Antrim SHC final: Cushendall retain crown at Dunloy's expense amid the chaos of Storm Ashley
Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship final: Cushendall 1-16 Dunloy 2-12
Cushendall have retained the Volunteer Cup after a pulsating one-point win over Dunloy at a wind-swept Ballycastle on Sunday.
Despite fears the game would be postponed due to Storm Ashley, the teams took to McQuillan Park with Dunloy playing with the elements in the first half.
The Cuchullains established a 1-8 to 0-5 lead at the break and were indebted to Ryan Elliott for saving a Neil McManus penalty on the stroke of half-time.
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Indeed, it was McManus who brought the fight to Dunloy in the early stages, landing three classy frees into the teeth of the wind.
Seann Elliott landed two early frees in reply and the game’s first score from play didn’t arrive until the 12th minute when Keelan Molloy scored the first of his three first half points.
Molloy then set up Paul Shiels for a fine score as Dunloy began to assert.
Joe McLaughtlin scored what proved to be Cushendall’s only score from play in the first half, but they hit by the concession of a goal on 20 minutes.
Conor McAlister did well to deny Elliott in the early stages, but he could do little as Eoin O’Neill fired into the Cushendall net.
Aodhan McGarry and Molloy added further points as Dunloy opened up a 1-8 to 0-4 lead. A foul on McLaughlin by Phelim Duffin led to a penalty at the end of the half.
McManus stepped up to face his former county colleague Ryan Elliott. A shuffle to his right before the strike allowed Elliott to make a superb save, although McManus converted the resulting 65 to close the gap to six at the short whistle.
The conditions didn’t improve after the break and the ridiculous nature of the game was highlighted when Conor McAlister almost plundered a goal from a free deep in his own half as he forced Dunloy’s ’keeper Elliott into a fine reflex save.
Playing with the wind, Brian Delargy’s side turned the game on its head on the restart with a 1-5 burst without reply. McLaughlin, Ryan McCambridge, Fergus McCambridge, Conor McAlister (free) and Scott Walsh landing points while Ed McEuillan plundered a vital goal for his side.
Eoghan Campbell took a quick sideline with Fergus McCambridge playing a ball across goal for McQuillan to finish.
McAlister also made a fine save to deny Eamon Smyth while Dunloy finally got the scoreboard moving again via Eoin O’Neill before Elliott converted a 65.
Gregory O’Kane’s men were awarded a lifeline midway through the half when they were awarded a penalty after Nigel Elliott was pulled back by Ruairi McCollam.
Younger sibling Seann dispatched the penalty emphatically, but Dunloy’s lead was only brief.
Cushendall had all the momentum and, playing with the wind, hit back with further points from Campbell, McManus (free) and Paddy mcGill to retake the advantage.
A further brace of frees from McManus put three between the teams at the 60-minute mark and Dunloy went for broke in the closing moments.
Shiels had two late frees and chipped both over the bar, with the second attempt carried over the crossbar by the wind as he tried to lob the sliotar in.
Cushendall await the winners of the Derry SHC final with Slaughtneil’s meeting with Banagher postponed to next Saturday.
Cushendall scorers: Neil McManus 0-7 (0-5fs, 0-2 65s), Ed McQuillan 1-0, Joe McLaughlin 0-2, Scott Walsh 0-1, Ryan McCambridge 0-1, Ronan McAteer 0-1, Conor McAlister 0-1 (0-1f), Fergus McCambridge 0-1, Paddy McGill 0-1, Eoghan Campbell 0-1.
Dunloy scorers: Seann Elliott 1-4 (1-0pen, 0-2fs, 0-2 65s), Eoin O’Neill 1-1, Keelan Molloy 0-3, Paul Shiels 0-3 (0-2fs), Aodhan McGarry 0-1.
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