McAuley Cup – Senior Hurling
Cushendall 1-17 Loughgiel 1-15
Despite both sides being short a good few regular starters due to senior and Under-20 county commitments, Cushendall and Loughgiel served up a highly competitive and thoroughly enjoyable McAuley Cup pre-season semi-final in Armoy. Cushendall ultimately held off a spirited second-half comeback from Loughgiel to secure a two-point victory, winning 1-17 to 1-15.
Loughgiel was first on the scoreboard just ninety seconds in with a well-taken point from play by Christy McGarry. However, Cushendall responded emphatically moments later when Sean McAfee found the back of the net to give the Ruairi Og men an early lead. The game quickly settled into a shootout. Tiago McGarry pointed for Loughgiel to settle them down, but Cushendall’s Joe McNaughton began to exert his influence, knocking over a point from play and shortly after converting a free. Padraig McKillop and Fergus McCambridge added to Cushendall’s tally, keeping them comfortably in front. Midway through the half, Loughgiel’s Cahal Hargan found his rhythm, scoring from a 65 and converting two frees to keep his side in touch. Teammates Connal McCloskey and Eoin McGarry also registered scores from play. However, Cushendall finished the half strongly. Points from Nicholas McLaughlin and a brace from Oisin Woodhouse ensured they went into the break with a four-point cushion, leading 1-11 to 0-10.
Loughgiel came out firing after the restart. Declan McCloskey pointed from play in the opening minute, followed by another Hargan free, cutting the deficit to two. A pivotal moment came ten minutes into the half when Cushendall introduced the experienced Neill McManus for Ed McQuillan. McManus made an immediate impact, pointing from play less than two minutes after coming on to steady the Cushendall ship. Loughgiel refused to fade as Christy McGarry grabbed his second point of the day. The game was then blown wide open in the 46th minute when Cahal Hargan breached the Cushendall defense for a crucial Loughgiel goal, leveling the momentum.
The final quarter was a tense, tit-for-tat battle. Padraig McKillop notched his second for Cushendall, but Declan McCloskey stepped up massive for Loughgiel, converting a free and then scoring from play to keep the pressure on. In the dying minutes, Cushendall’s discipline and experience shone through. Joe McNaughton punished Loughgiel infractions by slotting two late frees, bringing his personal tally to an impressive haul. Midfielder Darragh Bradley then sealed the deal with a fantastic point from play in the 57th minute, putting Cushendall just out of reach before the final whistle.
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CUSHENDALL
1 – Conor McAllister
2 – Aodhan Campbell
3 – Liam Gillan
4 – Martin Burke
5 – Austin Birt
6 – Stephen Walsh
7 – Alex McCambridge
8 – Padraig McKillop
9 – Darrach Bradley
10- Ed McQuillan
11 – Joe McNaughton
12 – Fergus McCambridge
13 – Nicholas McLaughlin
14 – Sean McAfee
15 – Oisin Woodhouse
SUBS
16 – Ruairi Sharpe
17 – Neill McManus
18 – Senan Black
19 – Paddy Sharpe
20 – Ryan McAuley
LOUGHGIEL
- Shae McDonnell
- Ryan O’Boyle
- Enda Og McGarry
- Pearce Patterson
- Caolinn Blair
- Declan McCloskey
- Tiago McGarry
- Connor Dickson
- Connal McCloskey
- Christy McGarry
- Cahal Hargan
- Finn Henry
- Dan McCloskey
- Shane O’Boyle
- Eoin McGarry
Loughgiel Substitutes Used
Darragh Patterson Patrick Laverty Ryan Hill Conan Johnston Connor O’Mullan Damian Quinn
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Cushendall (1-17)
- Joe McNaughton: 0-9 (7 frees)
- Sean McAfee: 1-0
- Oisin Woodhouse: 0-2
- Padraig McKillop: 0-2
- Fergus McCambridge: 0-1
- Nicholas McLaughlin: 0-1
- Neill McManus: 0-1
- Darrach Bradley: 0-1
Loughgiel (1-15)
- Cahal Hargan: 1-4 (3 frees, 1 ’65)
- Christy McGarry: 0-3
- Declan McCloskey: 0-3 (1 free)
- Tiago McGarry: 0-1
- Connal McCloskey: 0-1
- Eoin McGarry: 0-1
- Dan McCloskey: 0-1
- Finn Henry: 0-1