13 June 2011
Feis cup holders Cushendall withstood a tough challenge from county champions Loughgiel in Sunday evening’s semi-final of this season’s competition in wet conditions at Fr Healey Park, Dunloy.
Cushendall had the better of opening quarter and went 0-4-no score ahead after seven minutes with points from Shane McNaughton and Fred McAuley and two from man of the match ‘Natty’ McNaughton, who sent over two excellent frees from inside his own half.
Loughgiel opened their account with a point from a Joey Scullion free and Benny McCarry grabbed their first score from play in the twenty-first minute but Declan McKillop and Shane McNaughton replied for the Ruairi Og to stretch their lead to 0-6 to 0-2.
Loughgiel did manage to close the gap to just two by half-time with points from Joey Scullion and Shay Casey, and when they hit back to level matters with excellent points by Damian Laverty and Eddie McCloskey soon after the restart the game suddenly came to life.
However Cushendall found a quick response and Aiden Delargy and Shane McNaughton added points from play before Fred McAuley grabbed a goal from a rebound following a brilliant DD Quinn save from Paddy McGill.
Brian Delargy and ‘Natty’ McNaughton tacked on two more points and suddenly the Dall were seven clear and coasting, but they could not shake off the Shamrocks challenge as the county champions hit back with five unanswered points (three of them by an inspired Barney McAuley) to cut their arrears to just two.
Cushendall were now finding it hard to get out of their own half but with time almost up they did manage to break down field and Shane McNaughton sent over a free to clinch a three point win.
CUSHENDALL – Ronan Kearney, Terence McAlister, Odhran Scullion, Sean Delargy, Conor Carson, Arron Graffin, Donal McNaughton, Declan McKillop, Aiden Delargy, John McManus, Brian Delargy, Eunan McKillop, Francis McAuley, Paddy McNaughton, Shane McNaughton.
SUBS – Paddy McGill, Aiden McNaughton
LOUGHGIEL – DD Quinn, Ronan McCloskey, Neilly McGarry, Barney McAuley, Kevin McGarry, Paul Gillan, Martin Scullion, Declan Laverty, Mark McFadden, Joey Scullion, Eddie McCloskey, Odhran McFadden, Benny McCarry, Damian Laverty, Shay Casey.
SUBS – Donal McKinley
REFEREE – C Cunning (Dunloy)
