Antrim Hurling League – Division 2
Cushendun Emmet’s 5-18 Tir na nÓg 0-15
Cushendun scored their biggest win of the season when they beat Tir na nÓg by 18 points in Saturday’s Division 2 Hurling League game at the Riggs. There was little between the two sides in the opening quarter with just two points separating them after fourteen minutes, Conor McHugh getting three of the home sides points while Calum Kilgore got the other two, and Kevin Sheering got three of the visitors four points.
A great goal by Dominic McQuillan on fifteen minutes, when he soloed past four defenders before firing low to the Randalstown net gave the Emmet’s a great boost, but minutes later the visitors seemed to be set for a goal of their own only for Gareth McGhee to pull off a brilliant save and deny Ciaran Logan, the former Dunloy and Antrim star turning Logan’s shot over for a point.
Five minutes later the Emmet’s increased their lead when ‘Loaf’ McNeill fired to the net from a free from 30 meters, the sliothar dipping in beneath the crossbar with a mighty strike and they finshed the half strongly as Conor Bannon, ‘Smiley’ McHugh, Thomas Scally and Colm McKeegan all found the target to ease their team 2-11 to 0-5 ahead at the interval.
The teams swopped two points apiece in the opening minutes of the second half before three in a row from ‘Loaf’ stretched the Emmet’s lead even further. Colm McKeegan then got his second goal when he volleyed the ball past the Tir na nOg goalkeeper after he had parried a shot by Conor McNeill.
Tir na nÓg then had their best spell of the game when Ciaran Logan hit three in a row and Darragh Fagan one, but the home side were soon back in control and McKeegan competed this hat-trick on a way to a convincing win.
