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North Antrim Minor Hurling Championship
Dunloy 2-14 Cushendall 1-14
An improved second half performance from Dunloy ensured the Cuchullains retained the Darragh Cup on Friday evening but they were pushed to the pin of their collar by Cushendall.
The Ruairi’s led by four at half time after dominating the opening 30 minutes. The Cuchullains would have been relieved to have been just four behind given how the opening half transpired. Cushendall were first to every breaking ball and looked much more conditioned for the game in rucks, prepared to win dirty ball but it was their retention of the sliotar that shone. Midfielder Oisin Woodhouse and centre half Callagh Mooney at the heart of most things in the middle third for the Ruairi’s.
In a half where they had led by seven points, the Ruairi’s retention of the sliotar and ability to win clean ball in the attacking areas kept Dunloy on the back foot. It was far from all one-way traffic in the second half and but for a couple of glaring missed chances at the beginning of the second half for the Ruairi’s, there could well have been a different ending to this story. But it’s not how you start these games that wins them, it’s how you finish and the Cuchullains ability to find that extra yard in the final ten minutes was telling – firing over four points to just one in reply from Cushendall that ultimately was the difference in the end.
Dunloy couldn’t have dreamed of a better start with Oisin McCamphill finding the back of the net in the second minute. Cutting inside from the left wing, the Dunloy forward finished powerfully despite the best efforts of Liam McGhee between the sticks for the Ruairi’s.
Fiontan Bradley, who top scored for Cushendall with eight points, opened the Ruairi’s account with a free in the next attack and while Dunloy responded with a point from captain Luke McFerran, it would be their last score for almost 15 minutes.
The desire and work rate of Cushendall in the middle third allowed them to take a stranglehold of the game with a run of six points in the space of 10 minutes. The Cuchuallins did manage to temporarily stem the rampant home side with a super score from Oisin McCallion on the angle but it was all Cushendall and but for the post, could have scored their first goal of the game. Bradley rattling the upright with the goal at his mercy but he did manage to convert the rebound by sending the sliotar over the bar.
The home side didn’t have to wait long for their opening goal, just four minutes after Bradley’s effort went agonisingly close, Thomas McLaughlin made no mistake when presented with the opportunity. Plucking the sliotar from the sky and giving McFerran no chance between the sticks for Dunloy.
With a seven point lead and playing superbly, Cushendall could and probably should have pushed on but it was Dunloy who finished the half on top, outscoring the Ruairi’s four points to one with Padraig Martin managing to find his range on three occasions (two frees) while Oisin McCallion scored his second of the half.
Cushendall started the second half looking like the side who had the upperhand for long periods of the first. First to every ball and playing with precision and pace but they just couldn’t find the scores to put Dunloy under further scoreboard pressure. Despite the Ruairi’s fluency, it was Dunloy who fired over the opening score of the half through McCallion. He would have a major say in the outcome of the game as the second half progressed as he took advantage of a better standard of delivery into the forwards from the Cuchullains perspective.
After a couple of missed frees from Bradley, Thomas McLaughlin would take over that responsibility and split the uprights and while it was a further eight minutes before they would bother the scoreboard again, the Ruairi lead was diminished. McCallion and Padraig Martin (free) split the uprights before McCallion would find the back of the Ruairi’s net in the 44th minute. Capitalising on a mistake, Padraig Martin put the Ruairi defence under pressure with McCallion punishing them with the major.
Cushendall responded with points from Bradley (free) and Oisin Woodhouse either side of a super score from McCamphill for Dunloy but the momentum was with the Cuchullains going into the final quarter of the game.
Further scores from Padraig Martin (free) and Luke McFerran came either side of a goal mouth scramble where Cushendall defended superbly to deny a number of Dunloy efforts.
Bradley reduced the Dunloy lead to the minimum as the clock ticked into the 59thminute after a score that typified how Cushendall played on the evening. Perfect retention and an ability to find the man in space despite the tackles of a tigerish Dunloy defence.
Martin’s fifth free of the match came moments before he was denied a third Dunloy goal with the post denying him after he cut inside from the right hand wing but it was McCallion who sealed the win for the Cuchullains in the third minute of injury time to take his tally to 1-5 for the evening.
Cushendall laid siege on the Dunloy goal and had an opportunity from a 21 yard free that Thomas McLaughlin struck superbly but substitute Jack McKeever managed to block the sliotar with ‘keeper Caolan McFerran clearing the danger.
The Ruairi’s will wonder how they let this one slip from their grasp but Dunloy built on the momentum McCallion’s goal gave them and never looked behind. They finished the game comfortably with their attacking threat more prominent as the game progressed.
TEAMS
Cushendall: Liam McGhee; Patrick Morgan, Alex McCambridge, Aodhan Campbell; Diarmuid McManus, Callagh Mooney, Conor McCann; Oisin Woodhouse, Charlie McAuley; Dylan McNaughton, Daire Higgins, Oran McCambridge; Caodhan Scullion, Thomas McLaughlin, Fiontan Bradley
Subs: Nicholas McNaughton for C Scullion (46)
Scorers: F Bradley 0-8 (5 f’s); T McLaughlin 1-1; O Woodhouse 0-3; C McAuley 0-1; D Higgins 0-1
Dunloy: Caolan McFerran; Cahir McMullan, Sean Og Blaney, Charlie Cunning; Ryan McClements, Ben O’Kane, Reece Cunning; Conor Mort, Jack Martin; Ryan Scott, Luke McFerran, Aiden Richmond; Oisin McCallion, Oisin McCamphill, Padraig Martin
Subs: Jack McKeever for C Mort (42); Damian Kinsella for A Richmond (51)
Scorers: O McCallion 1-5; P Martin 0-6 (5 f’s); O McCamphill 1-1; L McFerran 0-2
Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe)
