O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One
St John’s 3-14 Cushendall 2-23
Cushendall put themselves in pole position to claim the ACHL Division 1 title when they travelled to Corrigan Park on Sunday and recorded a six point win over a St. John’s side who held title aspirations themselves going into this game
Heading into the game, the Johnnies needed to win and hope that results went their way next week, but it was the Cushendall men who moved two points clear at the top following Sunday’s encounter.
Loughgiel are just two points behind with a game in hand but have an inferior score difference and would need a resounding win over Rossa next week if they are to overhaul their North Antrim rivals.
In an entertaining game of hurling that saw the hosts giving as good as they got for long periods but the visitors always looked the likelier winners and finished strongly to ensure victory.
It was St. John’s who made the brighter start however and scored the game’s first goal after just 15 seconds as Conall Bohill broke from the throw-in, and found Peter McCallin who placed Darragh McGuinness who cut in from the left to finish in style.
Oisin MacManus opened his account from a free and then Connor Hand got onto a good cross field ball to add another as the Corrigan men enjoyed a bright opening spell.
The Ruairi og’s took a time to settle as Ciaran Neeson opened their account with both teams relying on their free-takers for a spell with MacManus on target for the hosts, while McGill and Campbell replied for the visitors with that early goal separating the sides.
The lead would be wiped out in the 18th minute as Andrew Delargy got onto a long play, popped to Paddy Burke whose bouncing finish found the net.
Cushendall would push on with McGill (two), Alex Delargy and Dom Delargy finding their range in a spell in which Aaron Bradley clipped over a fine score from out on the left for the Johnnies who would have a couple of goal chances late in the half. Peter McCallin did well to get in on goal but last-ditch defending would deny him, while a piece of quick thinking late in the half saw Cormac McAllister alert to his whipped effort to divert out for a 65 that MacManus would land as Cushendall’s lead was down to two at the break, 1-11 to 1-9.
Cushendall made the stronger start to the second period with Neeson getting into a groove with a point from the left, followed by a McGill free.
But the Johnnies began to rally with the next three as Bradley fired from deep either side of placed balls from MacManus. The gap was back to three as Neeson clipped his third from an angle and McGill punishing another indiscretion, but in the space of two minutes, the Johnnies had overturned the deficit.
Firstly, Bohill was onto a long ball and played MacManus in to crack home and then, Miceál Dudley’s long delivery broke to Bohill who whipped home.
After an exchange of points, Cushendall began to eat into the gap as they mounted a charge in the final quarter as Ryan McCambridge thought he had a goal, only for his whipped effort to clear the bar, while substitute Fred Curry wasted no time in getting involved with a brace to level it up.
Momentum was with the Ruairis as Paddy Burke edged them ahead and McGill thumped over from deep and two minutes from time, it was game over as Simon Doherty opted to prevent a shot from going over, but didn’t get enough purchase on his batted effort with Andrew Delargy there to poke home.
A Conor Hand point kept the Johnnies in the hunt entering stopage time but the game was sealed as Joe McNaughton and McCambridge cracked over late points to ensure they sit on top with their league campaign over.
They must now await the outcome of next week’s final round game between Loughgiel and Rossa to see if they claim the title, but it will require a 39-point win for the Shamrocks to overhaul them.
ST JOHN’S: S Doherty; O Carleton, Ciaran Johnston, C McEvoy; J Bohill, C Morgan, M McCartin; S Wilson, C Bohill (1-0); D McGuinness (1-0), C Hand (0-3), A Bradley (0-2); P McCallin, L Heenan, O MacManus (1-9, 0-6f, 0-2 65s).
Subs: M Dudley for P McCallin (HT), D McKeogh for L Heenan (HT), J Wilson for A Bradley (51), M Darragh for J Wilson (59)
CUSHENDALL: C McAllister; Stephen Walsh, M Burke, L Scalley; Scott Walsh (0-2), E Campbell (0-1f), P Burke (1-1); Alex Delargy (0-1), F McCambridge; R McAteer, R McCambridge (0-2), D Delargy (0-1); C Neeson (0-4), P McGill (0-8, 6f), Andrew Delargy (1-0).
Subs: J McNaughton (0-1) for D Delargy (36), F McCurry (0-2) for R McAteer (46)
REFEREE: Column Cunning (Dunloy)
To see more of Bert’s pics from this game click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/YYMP9aBs9rx9bm/?invite=14c367c2-ffff-4b63-9021-cff1b00d593b