AIB Ulster Club SHC Final

CUSHENDALL (ANTRIM) 1-15 BALLYCRAN (DOWN) 0-10

By Orla Bannon at the Athletic Grounds

Despite struggling in the second half, Antrim champions Cushendall hit a late flurry of scores to secure an 11th AIB Ulster club hurling title.

Down's Ballycran, bidding to end a 25-year wait for a provincial title, were wasteful in the second half and missed two easy frees and a '65' at a crucial stage while they also failed to convert a good goal chance.

Cushendall, in front of 3,742 in the Athletic Grounds, took full advantage. Despite only scoring one point in the second half until stoppage time, they finished strong with two Neil McManus frees and another from Eoghan Campbell to set up an All-Ireland semi-final against the Galway champions next February.

Experienced Antrim defender Aaron Graffin is likely to miss out after suffering a serious knee injury in the second half. He was stretchered off after an eight-minute stoppage.

Having beaten back-to-back Ulster champions Slaughtneil in the semi-final, Ballycran were determined their giant-killing act wouldn't be in vain but they were behind from start to finish and will regret those second-half misses.

Given the strength of the wind at their backs in the first half, Cushendall would have been targeting a five or six point lead at the break.

However it got even better than that, powerhouse performances from Donal McNaughton and Neil McManus as well as a goal from Sean McAfee helping the Antrim champions into a 1-11 to 0-6 lead at the break.

Ballycran actually battled very well in the opening quarter against a fierce breeze and Conor Woods in particular impressed with 0-3, including two excellent points from play.

His dummy and point in the 21st minute cut the deficit to 0-7 to 0-5 but Cushendall finished the half superbly, outscoring their opponents by 1-4 to 0-1.

The goal was pivotal. Ballycran's defence couldn't handle Donal McNaughton's strong run down the wing and while his goal-bound shot was brilliantly saved by 'keeper Stephen Keith, McAfee pulled on the loose ball and buried it into the net six minutes before the interval.

McManus was given far too much room to enjoy himself in the middle of the park and banged over a '65' and a couple of long-range beauties, judging the wind to perfection.

Scott Nicholson showed good leadership to try to break Cushendall's growing momentum with a smart point but the Down champions still looked in trouble trailing by eight points at the break.

Ballycran needed to make something happen and Scott Nicholson and Colum McManus points closed the gap.

Cushendall were struggling and they might have kicked on after Donal McNaughton's inspirational point in the 43rd minute, but the sickening injury to Graffin overshadowed the game.

Three different Ballycran players missed placed balls and when Cushendall cleared the danger after Liam Savage's long punt into the square, the fight went out of the wasteful Down champions.

Conor Woods, one of their better players, was sent-off near the end of 12 minutes of injury time for two yellow cards offences just as Cushendall rediscovered their composure just in time to see the game out.

Scorers for Cushendall: Neil McManus 0-9 (6fs, 1 '65'), Sean McAfee 1-0, Donal McNaughton 0-2, Sean Delargy, Paddy Burke, Fergus McCambridge, Eoghan Campbell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ballycran: Conor Woods 0-3 (1f), Colum McManus 0-3 (3fs), Scott Nicholson 0-2, Niall Breen, James Coyle 0-1 each.

CUSHENDALL: Eoin Gillan; David Kearney, Martin Burke, Paddy Burke; Sean Delargy, Aaron Graffin, Stephen Walsh; Eoghan Campbell, Neil McMaus; Sean McAfee, Fergus McCambridge, Ryan McCambridge; Alex Delargy, Donal McNaughton, Paddy McGill.

Subs: Eunan McKillop for F McCambridge (42), Francis McCurry for Graffin (52), Cormac McClafferty for McGill (58), Niall McCormick for McAfee (60), Emmett Laverty for D McNaughton (72).

BALLYCRAN: Stephen Keith; Michael Hughes, Paddy Hughes, Sean Ennis; Michael Taylor, Paudie Flynn, Brett Nicholson; Scott Nicholson, Phelim Savage; Cormac McAllister, Conor Woods, Liam Savage; Niall Breen, Colum McManus, James Coyle.

Subs: Christopher Egan for Breen (HT), Gerard Hughes for McAllister (HT), Andrew Bell for Taylor (69), Paul McSkimmons for Coyle (69).

REFEREE: James Connors (Donegal).