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North Antrim Minor Hurling Championship – Darragh Cup

Cushendall 4-21 – Loughgiel 3-18

Cushendall held off a second half challenge from Loughgiel to take the John Darragh Memorial Cup for the first time since 2014 at Pairc Mhuire, Cushendall, on Friday evening. When the Ruairis went in at half time with a nine point lead (3-11 to 1-08) it looked as if they were racing home untroubled. 

The gap was still nine with just five minutes of normal time remaining, but goals in the 53^rdand 57^thminutes by Logan McConville and Conan Johnston closed the gap to just three. There were a few very anxious looks at the clock by the home fans as Loughgiel searched for an equaliser, but Cushendall slammed the door on the Shamrocks with two late points from Nicholas McNaughton and one from Ryan McAuley to seal the win with six to spare.

Malachy Darragh presents the John Darragh Memorial Cup to Cushendall captain Thomas McLaughlin after his team’s win over Loughgiel in Friday evening’s final at Pairc Muuire.

A point within 20 seconds from Cahir McCambridge put Cushendall ahead but Ryan O’Boyle had Loughgiel level two minutes later. Conleth McNaughton edged Cushendall back ahead but two in a row from the Shamrocks by Ryan O’Boyle and Conan Johnston gave Loughgiel the lead by the fifth minute.

A goal from Fiontan Bradley in the seventh minute kick started a Cushendall surge and though Caolan McCollum came back with a point for the visitors, the young Ruairis were starting to hit their stride and five unanswered points from Fiontan Bradley, Thomas McLaughlin, Ryan McAuley, Oran McCambridge and Bradley again put them 1-07 to 0-4 ahead by the end of the first quarter. 

Caolan McCollum pulled one back for the Shamrocks but the winners hit back with a devastating double blow as Cahir and Conor McCambridge hit two goals in as many minutes. Two more points by Fiontan Bradley pushed the gap out to eleven and though Dan O’Mullan pulled a goal back for Loughgiel the Ruairis went in at the break with a nine point cushion. (3-11 to 1-08)

Loughgiel’s Oisin Connolly in action during the Darragh Cup final against Cushendall

The scoring dropped off a bit during their third quarter, but Cushendall stretched their lead to twelve. Ryan O’Boyle and Logan McConville kept Loughgiel’s hopes alive but when Conlaith McNughton got Cushendall’s fourth goal most people in the big crowd would have thought the game was over. However the Shamrocks hit four of the next five points and when Logan McConville and Conan Johnston fired home goals in the 54^thand 57^thminutes it was game on once again. 

The nerves were starting to jangle among the home fans as Loughgiel were on the verge of a mammoth comeback, but Cushendall held their nerve and two points by Nicholas McNaughton and one by Ryan McAuley sealed a memorable victory.

CUSHENDALL

Shane Coulter, Paddy Morgan, Conor McCann, Charlie McAlister, Patrick McCambridge, Aidan Campbell, Diarmuid McManus, Callagh Mooney, Thomas McLaughlin, Ryan McAuley, Oran McCambridge, Nicholas McLaughlin, Cahir McCambridge, Fiontan Bradley, Connlaodh McNaughton.

LOUGHGIEL

Sean Douthart, Eunan Johnston, Eddie Smyth, Thomas McNulty, Ger McFadden, Ashton McGarry, Niall McCloskey, Donal McKay, Logan McConville, Ryan O’Boyle, Oisin Connolly, Liam McGarry, Caolan McCollum, Dan O’Mullan, Conan Johnston.

Referee – Colm Cunning (Dunloy)