Antrim Hurling League Division 2
Cushendun 1-14 Tir na nÓg 0-19
When these two last met, it was Cushendun who celebrated an injury-time free to progress in the Intermediate Championship. Yesterday, it was Randalstown who were celebrating in added on time, when they rallied late on to secure a Div 2 opening day win over the Emmet’s in Cushendun.
An equalising free from Sean Duffin(his 10th of the day) in the 60th minute and a point apeice from Joe McCormick and Kevin McCann on 61 and 62 sealed the win for the resilient visitors.
A tight start saw the sides level 0.03 to 0.03 after ten minutes. On 14 minutes, Conor McHugh caught the ball out on the left wing, rounded his marker and fired to the Randalstown net to give the home team the edge and when Conlaoth ‘Loaf’ McNeill added one from a 60 yard free the home team appeared have a grip on the game.
. Randalstown replied though, with two points from Sean Duffin and Emmet Martin to put just one between them. Randalstown ‘keeper Kevin Sheerin then pulled off a great save in the 20th minute to deny Harry Kilgore from close range, but Connloath McNeill converted the resulting 65 to put Cushendun two ahead.
When Conor McHugh pointed after some neat link- up play with Conrad McDonnell a minute later, things where looking good again for the Emmets, but two Randalstown points from Eamon Og McAllister and Caoimhin Duffin, plus two frees from Sean Duffin, got them back in front. However Loaf McNeill grabbed two for the hosts just before the short whistle to give the a one point lead in at the break. (1.08 to 0.10)
Connloath McNeill opened the second half by scoring with a converted free within 30 seconds of the re-start to put the gap out to two, but it took a great save by the Emmet’s goalkeeper Gareth Magee, who tipped the shot onto the post and away to safety, to keep that lead intact. Two more Cushendun points from McNeill and McDonnell stretched the advantage to four point points, but Randalstown hit back with four unanswered points, with a Sean Duffin effort from wide on the right, the pick of the bunch.
Three more Cushendun points from McNeill was answered by one from a free from Duffin for Randalstown, meant the Emmet’s had a two point lead with only three minutes of normal time remaining.
Callum Kilgore had a fine effort for goal saved by Tir na nOg keeper Sheerin (when a goal would almost certainly have clinched the points) Tha save was to prove vital, and when Sean Duffin pointed a 59th minute free, there was just one between the sides. The tension built as both team’s looked for a chance to seal the win, and it was Randalstown produced the goods when the chips were down with those three injury time points to end a really entertaining game.
Cushendun Scorers: C McNeill 0.11 (6F), C McHugh 1.01,D Kilgore 0.01, C McDonnell 0.01
Randalstown Scorers: S Duffin 0.13,J McCormick 0.02, E Martin 0.01, E OgMcAllister 0.01 C Duffin 0.01 K McCann 0.01
