08 September 2009
County champions Loughgiel booked their place in Friday’s county final against Rossa when they came from behind to beat Cushendall in Monday evening’s semi-final in Ballycastle.
For the first twenty minutes of this game pre-match favourites Cushendall looked like the team who would progress as they dominated play in most sectors of the field. However they failed to put the scores on the board it came back to bite them as Loughgiel gradually found their feet before taking complete control of the game in the second-half.
Cushendall began with great promise and some well taken points from Eoin Laverty and Laurence McKeegan saw them open a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after eighteen minutes. That spell of dominance by the Dall should have brought more scores but Loughgiel defended well and in the final minutes of the opening half they clawed their way back into the game with points from substitute Dan McCloskey and Seamus Dobbin (65) to trail by just two at the break. (0-5 to 0-3)
When Donal McKinley cut the gap to a single point within thirty seconds of the restart it was clear Loughgiel were back in business and though they were to concede a goal soon afterwards when corner-forward Sean McAfee netted for the ‘Dall, the tide had definitely turned.
Loughgiel got back on terms when full-forward Kevin Lee Traynor’s attempted point from thirty yards found its way to the Cushendall net and when ‘Queenie’ McMahon added another of the ‘soft’ variety the Shamrocks were headed for victory.
They took complete control of the game and Traynor sent over some great points from frees and a goal direct from a free before Dan McCloskey grabbed goal number four to set up a final meeting with Rossa at Casement Park on Friday evening.
Last season these two met in the semi-final of this competition in with Loughgiel going through in extra time after a classic game of hurling, and if Friday evening’s game is even half as good then it will be well worth the admission. Loughgiel are bidding for their third title on the trot but Rossa will out to stop the Shamrocks’ run and gain some measure of revenge for last year’s defeat.
LOUGHGIEL
Aiden Campbell, Tiernan Coyle, Ronan Gillen, Ronan McCloskey, Brian Og McCloskey, Daniel McPeake, Donagh McCarry, Shane McKee, Seamus Dobbin, Donal McKinley, Colm McNeill, Conal McMahon, Declan Gillen, Kevin Lee Traynor, Steven McAuley. Subs – Dan McCloskey.
CUSHENDALL
Mark Donaghy, Dan Kinney, Seamus McNaughton, Dean McKillop, Martin McAfee, Paddy McNaughton, Ronan McGrady, Aiden McNaughton, Paddy Blaney, Jamie Mooney, Laurance McKeegan, Eoin Laverty, Dominic Delargy, Cahir McNaughton, Sean McAfee.
Referee - C Cunning (Dunloy)
