Antrim Hurling League Division 1
Ballycastle 2-15 Cushendun 1-12
Ballycastle got their second win in four days in Division 1 of the Antrim hurling league when they hosted North Antrim neighbours Cushenun at Pair MacUilin on Sunday afternoon. Leading by seven points at half time they appeared to be comfortable, but they were made to work hard during the second half when Cushendun closed the gap back to six.
Diarmaid McShane and Conaloith ‘Loaf’ McNeill exchanged 2 points each from frees in the opening five minutes before Conor Boyds sent over a long range point from a free on eight minute to put the home team back ahead, and thy pushed on from there with Diarmaid McShane, Seamus McAuley and Lorcan Donnelly all sending over points to stretch their team’s lead to 0-6 to 0-2 after fifteen minutes.
Calum Kilgore came back with one for Cushendun on 16 minutes but Conor Boyd (from a 65), Seamus McAuley, Tiernan Smyth and Fergal McKiernan all hit the target for the Town to push the gap out to seven by the 25th minute. Loaf McNeill pulled on back from a free for the Emmet’s but another Diarmaid McShane point just on half time left seven between the teams at the short whistle.
David Kilgore got the opening score of the second half for the visitors when he pointed inside thirty seconds of the restart, but McShane cancelled that out when he sent over a free thirty seconds late. Loaf came back with two pointed frees for Cushendun in the 33rd and 34th minutes but McShane struck a telling blow for the ‘Town when finished off a good move with a well taken goal two minutes later.
Two points from Conor McHugh and David Sharkey kept Cushendun in touch but Ballycastle were able to keep the visitors at arms-length and they gained an extra cushion when Fergal McKiernan got his team’s second goal five minutes from time. To their credit the Emmet’s kept battling to the end and were rewarded when David Kilgore grabbed a late goal to cut the gap to just five, but McShane had the final say for the home team and his point saw them home with six to spare.
BALLYCASTLE
Benny Connor, Oran Kearney, Dermot Donnelly, Mark McLean, Ciaran McKeague, Conor Boyd, Ronan Laverty, Ronan McCarry, Seamus McAuley, Cathal Connor, Ciaran Butler, Lorcan Donnelly, Tiernan Smyth, Diarmaid McShane, Feargal McKiernan
CUSHENDUN
Gareth McGhee, Conor Bannon, Aidan Corbett, Jack McKay, Matthew McCartin, Donal O’Hara, Tom Scally, Conor McHugh, Calum Kilgore, Harry Kilgore, Archie McSparran, Conlaoith McNeill, David Sharkey, David Kilgore, Pearse Bannon.
Referee – Fintan McCotter
