Under 17 Hurling League – Division 1
Dunloy Cuchullains 1-15 Cushendall Ruairi Og 1-14
A goal direct from a free two minutes into injury time by Dunloy full forward Paudie Martin saw his team snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Thursday evening’s highly entertaining Under 17 Hulring League game at Pearse Park.
Padraig Martin’s late free hits the back of the Cushendall net
Four unanswered points in the final five minutes of normal time by Cushendall had turned a two point deficit into a two point lead and appeared to have put them in the driving seat. However a great solo run by the Martin took him from midfield through the Cushendall defence to the edge of the large square where one of the Ruairi Og defenders hauled him down. Referee Mickey McClements awarded a free and Martin, knowing that with time almost up he had to go for goal, stepped up and drove the ball through a packed goalmouth to the back the Cushendall net to put his team one ahead. There was still time for the visitors to save the game, and from the poc-out they worked a great opening, but a shot for the equalising point sailed wide of the target and Dunloy held on for the win.
In a great entertaining game of hurling Dunloy dominated the opening half. Playing with the stiff breeze at their backs they went 0-4 to 0-0 ahead by the 12th minute with points from Paudie Martin, Ben O’Kane, Conor Mort and Ryan Scott. It was 14 minutes before Oran McCambridge got Cushendall’s first score, but Ben O’Kane hit back with one for the home team a minute later to keep the gap at four.
McCambridge hit another from a free but ones again Dunloy had a quick answer, and Oisin McCamphill soon restored the four point cushion. The gap was soon out to six as Paudie Martin and Ben O’Kane fired over points, and though Callagh Mooney closed the gap to five again, Paudie Martin pointed again for the home side to give them a 0-10 to 0-4 lead at the break.
With wind assistance in the second half the Cushendall boys soon set about clawing back their arrears and a point by Oran McCambridge, two real beauties inside a minute by Shane McQuillan and a goal from substitute Nicholas McLaughlin had them level.
When Callagh Mooney put Cushendall a point ahead on 41 minutes it looked like they would push on and win the game handy, but Dunloy dug deep and hit back with three in a row from Conor Mort, Paudie Martin and Ryan Scott to go back ahead by two points by the 52nd minute. When Cushendall eventually got going again and hit four in a row through Callagh Mooney, and Iran McOran McCambridge (2) they looked like they had it in the bag, but they squandered a series of chances when they were on top and Martin made them pay with his late heroics.
DUNLOY
Caolan McFerran, Cahir Mullan, Sean Og Blaney, Charlie Cunning, Jack McKeever, Reece Cunning, Ryan McClements, Aiden Richmond, Jack Martin, Ryan Scott, Ben O’Kane, Darragh Laverty, Oisin McCallin, Padraig Martin, Conor Mort.
CUSHENDALL
Liam McGhee, Conor McCann, Alex McCambridge, Diarmuid McManus, Charlie McAuley, Callagh Mooney, Aidan Campbell, Oisin Woodhouse, Fintan McKillop, Dylan McNaughton, Oran McCambridge, Thomas McLaughlin, Ryan McAuley, James McKegan, Sean Paul McNaughton.
Subs – Nicholas McLaughlin, Shane McQuillan, Patrick Morgan.
Referee – Mickey McClements
