Cushendall: 1-20(23) St Endas: 1-16(19)
Antrim Hurling League Division 1
Cushendall needed a last quarter comeback, when backed by the wind, to get the better of Naomh Eanna in Sunday’s leage game at Pairc Mhuire on Sunday. The Glengormley men had lead by a point at half time and during the third quarter had increased that advantage to five until a Neill McManus inspired comeback reeled them in and eventually got them over the line.
John McGoldrick gave them a good start with an early point, and though the home side came back with points from McManus and Alex Delargy. Points from Eddie O’Connor, Oliver Breen and John McGoldrick, in reply to one by McManus, saw the Glengormley men begin to open up a gap. A goal from corner forward Ruairi Diamond put them five clear at one stage, but nearing half time McManus fired in his team’s first goal to cut the deficit back to a single point at the interval.
The second half saw Naomh Eanna push further ahead as John McGoldrick (2) and Eddie O’Connor increased the gap to four after just three minutes. The gap went from three to four on a couple more occasions but Cushendall were starting to get to grips with the situation and with McManus unerring from frees they hit six on bounce, four of them from McManus and once each from Andrew Delargy and Patrick Sharpe. McGoldrick came back with another one from a free seven minutes from time, but McManus finished with three more without reply to seal the win.
