Antrim SHC final: Cushendall justify favouritism with easy win
September 28, 2014
Cushendall captain Arron Graffin (left) with Shay and Aidan McNaughton, sons of former team selector James McNaughton who died tragically earlier this year, as they join team mascot John McKillop to collect the Volunteer Cup after their team's win over St Gall's.
©INPHO/Presseye/John McIlwaine.
Cushendall 1-15
St. Gall's 1-5
Favourites Cushendall have been crowned Antrim senior hurling champions for a 12th time after beating St. Gall's by 10 points at Ballycastle.
Conquerors of five-in-a-row chasing Loughgiel in the quarter-final and Dunloy in the semi-final, 'Sambo' McNaughton's charges signalled their intent by racing into an early 1-3 to 0-0 lead before Anto Healy eventually got St. Gall's off the mark six minutes before the break.
The Milltown men narrowed the gap when Conor Burke raised a green flag two minutes later, but the Ruairi Ogs recovered from that setback to take a 1-6 to 1-1 lead into the break.
CJ McGourty opened the second half scoring for St. Gall's, but it was all Cushendall after that as they won with plenty to spare to end the Belfast club's hopes of a senior football and hurling double.
Cushendall - E Gillan; R McCambridge, M Burke, A Graffin; P McNaughton (0-1), P Burke, S Delargy; N McManus (1-1), E Campbell; S McAfee, C Carson (0-3), K McKeegan (0-1); A Delargy, D McNaughton (0-2), C McNaughton (0-4, 3f). Subs: P McGill (0-3) for A Delargy, Shane McNaughton for K McKeegan, A McNaughton for E Campbell, E Laverty for D McNaughton, Seamus McNaughton for S McAfee.
St Gall's - P McCaffrey; T Austin, D Sheehan, J McDaniels; N O'Neill, K McGourty (0-1'65), T O Ciaran; J McGreevy, A Healey (0-1); A Gallagher, C Burke (1-0), S McAreavey; CJ McGourty (0-2), S Morrison, K Stewart. Subs: A McCaffrey for J McGreevy, A Hannaway for D Sheehan, C O'Grady for T O Ciaran, J Flynn (0-1) for S McAreavey.
Referee - A Kelly.
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