Hurling & Camogie

Cushendall start favourites but don't rule out St John's shock

St John's Micheal Bradley comes under pressure from Ruairi Ogs Francis McCurry and Fergus McCambridge at Dunloy. Picture: Seamus Loughran
St John's Micheal Bradley comes under pressure from Ruairi Ogs Francis McCurry and Fergus McCambridge at Dunloy. Picture: Seamus Loughran St John's Micheal Bradley comes under pressure from Ruairi Ogs Francis McCurry and Fergus McCambridge at Dunloy. Picture: Seamus Loughran

Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship semi-final replay: Cushendall, Ruairi Og v St John's (Ballycastle, 3pm, tomorrow)

THERE is a train of thought that says an underdog only has one bite at the cherry.

Don't tell that to St John's though, as they get ready to meet Cushendall in Ballycastle tomorrow in the Antrim SHC semi-final replay.

Two weeks ago, the Johnnies looked as though they were set to reach their first county final since 1994, but a typically never-say-die revival from Cushendall saw them draw level before Neil McManus drove over what looked like the winner.

However, Ciaran Johnston held his nerve to defy the stiff crossfield wind to convert a long free and give his side a deserved second chance.

The tricky conditions of Dunloy are likely to be replicated in Ballycastle tomorrow and this replay will come down to whoever adapts better and can find that extra couple of percent.

Both teams will feel they got out of jail to an extent two weeks ago, while in another sense they may feel they should have completed the job. Tomorrow's replay is likely to follow a similar pattern.

"It could have went either way, but I think a draw was a fair result," said JOhnnies' manager, Tony McNulty.

"They missed frees and we missed frees, but the wind was very deceiving and people don't allow for that. It was so tight and so close.

"Simon McCrory had been injured and we had to spring him. He made a massive difference when he came on."

McCrory is likely to start tomorrow, but what we have learnt from St John's games this year is trying to second guess how they will line out is an exercise in futility with switches from one day to another common.

One thing is for certain and that that is they will be without Donal Carson, which represents a major blow.

The diminutive corner forward hit 1-2 in the drawn game, but has since travelled to Australia and his knack of being in the right place at the right time to plunder goals could be greatly missed.

However, this is tempered with Cushendall having to plan without Eoghan Campbell who fractured his wrist late in the drawn game.

The county star drove his side forward in the early stages, knocking over two points and was a huge influence around the middle, so his loss will be as keenly felt.

Cushendall's options off the bench helped turn the tide the last day, with Donal 'Natty' McNaughton, Sean McAfee and Alex Delargy all making a difference when introduced, so Cushendall manager, Eamon Gillan will have decisions to make whether to start one or all.

St John's will feel their hurling was not as crisp as it can be and they can improve on that tomorrow as-well-as their shooting, while Cushendall also couldn't break the shackles of the Johnnies' intensity, so will intend to create a little more space to operate.

With the wind whipping in off the coast, it could be another case of who adapts with the physical prowess of of Cushendall perhaps slightly better suited to that and heavier ground following a couple of days' rain.

Still, the Johnnies rightly feel they have every chance and their performances throughout the year back this up.

"It's another day but I think what we showed is that we are up there with the rest of them," added McNulty.

"We showed that we are a match for Cushendall and the likes. We feel like if we make a few less mistakes and reach the same intensity as we did the last day we won’t be far away.”

They certainly won't.

Cushendall will enter as favourites to edge it with little to spare, but like last time, St John's have every chance.