Bathshack Antrim SHC Group Two round two Loughgiel 1-15 Cushendall 1-20
AN exhibition of free-taking from Neil McManus ensured Cushendall secured their second win in the Antrim senior hurling championship yesterday evening.
The Antrim star finished the contest with 12 points beside his name in a flawless display fromplaced ball as the Ruairi Og saw off the challenge of their old rivals Loughgiel.
Five points separated the sides at the end of the hour in a game that saw the Shamrocks lead by six points with 23 minutes played.
Paul Boyle was in inspirational form from the first whistle, firing four of Loughgiel’s opening six points.
Cushendall took some time to get to grips with the Loughgiel attack but moving Scott Walsh to mark Boyle seemed to have the desired effect as Cushendall began to take control.
The opening goal of the game came in the 24th minute, Francis McCurry with the finishing touch after Eoghan Campbell broke through the heart of the Loughgiel defence. It reduced Loughgiel’s lead to two points and breathed impetus into the ’Dall challenge.
Loughgiel held a one-point lead at the interval but the second half belonged to Cushendall and McManus.
They held Loughgiel to just two points in 19 minutes, both frees from Maol Connolly, while raising the white flag nine times at the other end of the pitch. McManus accounted for seven of those in a 13-minute period that effectively proved the winning of this championship tie.
Loughgiel introduced James McNaughton, home from America in the past week, and hoped his mercurial talent would bring them something different in attack but, like the rest of the Loughgiel forward unit, he found the Cushendall defence a tough nut to crack.
Loughgiel’s first point from play in the second half came from substitute Connolly in the 49th minute, He would go on to score five points for the Shamrocks and proved a shining light for his side.
With eight minutes of the hour remaining, Loughgiel were thrown a lifeline through a major from McNaughton after Donal McKinley had powered through the Cushendall defence and laying the sliotar to McNaughton. Fully 30 yards from goal, the Antrim star found the bottom corner of Eoin Gillan’s net with a rasping drive.
A Connelly point from a 65 followed to leave just two between the sides but that was the last score the Shamrocks would muster as Cushendall regained control.
They continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over while Loughgiel threw caution to the wind going for goals.
Christy McGarry, Shan McGrath and Connolly all going close but Cushendall saw out the time that remained to run out worthy winners.
Loughgiel: C O’Connell; T Coyle, T McCloskey, R McCloskey; E Og McGarry, D McCloskey (0-1 free), R McCloskey; S McGrath (0-1), R McKee (0-1); R McMullan, D McKinley (0-1), P Boyle (0-5); C McGarry, D McCloskey, S Casey Subs M Connolly (0-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 65) for McMullan (20), J McNaughton (1-0) for Casey (39), O McFadden (0-1) for T McCloskey (40), E McCloskey for McKee (48), S O’Boyle for C McGarry (60)
Cushendall: E Gillan; L Gillan, P Burke, R McAteer (0-1); M Donaghy, E Campbell (0-1), S Walsh; A Delargy (0-3), R McCambridge (0-1); D Delargy, F McCambridge, A McNaughton; P McGill (0-1), N McManus (0-12, 0-9 frees 0-1 65), F McCurry (1-1) Subs C McNaughton for McGill (49), S Walsh for McCurry (57)
Referee: C McDonald (St Gall’s)
