Minor A Hurling Championship – Semi Final
Dunloy 4-17 Cushendall 1-19
Sunday 15 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc Mhuire, Cushendall
A stunning performance from Padraig Martin helped Dunloy to the minor final on Sunday afternoon as they saw off the challenge of Cushendall with seven to spare. This contest was closer than the final score line would suggest with the Ruairi’s reaching double figures in wides throughout the hour and Dunloy ‘keeper Caolan McFerran with a series of quite brilliant saves but Dunloy were much more clinical and ruthless when they needed to be in front of the target with Martin excelling.
He would finish with an impressive 3-8 with just two points coming from placed ball while the fourth Dunloy major came from midfielder Jack Martin. He would add a further four points to his personally tally and also put in a hugely impressive performance, moreso in the second half.
Cushendall will look at the first half when they played some fantastic hurling but their finishing let them down when it mattered. Fiontan Bradley top scored for the Ruairi’s with all but one of his eight points coming from open play while he had plenty of support from Thomas McLaughlin and Charlie McAuley who also impressed with their scoring. Wing forward Dylan McNaughton grabbed the Ruairi’s major in the first half and was just reward for an excellent hour’s work from the Cushendall forward but they had no answer to the third quarter blitz from the Cuchullains that saw them outscore the Ruairi’s 2-4 to 0-3 and was effectively the winning of this game.
Played in brilliant late summer sunshine, it was a contest between two sides who know each other inside out at this stage. There were no hidden secrets on either side and this was 60 minutes of two sides going toe to toe, putting their wits and skills on the line and seeing where it takes them.
Cushendall had the first sight of goal in the opening attack with Charlie McAuley bringing the best out of McFerran between the sticks for Dunloy. McAuley’s effort looked for all the world to be nestling into the back of the net but the Cuchullains netminder dived at full length to deflect the sliotar away.
The sides were tied on two apiece when Padraig Martin scored the opening major. Oisin McCallin’s effort had dropped short and ‘keeper Liam McGhee looked to clear the danger but Martin showed his predatory instincts and pulled first time.
Cushendall’s response was typical of the Ruairi’s. They fired over three of the next four points with Bradley prominent to leave the minimum between the sides. The Cuchullains were denied a second goal when referee Declan McGarry called for a square ball infringement, much to the dismay of the Dunloy attack. That frustration was further compounded with the next attack. Dylan McNaughton collecting the sliotar after a series of persistent pressure from the Ruairi’s and while he had grass in front of him, McNaughton had a half chance of goal. He took it with both hands with a riffled effort that gave McFerran little chance in the Dunloy goals.
Dunloy answered with a brace of scores from Padraig and Jack Martin before Bradley tested Caolan McFerran again. The angle wasn’t in the Cushendall man’s favour but his effort was ferocious and the Dunloy ‘keeper did well to deflect the sliotar over the bar.
The sides went score for score in the time that remained, the Ruairi’s wasteful in front of the target and in truth should have been further ahead than the one point the half time scoreboard showed.
Martin and Thomas McLaughlin exchanged frees at the start of the second half before Dunloy clicked through the gears. Padraig Martin scored his and Dunloy’s second goal with a brilliant piece of individual genius. Collecting the sliotar wide on the right, he was faced with two Cushendall defenders. He showed his silky skills to evade the challenges and while unable to take the sliotar into his hand again, he shot off his hurl to the bottom corner.
Bradley and Cushendall responded with a brace of points but Dunloy were dictating the game with Oisin McCamphill creating havoc in the middle third. He would split the uprights just after Jack Martin to put two between the sides before Padraig Martin would complete his hat-trick. Collecting the ball in the corner, Oisin McCallin surveyed his options and found Padraig Martin in space. Martin duly obliged by giving McGhee no chance in the Cushendall goals to put six between the sides.
Cushendall began to find some attacking rhythm but never looked like seriously eating into the Cuchullains lead. With two minutes of the hour remaining, five points separated the sides when Jack Martin fired in Dunloy’s fourth goal. McCamphill involved in the build up and Padraig Martin turning provider this time and Jack Martin with the run through the middle. He fired off his hurl to the bottom corner with an expert finish.
The Ruairi’s bombarded the Dunloy defence in the time that remained and Oisin Woodhouse denied by Caolan McFerran with Charlie McAuley going close with the rebound but the Cuchullains held out to book a final place against Glenariffe/Glenravel.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Caolan McFerran; Cahir McMullan, Sean Og Blaney, Charlie Cunning; Reece Cunning, Ben O’Kane, Jack McKeever; Ryan McClements, Jack Martin; Donnach Laverty, Luke McFerran, Aidan Richmond; Oisin McCallin, Oisin McCamphill, Padraig Martin
Subs: Damien Kinsella for C McMullan (43); Conor Mort for D Laverty (46); Emmet McKendry for A Richmond (58); Paudraig McColgan for C Cunning (60)
Scorers: P Martin 3-8 (2fs); J Martin 1-4; L McFerran 0-4; O McCamphill 0-1
Cushendall: Liam McGhee; Conor McCann, Alex McCambridge, Aodhán Campbell; Diarmuid McManus, Callagh Mooney, Patrick Morgan; Oran McCambridge, Charlie McAuley; Dylan McNaughton, Thomas McLaughlin, Nicholas McNaughton; Cahir McCambridge, Oisin Woodhouse, Fiontan Bradley
Subs: Shane McQuillan for D McManus (24); Ryan McAuley for O McCambridge (48)
Scorers: F Bradley 0-8 (1f); T McLaughlin 0-5 (4fs); C McAuley 0-4 (1f); D McNaughton 1-1; O McCambridge 0-1
Referee: Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)
FOR MORE OF BRENDAN McTAGGART’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW