Sport

On this day in The Irish News on September 9, 1996

Terence McNaughton helped Cushendall to the Antrim hurling title
Terence McNaughton helped Cushendall to the Antrim hurling title Terence McNaughton helped Cushendall to the Antrim hurling title

Favourites Cushendall were too strong for Ballycastle and secured their seventh senior county hurling title with a 2-16 to 2-10 victory in an entertaining Antrim final at Casement Park.

The throw in was delayed by 45 minutes due to extra time in the Cargin versus St Gall's encounter, but that didn't put young Ruairi McNaughton off his game.

McNaughton, playing for only the second time at full-forward for Cushendall, grabbed a total of four points and made life awkward for Ballycastle full-back Eoin Colgan.

But it was Ballycastle who got off to the better start, Mickey McShane scoring a goal from close range in the second minute.

The Dall's Mark McCambridge then found the net with a low, powerful effort. Conor McCambridge scored Cushendall's second goal after being put through by the lively Ruairi McNaughton.

Veteran corner forward Dessie Donnelly gave Ballycastle a lifeline when he latched onto a long clearance from Mark McConnon and found the net.

But Cushendall stepped up a gear after that and were helped to victory by three late Ruairi McNaughton points.

Derry star Anthony Tohill is once again being targeted by Australian Rules football bosses.

Melbourne Demons' head coach Barry Richardson has made a bold bid to lure the Swatragh man down under. Richardson managed the Melbourne club during Tohill's

18-month spell in Australia between 1989 and 1990.

The Demons' coach only recently returned to the Melbourne club but it is known that he considers Tohill to be a central part of his teambuilding.

A source close to Tohill confirmed last night that the GAA star had been made an offer. The source said that Tohill had not made up his mind whether to accept or reject the offer.

Tohill's departure would be a big blow to Derry's hopes of re-establishing themselves among the GAA elite.

The county suffered an embarrassing Ulster semifinal defeat by Tyrone last June and many are regarding next season as the last opportunity for this Derry team to re-establish itself. Derry county board sources are fully aware that attempts are being made to lure the Swatragh man to Australia.

Like the entire Derry side possibly with the exception of Kieran McKeever, Tohill had a disappointing outing during the Ulster semi-final.

But he still has much to offer to the Derry team and his departure would be a massive blow to the Oak Leaf squad. The betting is however, that Tohill may elect to turn down the offer

Mike Tyson will meet Evander Holyfield on November 9 after taking only 109 seconds to dispatch Bruce Seldon and win the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title.

The long-awaited clash will finally take place after Tyson made easy work of Seldon at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, to add the WBA title to his WBC belt.

“I'm going to have a good time in this fight,” said Tyson of his meeting with the 33-year-old Holyfield, who responded: “I am looking forward to it and I have no doubt that I will be the winner.”

Seldon offered little resistance to Tyson's awesome power, going down twice – the first time after he appeared to slip avoiding a right hook by Tyson that sailed over his head, and a second time when a left hook landed.

On his feet, Seldon shook his head as referee Richard Steele began counting, before staggering back into the ropes – prompting Steele to proclaim Tyson the victor.

“I was just trying to set him up for the knockdown,” Tyson said.

“I'm punching pretty hard these days. He was fighting and moving so he was hard to hit at first. My mode of operation once I get a man hurt is reckless abandon.

And he promised his late trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato: “Cus – two down, one to go. Holyfield is in for a lot of trouble.”