Ulster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final:
Cushendall (Antrim) v Portaferry (Down) (Sunday, Box-It Athletic Grounds, 4pm)
Cushendall have a score to settle with Down champions Portaferry when the two sides meet in Sunday’s Ulster semi-final in Armagh. The last time these two met in the Ulster club championship was the 2014 final when the men from the Ards caused a major upset by beating the Ruairis by 1-16 to 0-10 to win their one and only Ulster crown. Cushendall go into to this decider as favourites, but that is the way it was nine years ago at Owenbeg so nothing can be taken for granted.
Long wait for the semi-final
It’s been over a month since Cushendall and Portaferry have stuck a sliotar in earnest and just how that will affect either side when they meet in the Ulster Club semi-final in Armagh on Sunday remains to be seen.
The Ruairi Og’s edged a great Antrim final back on the 16th October at Corrigan Park that finished 1-20 to 1-19 in their favour with their opponents Loughgiel unfortunate not to send the game into extra time when a James McNaughton free tailed wide of the outside of the post with virtually the last puck of the game.
Cushendall defeated Ballycastle in the Antrim semi-final but would have been expecting to meet championship favourites, Dunloy in the final but Loughgiel had other ideas as they dethroned the reigning champions with something to spare in the other semi-final.
The final between the Ruairi Og and the Shamrocks was a real classic as the big crowd at Corrigan held its collective breath as James McNaughton’s 90 yard free in the eighth minute of injury time tailed to the right and wide.
In a game where Ruairi Og lead by seven points on two separate occasions in the second half and where they threatened to pull well clear it was testament to the never say die spirit of the men in red and white that they so nearly forced extra time.
Ryan McCambridge turned in a man of the match performance for Cushendall at mid-field while Niall McManus contributed 0-5 from frees and Paddy Burke rivalled McCambridge for that man of the match award with 0-4 from corner-back.
The Ruairi Og’s newest star, Joe McLaughlin weighed in with 0-3 and Niall McCormick and Fred McCurry were always dangerous in the Ruairi’s attack.
What of Portaferry?
After winning back-to-back Down Championships for the first time in 20 years, Portaferry manager Gerard McGrattan feels his side need to push on and challenge for Ulster honours.
The Four Seasons Cup last made its way to the peninsula back in 2014 when they beat towmorrow’s opponents in the decider at Owenbeg.
Since then, Slaughtneil, Cushendall and, most recently, Dunloy have won the Ulster Club crown.
Portaferry suffered a heavy defeat to Slaughtneil in the semi-final stage last season and McGrattan feels they have the perfect opportunity to right that wrong when they face Antrim champions Cushendall on Sunday.
Dunloy went on to beat the Derry champions in the Ulster final so it would appear that the Down men will need to reach another level if they are to overcome the Antrim champions but those back to back Down titles will have given them belief..
That win was over Ballycran should give them the momentum and the belief they need if they are to mount a serious challenge and beat the men from the north coast
A Paul Sheehan free had edged Ballycran ahead inside the last 10 minutes of the Down decider, but Portaferry hit six of the last seven points to secure a 0-20 to 0-16 victory at Páirc Esler.
The Four Seasons Cup last made its way to the Ards peninsula back in 2014 and Portaferry will see Sunday’s semi-final as an opportunity to reach this year’s decider against a foe who they will be familiar within the Antrim leagues.
Cushendall should have the experience and knowhow to advance however and the Burkes, Paddy and Martin, Eoghan Campbell, Ryan McCambridge, Niall McManus, Joe McLaughlin and Christy McNaughton can inspire the Antrim champions to victory in Armagh. However as they found to their own cost in that 2014 decider you take nothing for granted and the Ruairis would be very foolish to take Portaferry lightly.