09 June 2010
Ballycastle held off a late Cushendall rally in Wednesday evening’s Under 21 Hurling Championship semi-final to book a place in next week’s final against Loughgiel.
Midway through the second-half the McQuillan’s appeared to be cruising to victory when they held a nine point lead, and when they again opened an eight point gap with just seven minutes left on the clock it all seemed a formality. However Cushendall kept battling away and a point from Shane Woulaghan followed by a Laverty goal left just five between the sides.
Ballycastle were rattled and when the Ruairi Og scrambled in another goal in the thirty-second minute there were a few anxious moments for the ‘Town’ fans to endure before the final whistle.
In a low scoring opening half, spoiled by a very difficult wind that blew across the pitch, Cushendall were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after twenty three minutes, all four points coming from the accurate free taking of the excellent Eoin Laverty. Ballycastle were having plenty of possession, but wayward shooting meant they had nothing to show for it until man of the match Ciaran Clarke sparked them to life with a brilliantly taken goal on the run.
Clarke (who ended with a personal total of 3-4) really began to shine in the second-half and within ten seconds of the restart he fired in his second goal of the game before adding a point to pull his team four clear. Midfielder James McLister got in behind the Cushendall defence to scoop home goal number three and when James McShane, Peter Dallat and McLister added quick points a real rout looked to be on the cards.
Cushendall were having none of it though and when team captain Conor Carson moved to centre-forward things began to happen. Paddy McNaughton (2), Eoin Laverty, and Shane Woulahan picked off points to reduce the deficit to five with ten minutes still to play, but their comeback hopes seemed doomed a minute later when a Ciaran Clarke free from fifty metres went all the way to the Ruairi Og net to open the gap to eight again.
A lot of team would have thrown in the towel but to their credit Cushendall kept plugging away and their late rally almost saved the day, though in truth Ballycastle just about deserved the victory.
BALLYCASTLE – Aiden McAlinden, Owen Turner, Cormac Donnelly, Dermot Donnelly, Paul McLernon Matthew Donnelly, Michael Dallat, James McLister, Gerard Laverty, Stehen McAfee, James McShane, Eoin McAlonan, Shane Jennings, Peter Dallat, Ciaran Clarke.
CUSHENDALL – Eoin Gillan, Sean McKillop, Terence McAllister, Seamus McNaughton, Martin McAfee, Conor Carson, Martin Burke, Aiden McNaughton, Shane Woulahan, Paddy McNaughton, Sean Birt, Eoin Laverty, Sean McAfee, Eamon Laverty, Mark Donaghy.
REFEREE – Liam McAuley (Glenravel)
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