Gaelic Games

Antrim SHC Final: Cushendall retain title as they edge out Dunloy

Champions used the elements in Ballycastle to their advantage in second half to take crown

Neil McManus's accuracy from dead balls was vital for Cushendall. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Neil McManus's accuracy from dead balls was vital for Cushendall. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
David Mohan in Ballycastle
Sun Oct 20 2024 - 17:16
Antrim SHC Final: Cushendall 1-16 Dunloy 2-12

Cushendall made it back-to-back Antrim Senior Hurling Championship titles as they edged Dunloy 1-16 to 2-12 in Ballycastle on Sunday.

Trailing by six at the break was far from insurmountable for the defending champions as they had a gale at their backs in the second period, and a good spell would see them get ahead and stay there.

Despite playing into the gale, Cushendall would have been very happy with how things began as they led 0-3 to 0-2 after 10 minutes, with frees from Neil McManus and Dunloy’s Seean Elliott accounting for all the scores.

Dunloy did get into a flow with Keelan Molloy and Paul Shiels on target with Joseph McLaughlin landing Cushendall’s first from play. But the goal Dunloy needed came on 20 minutes as Eoin O’Neill read a long delivery from Kevin Molloy to get in behind and bury to the net.

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He could have had another but his whipped effort was saved for a 65 that Elliott converted, with Keelan Molloy then stretching the gap to seven.

It wasn’t a huge gap considering the wind and they had goalkeeper Ryan Elliott make a stunning save from a McManus penalty. McManus did land the 65 and at the break, this left six between them with Dunloy 1-8 to 0-5 ahead.

It took a while for Cushendall to find their range in the second half, but they began to eat into the lead with McLaughlin, Fred McCurry, Fergus McCambride, Paddy McGill and a monster free from goalkeeper Conor McAlister bringing them to within one.

They hit the front as Ed McQuillan cracked home, but Dunloy hit back in kind soon after as Seaan Elliott buried a penalty after older brother Nigel had been impeded.

But the Ruairis powered on with five of the next six to lead by a goal late on. And although Shiels clipped over a pair of late frees for Dunloy, it was a goal they needed as Cushendall claimed the Volunteer Cup for a 16th time.

CUSHENDALL: C McAlister (0-1,f); L Gillan, P Burke, M Burke; Scott Walsh, E Campbell (0-1), R McCollam; F McCurry (0-1), R McCambridge; R McAteer (0-1), N McManus (0-7, 5f, 2 65s), F McCambridge (0-2); E McQuillan (1-0), S McAfee, J McLaughlin (0-2).

Subs: P McGill (0-1) for S McAfee (40 mins), Alex Delargy for F McCurry (53), C Neeson for E McQuillan (58), Andrew Delargy for R McCambridge (60+3).

DUNLOY: R Elliott; P Duffin, R McGarry, O Quinn; E McFerran, Kevin Molloy, N McKeague; P Shiels (0-3, 2f), T McFerran; S Elliott (1-4, 1-0 pen, 2f, 2 65s), A McGarry (0-1), Keelan Molloy (0-3); E O’Neill (1-1), A McGrath, N Elliott.

Subs: C McMahon for A McGrath (44), G McTaggart for A McGarry (53), P Martin for T McFerran (55).

Referee: Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel).