ANTRIM SHC FINAL/Louhgiel 1-14 Cushendall 0-14:LOUGHGIEL Shamrocks closed a 40-year gap at Casement Park yesterday when they retained the title beating Cushendall Ruairí Ógs after a highly entertaining final.
It took a fighting finish for the Shamrocks to overpower the challengers who missed injured forward Neil McManus.
It was seven points apiece at the interval and nine points all after 39 minutes before the ’Dall went 0-14 to 0-10 ahead nine minutes later. A Liam Watson free, brought the holders back into the game before Watson rocketed home a penalty on 53 minutes to level once more at 1-11 to 0-14.
The winners them rifled over three points without reply.
LOUGHGIEL: DD Quinn; P Gillen, N McGarry, R McCloskey; James Campbell (0-1), M Scullion, Johnny Campbell; B McAuley (0-3), M McFadden; L Watson (1-5, 1-0 pen, one 65, one free), Declan Laverty (0-1), E McCloskey (0-1); B McCarry (0-1), J Scullion (0-1), Damian Laverty. Subs: S Casey (0-1) for Damian Laverty (41 mins), T McCloskey for McFadden (45 mins).
CUSHENDALL: R Kearney; T McAlister, O Scullion, S Delargy; M Burke, D McNaughton, A Graffin; K McKeegan, A Delargy; B Delargy, C Carson (0-1), E McKillop; P McGill (0-1), D McKillop (0-1), S McNaughton (0-10, two 65s, four fress). Subs: P McNaughton (0-1) for E McKillop (25 mins), J McManus for B Delargy (56 mins).
Referee: O Elliot (All Saints Ballymena).
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