Senior Feis Cup semi-final
Ballycastle : 3-15 Cushendall: 3-22
Feis Cup holders Cushendall had seven points to spare when they took on Ballycastle in a repeat of last year’s final on Wednesday evening at Pairc MacUillin. In a high scoring contest the Ruairis trailed by two points at half time but a scoring burst early in the second half, which yielded 1-03 in a dominant five minute spell, gave them a lead they held until the end.
The early exchanges were evenly contested with both teams finding the target regularly. Thirteen minutes in Cushendall held a 0-6 to 0-5 lead, but a dominant spell at the start of the third quarter which saw them hit 0-4 without reply through Ronan McAteer (2), Joseph McLaughlin and Fred McCurry pulled them five ahead. Tiernan Smyth sent over two quick points in the 23rd and 24th minutes to cut the gap back to three, but Paddy Burke responded with one for the visitors, and with just five minutes to go to the break they appeared to be in a strong position. However Ballycastle produced a strong finish to the half and goals from centre forward Lorcan Donnelly and another from corner forward Callum Campbell gave them a two point lead at the break, 2-9 to 0-13.
Seamus McAuley increased the Ballycastle lead to three with a point from play just after the restart, and it remained that way when the teams’ free takers Joseph McLaughlin and Tieran Smyth exchanged points. However Cushendall were beginning to get on top and in a six minute spell they opened a gap as corner forward Joseph McLaughlin hit a goal and two points and Andrew Delargy added a point to put the visitors three clear.
Ballycastle substitute Criostai McGarry fired in an equalising goal but Cushendall came back with a point from Paddy Burke and a Paddy McGill goal to give them a bit of breathing space.
Tiernan Smyth pointed for the Town to keep them in touch, but points from Ronan McAteer and Paddy McGill, on either side of a Dominic Delargy goal swung the game firmly in Ruairi Og’s favour. Three in a row from Ballycastle’s Cailin O’Connor (2) closed the gap to five, but McLaughlin and McGill had the last two scores for the ‘Dall to put them seven clear at the end as they set up a final meeting with Loughgiel at Feis na nGleann in Dunloy in two week’s time.
