Above – Carey captain Danny McKinley receives the Intermediate Championship Cup from Hurling Board secretary Anthony Mulvenna while Cushendun captain Dominic McQuillan looks on after the replay of the 1990 Intermediate final at Fr Barrett Park, Loughgiel

Saturday’s combatants Cushendun and Carey met only once before in an Intermediate final, and it took two games to decide the winners. A late Mickey Dennis point from a free earned the Faughs a second bite of the cherry in a game when the Emmet’s looked like winners for long periods at Fr Barrett Park Loughgiel. When they met again the following week Carey looked a different team, dominating from start to finish to claim the honours

These are the Ballymena Guardian reports from both finals

Late Mickey Dennis point earns Carey a replay

Super I.H.C. Final ends all square

Carey 1 – 14 Cushendun 1 – 14

The ambition of Carey to win their first ever Antrim Intermediate hurling championship title and Cushendun to bridge a 17 year gap and collect their second crown were somewhat upset when a late Carey point from a Michael Dennis free saw this decider at Loughgiel remain deadlocked.

It was a super game with Cushendun, in the first half, looking to be dictating terms but still only managing a one point interval lead 1-8 to 1-7. With such a forceful start when corner forward Alastair Magee shot a goal and two points int he opening nine minutes they should have been further ahead but tenacious play from Michael Dennis and Dessie McNeill and a 23rd minute goal when Bosco McAuley first timed a Danny McKinley free to the net, saw the Carey men remain in the fight.

And their efforts padi off when a fourth minute second half Dessie McNeill point saw them draw level and another from Bosco McAuley four minutes later gave them the lead they last enjoyed in the early stages of the game.

The scene was obviously set for a dramatic final quarter and that is exactly how it turned out when, with 10 minutes remaining, a Gerard Scally free put Cushendun back in a tie situation.

Another one this time from Denis McKendry put them ahead but Carey substitute John Nolan looked to have saved the day five minutes from time.

Paddy O’Hara shot Cushendun’s final point two minutes from the end and magnificent defensive play from Paul McSparran, Danny McKillen, John McSparran, Eamonn Graham and the McQuillan brothers Seamus and Dominic, along with superb goalkeeping from Dominic Magee, should have kept Carey at bay.

Thanks, however, to the forceful midfield play of Conor and John McVeigh and the long striking of centre half back Danny McKinley, Carey got their chance when sharp shooting Mickey Dennis made no mistake.

Carey: P. McVeigh, V. Butler, P. McCarey, J. McAuley, S. McNeill, D. McKinley, G. McVeigh, C. McVeigh 0-1, J. McVeigh 0-1, T. Hunter 0-1, M. Dennis 0-6, P. Gillen, D. McNeill 0-3, C. McVeigh, B. McAuley 1-1.

Sub: J. Nolan 0-1.

Cushendun: D. Magee, J. McSparran, P. McSparran, D. McKillen, S. McQuillan, E. Graham 0-2, D. McQuillan, L. Woodburn, E. O’Hara, B. McKay 0-3, G. Scally 0-2, L. Magee, D. McKendry 0-1, P. O’Hara 0-4, A. Magee 1-2.

Referee: S. O’Hare (St. Johns).

Carey in a Different Class

Intermediate Hurling Championship Final Replay

Carey 6-7 Cushendun 2-4

Whatever happened to Cushendun since the drawn game, a game they had every chance of winning but, on this showing in the replay at Loughgiel’s magnificent pitch it would have been a travesty of justice had they won the title. They simply, on Sunday’s showing, were not in the same class.

Carey were always in control from Charlie McVeigh scored their first point after nine minutes play to the same Charley had their final goal five minutes from the end.

Cushendun only managed to shine for a short period in the second half when Gerard Scally had a sixth minute goal and they came to life for another brief spell when Gary McNeill goaled nine minutes from the end. These scores however did little to alter a one sided scoreline and a fifteen point beating, in any man’s language is a fairly convincing one.

The Carey men cracked home three first half goals to build up an eleven point interval buffer 3-4 to 0-2.

The first came from Teddy Hunter after Charlie McVeigh’s effort was blocked in the eleventh minute and two minutes later John McVeigh saw his long lob end up in the net, to put his side 2-2 to no score ahead.

Corner forward Gerard McVeigh got number three, eight minutes from the break and indeed at this stage Cushendun, who never got their act together looked a beaten outfit.

Full forward Charlie McVeigh came into his own in the second half when the former Ballycastle player got his hat-trick. He was on target in the fourth, seventh and twenty fifth minutes with three excellent goals which knocked the stuffing out of the opposition.

And, in between his second, which he batted home with one hand, and his third he took time out as a defender to keep Cushendun’s couple of rallys at bay.

After the first game it was difficult to put a finger on what went wrong with the Cushendun men but certainly they didn’t look as determined as they did first time around. The heads went down early on and, but for those couple of second half goals the scoreline certainly would have been lopsided.

Still they again had their stars but this time poor Damien Magee found himself picking the ball from the net six times. John McSparran, Eamon Graham and captain Dominic McQuillan were not found wanting in the defence.

At midfield, however, it was a bit of a struggle and indeed it was in this sector things looked most out of control. Still full marks to Liam Woodburn for his second half efforts.

All round Carey looked a much better balanced side and they can thank goalkeeper Paul McVeigh for a number of fine saves. Full back Pat McCarry and centre half back Danny McKinley were the best defenders while John and Connor McVeigh ruled the roost at midfield. John in particular had an outstanding game and helped himself to a goal and two points.

Full forward Charlie McVeigh certainly got his act together in this game and along with team captain Michael Dennis and corner forward Gerard McVeigh gave the Cushendun defence a stressful evening.

Carey’s scorers were – Charlie McVeigh (3-2), John McVeigh (1-2), Gerard McVeigh (1-1), Teddy Hunter (1-0), Michael Dennis (0-1) and Bosco McAuley (0-1).

For Cushendun – Gerard Scally (1-1), Gary McNeill (1-0), Dominic McQuillan (0-1), Paddy O’Hara (0-1) and Alastair Magee (0-1).

Teams – Carey – Paul McVeigh, John Nolan, Pat McGarry, James McAuley, Seamus McBride, Danny McKinley, Shane McNeill, John McVeigh and Conor McVeigh, Teddy Hunter, Michael Dennis, Dessie McNeill, Bosco McAuley, Charlie McVeigh, Gerard McVeigh.

Cushendun – Dominic Magee, John McSparran, Paul McSparran, Danny McKillen, Seamus McQuillan, Eamon Graham, Dominic McQuillan, Liam Woodburn and Brendan Magee, Barney McKay, Gerard Scally, Gary McNeill, Denis McHenry, Paddy O’Hara, Alastair Magee.

Referee – Seamus O’Hare (St. John’s).