Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Loughgiel 0-16 Cushendall 0-21
Cushendall secured a hard-fought victory over Loughgiel in their Antrim Hurling League Division 1 encounter at Fr Healy Park, overcoming a slow start to ultimately claim the points. The home side burst out of the blocks, racing into a 0-04 to 0-00 lead with early scores from Declan McCloskey, Eoin McGarry, Ronan Fitzgerald, and Rian McMullan. However, the visitors soon found their rhythm and fought back with points from Callagh Mooney, Oisin Woodhouse, and Thomas McLaughlin. The remainder of the first half was a tightly contested affair. Conor Dickson, Tiernan Coyle, and Paddy Laverty all hit the target for Loughgiel, but Cushendall finished the half stronger. A spread of scores from Stephen Walsh, Conor McCann, Charlie McAuley, Edward McQuillan, and Liam Gillan ensured Cushendall went into the dressing room with a narrow 0-10 to 0-08 lead.
The second half saw both teams enjoy spells of domination, beginning with an even exchange as each side registered two points apiece in the opening minutes. Cushendall then hit a crucial scoring burst to give themselves some much-needed breathing space. Fiontan Bradley knocked over a free in the sixth minute, which was followed by a well-worked score on the twelve-minute mark when Cushendall won the puck-out, allowing Callagh Mooney to deliver a great ball to Thomas McLaughlin who fired over the bar. Darach Bradley quickly added another point a minute later, and Oisin Woodhouse followed suit to stretch Cushendall’s advantage to 0-16 to 0-13.
Refusing to yield, Loughgiel began to eat into the deficit to set up a grandstand finish. Roan McGarry pointed a free in the twentieth minute, though Fiontan Bradley momentarily halted the comeback with a spectacular point after soloing up the right wing. Loughgiel responded brilliantly when Rian ‘Bubbles’ McMullan carved his way through the Cushendall defence to fire over, and substitute Shan McGrath quickly added another good score to keep the pressure on. A Fiontan Bradley free in the twenty-eighth minute put Cushendall three clear once again, but Loughgiel were unlucky not to snatch a dramatic equalizer just a minute later. McMullan found himself in space and unleashed a fierce goal-bound shot, but his effort agonizingly came back off the upright. Having survived that late scare, Cushendall managed to see out the game, and a final pointed free from Fiontan Bradley in the thirty-third minute sealed the hard-earned win for the visitors.
Loughgiel: 1 – John Francis Connolly, 2 – Conor Dickson, 3 – Enda Og McGarry, 4 – Liam Glackin, 5 – Conall McCloskey, 6 – Tiernan Coyle, 7 – Caolan Blair, 8 – Declan McCloskey, 9 – Tiago McGarry, 10 – Rian McMullan, 11 – Shane O’Boyle, 12 – Eoin McGarry, 13 – Roan McGarry, 14 – Daniel McCloskey, 15 – Pearce Patterson.
Cushendall: 1 – Christy McNaughton, 2 – Francis McGarry, 3 – Liam Gillan, 4 – Conor McCann, 5 – Alex McCambridge, 6 – Stephen Walsh, 7 – Austin Birt, 8 – Callagh Mooney, 9 – Charlie McAuley, 10 – Edward McQuillan, 11 – Joseph McNaughton, 12 – Darach Bradley, 13 – Oisin Woodhouse, 14 – Thomas McLaughlin, 15 – Fiontan Bradley.
Referee – Ray Matthews
TO SEE MORE OF SEAN TROWLEN’S PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
https://myalbum.com/album/JNsKkV4mkXs3yk/?invite=e11fb041-94d7-4e4f-9ef4-44fba7f12917