Ruairí Óg 1.14 V 1.13 Ballygalget
When Ruairi Og Cushendall and John Mitchells Ballygalget meet in Ulster Championship hurling there is usually little more than a puc of the ball between the sides and it proved no different this year.
Cushendall were first to register a score, Paddy Magill using the strong breeze to good effect converting a free from the middle of the park. Martin Coulter got Ballygalget on the board when he converted his first free of the day from 40 yards. Paddy Magill again put Cushendall a point to the good from a free won by Brian Delargy. Then Sean Delargy working hard, surged forward to register the game's first score from play with a fine score from the right wing. Martin Coulter was however showing great accuracy from placed balls and he converted 2 in a row to draw the game level once more. Cushendall, beginning to dominate around the half back line, started sending in quality low ball to the forwards which reaped massive rewards, Shane Mc Naughton sent over his first point of the game, then Conor Mc Cambridge rolled back the years when he accepted a pass from Aidan Delargy, turned his man and as he has done so many times since he made his championship debut back in 1992, hammered an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net. Paddy Magill added 2 points, one from a free and one from play along with a fine solo effort from Aidan Delargy to put the Antrim Champions in an excellent position with half time approaching. However Ballygalget responded to the challenge and with that man Martin Coulter on form, he sent over another 2 frees, Neil Mc Manus stopped the rot with a fine individual point but Coulter cancelled this out with yet another free. Eoin Clarke in the 28th min became the only other Ballygalget player to score in the first half when he lost his marker and fired over from 35 yards and it was left to ace marksman Martin Coulter to register the final score of the half, once more from a free to leave the half time score Ruairi Og 1-8 Ballygalget 0-8.
The second half began in a flurry of action, Cushendall spurned a couple of chances before Martin Coulter tapped over a 21 yard free. Shane Mc Naughton, starved of possession in the first half latched onto a Kevin Elliott delivery to lash over his second point of the game. Paddy Magill added another from a free and then Ruairi Og were awarded a penalty when Brian Delargy was brought down as he was about to strike for goal. Neil Mc Manus moved forward with goal on his mind but the Cushendall management signaled for Paddy Magill to tap the free over the bar which he duly did. Martin Coulter was again the inspiration for the Ballygalget fight back. He converted 2 more frees to give John Mitchells hope. Conor Mc Cambridge raised a white flag for Cushendall but this was cancelled out by Paddy Monan who clipped over a superb sideline cut.
Then came a key moment in the game, Gabriel Clarke sent in a high ball which seemed to take a deflection and finished in the Cushendall net, As the Ballygalget players celebrated the referee made a huge call and awarded Cushendall a free out for a square ball and the goal was disallowed.
The game then took a nasty turn when Brian Delargy and Donal Coulter were both yellow carded for an off the ball scuffle. Shane Mc Naughton again lost his marker and floated over the score of the game from an almost impossible angle and when Sean Delargy broke through the Ballygalget rear guard to send over his second point of the game, Ruairi Og looked to be home and dry, but Ballygalget hadn't given up the fight and as they piled on the pressure sub Eammon Monan scrambled the ball to the net. The puc out was sent over towards the stand side and Brian Delargy and Donal Coulter clashed for possession butas the ball went over the lineBrian Delargy went to ground and appeared to receive a blow from Coulter. The first action the referee took was to book Cushendall sub Brian Mc Naughton who had just entered the fray. Even more astoundingly he then proceeded to show Brian Delargy a second yellow card and then a red. It was only after the intervention of the linesman and several officials that he then called Coulter to the side and sent him off as well. From the throw ball Eoin Clarke lashed the ball over the bar to put the minimum between the sides but as Fred Mc Auley took the puc out the referee blew the final whistle with Cushendall victorious on a score line of 1-14 to 1-13.
How they played: Ruairi Og played brilliantly in patches but had to endure some nerve racking moments particularly in the final five minutes. However Fred Mc Auley produced a few fine saves, Aaron Graffin was again excellent along with Karl Mc Keegan and although no forward ran up a high personal tally the forwards all worked well as a unit. Sean Delargy, Shane Mc Naughton, Conor Mc Cambridge, Aidan Delargy and Paddy Magill all contributed some fine scores.
For me however 'Man Of The Match' was Odhran Scullion who gave a colossal display at full back, even when Ballygalget threw on star man Gareth "Magic!" Johnson with 20 mins to go. "Big Scully!" kept him completely out of the game while he also time and again made himself available when his team mates were in trouble.
Team: F Mc Auley, A Graffin, O Scullion, M Mc Cambridge, D Mc Naughton, N Mc Manus, K Elliott, K Mc Keegan, P Magill, B Delargy, D Mc Killop, S Delargy, S Mc Naughton, C Mc Cambridge, A Delargy,
Subs: C Carson for D Mc Killop, B Mc Naughton for A Delargy.