ABOVE – Connlaoth ‘Loaf’ McNeill who scored 15 points in his Cushendun’s win over Glenarm
Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship
Cushendun Emmet’s 1-16 Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s 2-14
Cushendun Emmet’s got themselves back into the Championship race when they recorded their first win of the season by beating Glenarm in Friday evening’s Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 3 game at Pairc Mhuir Cushendall.
In a highly entertaining game, before a good sized crowd, Cushendun really turned on the style in the second half to beat the Feystown men by nine points in the end. Glenarm played really well in the first half and trailed by just four at half time, but the Emmet’s, who had free taker Connlaoth ‘Loaf’ McNeill in top class form, hit four of the first five points in the second half and from then on Glenarm were chasing the game. They did have a couple of chances late in the game when they were awarded a 20m free and a penalty, but the Emmet’s keeper John V Morgan was equal to both of them and danger was averted.
Niall McGarel, who had a great game for Glenarm, opened the scoring in the second minute but Cushendun came back with two in a row, the first from ‘Loaf’ McNeill free (the first of 10 he would hit in the opening half) and Sean McKay. McGarel levelled matters with a point from a sideline ‘cut’ but McNeill edged the Emmets back ahead a minute later, but things took a turn in Glenarm’s favour when full forward Daniel Black got in for a goal and McGarel added a point from a free.
Cushendun came back with a point from Calum Kilgore and two in quick succession from Loaf frees, before Glenarm got a good break as Darren Hamill’s long range free went all the way to the net. Conrad McDonnell, who had his best game in the Emmets jersey for quite a while, kept his cool to send over a point a minute later and Loaf McNeill split the posts again soon afterwards, but once again McGarel pegged the Emmets back with well taken score. McDonnell’s second point on 18 minutes was followed by a goal from the same player exactly a minute later when he swept the ball home to an empty net after Glenarm keeper Michael Abram had made a brilliant save to deny the inrushing Conor McMcHugh.
The remainder of the half was evenly matched with Loaf McNeill and Niall McGarel getting the bulk of the scores for each side, but Cushendun had the edge going in at the break with a four point lead. (1-15 to 2-08)
McNeill stretched the lead to five with a point from a 65 less than a minute after the restart, and though Ciaran Magill hit back with one from play for Glenarm, three in a row from Cushendun by Sean McKay, McNeill and Calum Kilgore put seven between the sides. The men from Feystown had a major task on their hands at this stage but they stuck at it and three in a row from Daniel Black (2) and McGaarel had the gap back to four by the end of the third quarter. However the scoring dried up for them at this stage and with McNeill unerring from frees the gap widened again, and two from Aidan Corbett and one from Conor McHugh in injury time saw them home with a bit to spare.
The Emmet’s still have a mountain to climb if they are to qualify but in this sort of form nobody will be looking forward to playing them. Glenarm are on four points and will probably need a win from their last two games against Glenariffe at home and Tir na nÓg away to book a semi-final place.
Cushendun will be bouyed by this win and will fancy their chances in their last two games, away to Cloughmills and at home to St Gall’s
CUSHENDUN
John V Morgan, Mark McSparran, Sean McKay, Dominic McQuillan, Matthew McCartin, Donal O’Hara, Calum Kilgore, Aidan McSparran, Jack McKay, Conor McHugh, Archie McSparran, Colm McKeegan, Aidan Corbett, Conor Bannon, Connlaoth McNeill
GLENARM
Michael Abram, Aidan Scullion, Barry Hamill, Kieran O’Boyle, Darren Hamill, Michael Furey, John Scullion, Ciaran Magill, Niall McGarel, Blain McDermott, Ben O’Boyle, Declan McDermott, Daniel Black, Sean O’Boyle.
Referee – Mark O’Neill (Armoy)
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