aiden Delargy, Conor McCambridge, Shane McNaughton.
SUBS – John Carson for McKillop; Conor Carson for Aiden Delargy.
LOUGHGIEL – DD Quinn, Paul Gillen (capt), Neill McGarry, Mark McFadden, Barney McAuley, Johnny Campbell, Declan Laverty, Eddie McCloskey, Benny Dillon, Joey Scullion, James Campbell, Sean McMullan, Shay Casey, Martin Scullion, Tony McCloskey.
SUBS – Liam Watson for Eddie McCloskey, Damian Laverty for Tony McCloskey, Carlin Coyle for Benny Dillon.
REFEREE – Gareth Duffy (St Gall’s)