Antrim Under 20 Hurling League
Loughgiel 3-15 Cushendall 1-14
A great first half display by Loughgiel full forward Rian Bubbles McMullan guided the Shamrocks to victory over Ruairi Og Cushendall in Friday evening’s Under 20 League game at Fr Healy Park. Bubbles was untouchable during that first half, scoring 2-5 of his team’s total of 2-6 (he ended with 3-8 overall) to give his team a 2-6 to 0-1 half time lead.
With his team well on top he scored 1-3 in the first twenty minutes, two of the points coming from frees and the goal from a penalty, while Ruairi McCormick chipped in with a point from play from half back. Joseph McLaughlin got Cushendall’s only point of the first half on 24 minutes, but McMullan came back with a further 1-2 before the interval to put his team in total control, leading by 2-6 to 0-1.
At this stage Cushendall looked like they were in for a real hammering, but they came out a much better team and made a much better fist of things in the second half. They got first three points of second half inside two minutes, Austin Birt, Joe McLaughlin and Ciaran Magill all firing over.
Two Loughgiel points from McMullan and Conor O’Mullan, were sandwiched on either side of another from Magill, before another three in a row from the visitors from Magill and McLaughlin (2) saw them close the gap to seven by the 38th minute, before Bubble struck again with a quick goal and a point to all but undo their great efforts.
However the young Ruairis stuck to their guns and two more points, plus a Colm McKeegan goal, gave them renewed hope. McMullan came back with a point, but three in a row from Joseph McLaughlin gave them a glimmer of hope.
That was as good as it got however and Loughgiel matched them score for score during the last ten minutes to run out seven point winners
