Leadon Timber Frame Ulster Minor Club Hurling Cup Semi Final
Ruairi Og, Cushendall 1-14 Kevin Lynch’s, Dungiven 2-8
Sunday 21 December
Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc an Shéamus Mhic an Fhailí, Baile na Scríne
When the clock ticked into the second minute of injury time and Fiontan Bradley knocked over his sixth free of this contest, all thoughts were turning to extra time. Cushendall were on the backfoot for the majority of the second half and looked to have weathered the storm coming their way from a gallant Kevin Lynch’s side.
Nicholas McLaughlin had other ideas.
Taking aim, 60 yards from goal. McLaughlin’s effort dipped wickedly and deceived Caomhan Irwin between the sticks for the Dungiven men, dropping into the back of the net. It was a cruel end to the game for the Lynch’s who were magnificent in the second half. Were it not for the brilliance of Shane Coulter in goals for the Ruairi’s, the Lynch’s would have been out of sight going down the stretch. The Cushendall ‘keeper put on a masterclass for his side with a series of saves and bravery in the face of a Kevin Lynch barrage to deny the Derry men.
A semi final that was a tale of two keepers. Both were outstanding on the day but it was Cushendall who did enough to progress. Just.
On the shortest day of the year, the top pitch at Páirc an Shéamus Mhic an Fhailí was used. A dull, cold and gloomy day with the threat of heavy weather overhead, the floodlights were to the rescue of the crowd in attendance and it was the Ruairi’s who got out of the blocks quickest. Thomas McLaughlin with the opening score of the game with the very first attack while Connlaodh McNaughton followed that up moments later.
The Dungiven men were taking a while to get to the speed of the game but were back on terms through a free from Cormac Og McCloskey while Ultan McCloskey split the uprights moments later.
With the conditions far from conducive for flowing hurling, the middle third became a war of attrition. Cushendall were edging those exchanges and a run of three unanswered points inside four minutes from Shane McQuillan and Fiontan Bradley (two frees) had the Ruairi’s on the front foot.
The Lynch’s responded with McCloskey’s second free of the contest but another brace of points from brothers Nicholas and Thomas McLaughlin put four between the sides with 10 minutes of the half remaining. Thomas McLaughlin point a highlight of the opening half, selling a delightful dummy before firing over from distance.
Lynch’s were thrown a lifeline when they scored the opening goal of the game with the next attack. Kevin Barry Mullan with the initial chance but Coulter was equal to his effort. With the Cushendall defence failing to deal with the danger, Cormac Og McCloskey pounced and pulled to the back of the net.
With the contest starting to get tetchy, referee Barry Winters did well to maintain control. Tackles were flying in as both lived on the edge looking to gain the momentum and the Ruairi’s responded to that Lynch’s goal with a brace of points from Bradley to leave Cushendall three points ahead with a little over three minutes of the half remaining.
Incredibly, neither team were to record another score with Lynch’s going close to a second goal on two occasions. Ryan McGilligan with the first effort but Coulter was equal to his shot while Mullan was also denied by Coulter with the next attack.
Lynch’s and Coulter weren’t finished, it wasn’t a save but more an outstanding take of the sliotar under pressure. Fintan McKillop sending the sliotar into the danger area from distance and despite being under pressure, Coulter took the dropping ball well before clearing on the stroke of half time.
Cushendall needed half time. A chance to reorganise and break the momentum Kevin Lynch’s were building. The Dungiven side didn’t convert that pressure into points on the board though and when they spurned another two goal chances in the opening exchanges of the second half, it looked like the writing was on the wall for them. Pádraig O’Kane, Peader Pio Peoples and Pádraig Haran all going close in a scramble that saw heroic defending from the Cushendall defence and brilliant goal keeping from Coulter while Pádraig O’Kane brought the best out of Coulter also in a separate attack.
The north Derry men scored the opening point of the second half through a Cormac Og McCloskey free but Cushendall looked to take an element of control once again with Connlaodh McNaughton and Bradley (free) pointing either side of a superb save from Caomhan Irwin. The Lynch’s netminder denying Connlaodh McNaughton after a strong run from the Cushendall forward.
The Ruairi’s wouldn’t register another score for 10 minutes though as the Lynch’s turned the screw. Seán O’Kane with a superb score from distance that raised the voices of the Dungiven support in attendance while Cormac Og McCloskey took his tally to 1-5 for the match with another free moments later to reduce the Cushendall lead to two points with a quarter of the game remaining.
With the Lynch’s in the ascendancy, the Cushendall defence were being overworked. They conceded the second goal of the game in the 47th minute, Ryan McGilligan with super movement and composed finish to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.
That seemed to spur Cushendall back to life as Nicholas McLaughlin and Bradley (free) edged them ahead once again.
The Derry men hit back with McGilligan restoring parity before Cormac Og McCloskey’s first point from open play edged them ahead in the last minute of the hour. It was looking grim for Cushendall with the Lynch’s looking the more likely at that stage but the Ruairi’s finished strongly.
Bradley fired over his sixth free and seventh point overall before Nicholas McLaughlin took centre stage. There’s no doubting he was taking aim for a point, that will matter little to the Ruairi’s at this stage. The sliotar went high and seemed to take an age coming down. Caomhan Irwin, so assured all game, got his angles wrong and the sliotar dropped in behind him. The Lynch’s support, so raucous all game, fell silent. A hammer blow and a gutting way to lose the game but lady luck shone on Cushendall at the death.
They progress to a meeting with Ballybofey side Sean Mac Cumhaill next Sunday after they defeated Ballygalget 0-15 to 2-7 in the opening semi-final.
TEAMS
CUSHENDALL: Shane Coulter; Paddy Morgan, Conor McCann, Brian McNeill; Alex McCambridge, Fintan McKillop, Diarmuid McManus; Aodhán Campbell, Thomas McLaughlin; Nicholas McLaughlin, Callagh Mooney, Shane McQuillan; Cahir McCambridge, Fiontan Bradley, Connlaodh McNaughton
Subs: Dáire Higgins for F McKillop (32); Calum Quinn for B McNeill (36)
Scorers: F Bradley 0-7 (6fs); N McLaughlin 1-2; T McLaughlin 0-2; C McNaughton 0-2; S McQuillan 0-1
KEVIN LYNCH’S: Caomhan Irwin; Declan Kelly, Ultan McCloskey, Padraig McAreavy; Darragh O’Neill, Emmet Og McKeever, Cailean Gallagher; Daithi McCloskey, Seán O’Kane; Pádraig Hargan, Pádraig O’Kane, Kevin Barry Mullan; Peader Pio Peoples, Ryan McGilligan, Cormac Og McCloskey
Subs: Kevin McCaul for PP Peoples (41); Michael McCusker for P Hargan (54)
Scorers: C Og McCloskey 1-5 (4fs); R McGilligan 1-1; U McCloskey 0-1; S O’Kane 0-1
Referee: Barry Winters (Tyrone)
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