Antrim SHC Final

Ruairí Òg, Cushendall 1-20 Loughgiel Shamrocks 1-19

By David Mohan at Corrigan Park

The sun shone on Cushendall at a glorious Corrigan Park on Sunday as they claimed Antrim hurling title number 15 as a late Loughgiel rally fell just short.

James McNaughton had a chance from a very difficult free to level with the last act after his goal gave Loughgiel late hope, but it tailed just wide - rather cruel on one of the game's standouts.

But over the piece, Cushendall deserved their win and could have been a little more comfortable at the end only for eight second half wides that kept their rivals in it when they had the upper hand.

Defensively, the Ruairis were excellent with Paddy Burke delivering what is now an expected top performance, while Ryan McCambridge at midfield put in a man-of-the-match shift for his team.

Cushendall won a meeting between the sides at the group stage six weeks ago by 15 points and Loughgiel were determined not to suffer a repeat.

They flew out off the traps with James McNaughton landing two early points and then another after Paddy Burke got Cushendall on the board.

Over their four-game run to the final, Cushendall had averaged four goals per game and they would raise green on six minutes arrived as Christy McNaughton's shot from deep dropped and seemed to be lost in the sun with Neil McManus making a nuisance of himself. Joe McLaughlin managed to get onto it but was unable to get a shot away, instead correctly passing into McManus, who in turn found Fergus McCambridge at the back post to finish.

Christ McGarry hot back at the other end immediately to level and the sides went neck and neck, level by the 20th minutes before Cushendall began to take over.

McManus began the game at the edge of the square, but was now playing deeper and this helped his side get into more ball.

Their inside forwards, McLaughlin and Niall McCormick then began to make hay with two points apiece, while at the other end, goalkeeper Conor McAlister was alert to thwart Rian McMullan's who looked to flick past him.

McNaughton ended a barren 11 minutes for the Shamrocks from a free in stoppage time, but McManus hit back in kind as Cushendall led 1-11 to 0-9 at the break.

Burke extended the gap early in the second period, but again, McAlister was called into action to save from Paul Boyle with Cristy McGarry unable to get onto the rebound as Cushendall cleared and Fred McCurry thumped over.

Those wides prevented them from putting proper daylight between the teams as points from Boyle, McNaughton, McMullan and Shan McGrath were keeping Loughgiel in with the gap down to a goal on 48 minutes.

Cushendall seemed to break for home as Burke pointed either side of one from McCambridge, but Loughgiel hit back with three of their own.

When McManus and McCambridge scored late, that seemed to be it, but Loughgiel remained in the hunt.

McNaughton tapped over a free and then Declan McCloskey opted to go for goal from another that was stopped.

The Loughgiel skipper would then float in a free and this time McNaughton got on the end of it to rattle the net and leave one in it with time almost up.

There was time for one more play as they won a free deep on the right sideline, but it went the wrong side of the posts as Cushendall took the title to make up for defeat at the same stage 12 months ago.

Scorers for Cushendall: N McManus 0-5 (all frees), P Burke 0-4, F McCambridge 1-0, R McCambridge 0-3, J McLaughlin 0-3, N McCormick 0-2, F McCurry 0-2, E McQuillan 0-1

Scorers for Loughgiel: J McNaughton 1-10 (0-6 frees), P Boyle 0-3, S McGrath 0-2 (1 free), R McMullan 0-2, C McGarry 0-1, Declan McCloskey 0-1

Cushendall: Conor McAlister; Paddy Burke, Liam Gillan, Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Aidan McNaughton; Fred McCurry, Ryan McCambridge; Ronan McAteer, Neil McManus, Fergus McCambridge; Niall McCormick, Christy McNaughton, Joe McLaughlin.

Subs: Ruairi McCollam for Scott Walsh (24), Sean McAfee for C McNaughton (37), Ed McQuillan for R McAteer (41), Paddy McGill for F McCambridge (55), Stephen Walsh for R McCollam (57).

Loughgiel: Chrissy O'Connell; Tiernan Coyle, Rory McCloskey, Ruairi McCormick; Declan McCloskey, Damon McMullan, Caolan Blair; Enda Og McGarry, Ryan McKee; Dan McCloskey, James McNaughton, Rian McMullan; Shan McGrath, Paul Boyle, Christy McGarry.

Subs: Jack McCloskey for P Boyle (60+1), Ben McGarry for R McKee (60+4).

Referee: Colum Cunning (Dunloy).