Senior Reserve Hurling Championship semi-final
Cushendall 3-15 Ballycastle 0-21
An injury time goal from substitute Paddy Sharpe earned Cushendall victory over Ballycastle in Sunday’s Senior Hurling Reserve Cup semi-final at Pairc Muire, and sent the Ruairi’s through to a final meeting with the winners of tonight’s (Monday) semi-final between Loughgiel and Rossa.
A pointed free from Cormac McClafferty one minute from the end of normal time had brought Cushendall level, but when Tiernan Smyth sent one over at the other end one minute into injury time it looked like the Town would go through. However straight from the pic-out the ball broke around the Ballycastle ‘square’ and Sharpe guided it home to put the Dall two clear, before Cormac McClafferty sealed it with a late point from play.
In a lively opening quarter Ballycastle had the better of things and led by 0-5 to 0-3, and when they hit the next four scores, three from Tiernan Smyth and one from Mickey Dallat they were in a strong position, but Cushendall hit back with two apiece from Sean McAfee and Seanan Black to close within two at half time.
Two more Smyth points early in the second half put Ballycastle four clear, but a Senan Black point brought Cushendall back to three, and when Sean McAfee grabbed the first goal of the game the sides were level. Ballycastle kept picking off the points and Tiernan Smyth, Ferghal McKiernan and Joe McToal put them three clear again. It remained that way after McCafferty and McKiernan exchanged points, but two more for McClafferty was followed by and Andrew Delargy goal on fifty minutes, which gave the Ruairis a two point advantage.
Two more Tiernan Smyth points tied things up again going down the home straight. Paddy Sharpe put Cushendall back ahead but Joe McToal and Smyth pointed to swing the game back in the ‘Town’s’ favour. McClafferty levelled it again going into injury time, but when Smith sent another free between the posts his team’s seemed set for a final place. It was not be however and Sharpe’s late goal, and McClaferty’s insurance point sealed the deal for the men in maroon.
