Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship final: Dunloy 1-20 Cushendall 2-11
Dunloy have completed a stunning Championship double after their senior hurlers retained the Volunteer Cup at the expense of Cushendall one week after the club’s footballers won the Antrim Intermediate title.
With several dual players, the Cuchullain’s have two Ulster Club campaigns to prepare for in the coming weeks.
Gregory O’Kane men now await the winners of Slaughtneil and Portaferry in the Ulster Club Senior Hurling Championship final on Sunday, December 4.
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Last season, Dunloy claimed a facile win over Rossa in the decider, but they were probably flattered by the six-point winning margin over a battling Cushendall outfit in a thrilling final at Corrigan Park.
Cushendall’s direct approach paid dividends in the first half as Cormac McClafferty and Sean McAfee plundered goals to help them lead 2-6 to 0-11 at the break with Conal Cunning landing seven points for Dunloy, including five frees.
Yet, the scores dried up for the Ruairi Óg’s in the second half and Brian Delargy’s side would ultimately rue a series of poor wides midway through the half and they hit nine wides in total in the second period.
They were also denied a third goal as Ryan Elliott produced a save to deny Fergus McCambridge and then Niall McCormack saw his effort cleared off the line by Phelim Duffin moments later.
Dunloy had no such bother as the likes of Seaan Elliott and Keelan Molloy, who were well marshalled throughout, landed crucial scores while McMahon’s goal sealed a fourth consecutive title for the Cuchullain’s and a fifth title in six years.
O’Kane will be pleased with the manner in which his side were forced to grind out a victory despite not being at their scintillating best.
They had 21 points to spare over St John’s in a one-sided semi-final while Cushendall defeated Loughgiel by the minimum in their last four clash.
Right from the off, Cushendall let their opponents know they were up for the challenge as they scored a goal inside the opening 20 seconds.
Ryan McCambridge played Neil McManus through on goal, but the Antrim ace didn’t make the cleanest of strikes and Elliott made a smart save, but McClafferty was on hand to bundle the sliotar over the line.
Cunning replied with a '65 for Dunloy before Eoghan Campbell drilled over a fine score for Cushendall’s first point of the day.
Cunning and McManus exchanged frees throughout the first quarter before the Dunloy attacker landing a stunning long-range effort to move his side ahead for the first time on 23 minutes. When Eamon Smyth landed an equally brilliant point from play from distance, the holders were two ahead.
Dunloy ought to have scored a goal on the 30 minute-mark when Cunning put Ryan McGarry through one-on-one with Eoin Gillian, but the full-back scuffed his effort wide of the post.
With the next passage of play, Cushendall netted at the other end as Sean McAfee flung his hurl as Neil McManus dropped a free into the full-forward line and McAfee’s touch was enough to steer the sliotar past Elliott.
McManus and Cunning landed further frees before the break as Cushendall led by a single point at half-time.
Cunning briefly levelled the game on the restart with another free after Paul Shiels was fouled by Eoghan Campbell, but Cushendall replied with two classy points to regain the advantage.
McAfee landed a brilliant point from play before McManus sliced over a sideline cut from the far side to put his side 2-8 to 0-12 in front with 37 minutes played.
Crucially, the Ruairi Óg’s only added three more points to their tally for the remainder of the contest and were outscored 1-8 to 0-3 from that point on.
Dunloy got to grips with their route one approach and the introduction of Christy McNaughton failed to ignite the Cushendall attack who begun to spur chance after chance.
In contrast, Dunloy’s attack began to find their range after a difficult first half. Keelan Molloy, Cunning (two frees), and McCarry were all on target as the champions regained the lead inside the final 10 minutes.
McMahon and Seaan Elliott moved them into a three-point lead as McManus finally hit the target after watching his colleagues hit five wides on the bounce.
Yet, all the momentum was with O’Kane’s men in the final minutes as Molloy split the posts with another excellent score after Cushendall were denied a third goal by great saves from Elliott and Duffin.
In stoppage time, Cushendall’s resistance was finally broken when McMahon stole a march on Liam Gillan and fired a low shot past sibling Eoin Gillan to put six points between the sides at Kevin Parke’s full-time whistle.
Their crown as undisputed kingpins of Antrim remains - the challenge for this Dunloy team is to add a coveted Ulster title in the coming weeks.
Dunloy scorers: Conal Cunning 0-11 (0-9fs, 0-1 65), Chrissy McMahon 1-1, Keelan Molloy 0-3, Ryan McGarry 0-1, Aaron Crawford 0-1, Eamon Smyth 0-1, Nigel Elliott 0-1, Seaan Elliott 0-1.
Cushendall scorers: Neil McManus 0-7 (0-5fs, 0-1 SL), Sean McAfee 1-1, Cormac McClafferty 1-0, Niall McCormack 0-1, Fred McCurry 0-1.
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