North Antrim Junior Hurling – McCaughan Cup

Glenarm 0-19 Cushendall 1-14

Glenarm held off a spirited fightback from Cushendall in Thursday evening’s McCaughan Cup final in Armoy to add the trophy to the Junior Feis title they had won earlier in the season. Down to 13 men from ten minutes into the game (after a double sending off) Glenarm fought tooth and nail to keep their noses in front. They were four to the good at half time and went five clear just after the change of ends, but Cushendall kept reeling them in and when they closed the gap to a single point with four minutes of normal time left to play it looked like they would get at least a a draw. However a point from play by midfielder Kieran O’Boyle in the second minute of injury time put them two clear and they held on to secure the win.

Glenarm were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after eight minutes, three of the points coming from Darren Hamill and one from Padraig McDermot, while Karl McKeegan got the Cushendall score. Ten minutes into the game a row broke out with several players from both sides involved, and when two of the Glenarm men received their marching orders it looked like they had a mountain to climb. However their fearsome work rate kept their noses in front, and three from Darren Hamill and one from Ciaran Magill helped them to a four point lead at the interval.

Colm McKeegan pulled one back for the Ruairis just after half time but three in a row from Sean O’Hare, Daniel Black and Darren Hamill stretched the gap to six. A point each from Cushendall’s Paddy Sharpe, and Glenarm’s Ciaran Magill kept the gap at six, but when full forward Donal McNaughton crashed a shot to the Glenarm net it was definitely game on.

Darren Hamill pointed to stretch the gap to four, but three in a row from Padraig McKillop, Patrick Sharpe and Final Walker cut the gap back to the minimum.

Darren Hamill and Ciaran Magill pointed for Shane O’Neills to put the gap back to three but Cushendall were on top at this stage and points from Cormac McClafferty and Finlay Walker left just one between them entering injury time. The pressure was eased when midfield Kiearan O’Boyle sent one over at the other end, but it still took a tremendous block from a Glenarm defender to deny Cushendall’s Cormac McClafferty a goal at the end.