Cushendall 1-16 Dunloy 2-12
It was a sweet 16th Antrim Senior Hurling Championship title for Cushendall as the defending champions retained their crown in obscene conditions in Ballycastle.
The arrival of Storm Ashley was long expected but it still made it impossible for both teams to fully prepare for as this final was something of a game of two halves as Dunloy built a six-point lead at the break having had the gale at their backs and Cushendall went one better in the second period to prevail.
It was far from an ideal day for hurling, but both teams did what they could to make the best of it and they served up an entertaining game although it was scrappy in parts with the wind playing havoc throughout and made it tough for shooting and passing.
Despite playing into the gale, Cushendall would have been very happy with how things began as they led 0-03 to 0-02 after 10 minutes with frees from Neil McManus and Dunloy's Sean Elliott accounting for all the scores.
Keelan Molloy finally landed the first score from play for Dunloy and Paul Shiels added another to edge them ahead.
Joseph McLaughlin and Molloy traded as Dunloy began to get into a flow, but the wides were mounting and also passes over-hit with the wind also a bit of a hindrance.
On 20 minutes, Dunloy got the goal they were seeking as Eoin O'Neill read a long delivery from Kevin Molloy to get in behind and bury.
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 made a stunning save from a Neil McManus penalty that was awarded when referee Ciaran McCloskey adjudged Phelim Duffin to have held back McLaughlin.
McManus did land the 65 and at the break, this left six between them with Dunloy 1-08 to 0-05 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 Cononr 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 Paul 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: Conor McAlister (0-01f); Liam Gillan, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell (0-01), Ruairi McCollam; Fred McCurry (0-01), Ryan McCambridge; Ronan McAteer (0-01), Neil McManus (0-07 (5f, 2 65s), Fergus McCambridge (0-02); Ed McQuillan (1-00), Sean McAfee, Joseph McLaughlin (0-02).
Subs: Paddy McGill (0-01) for S McAfee (40), Alex Delargy for F McCurry (53), Ciaran Neeson for E McQuillan (58), Andrew Delargy for R McCambridge (60+3)
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eoin McFerran, Kevin Molloy, Nicky McKeague; Paul Shiels (0-03(2f)), Tom McFerran; Sean Elliott (1-04 (1-0 pen, 0-2f, 0-2 65s)), Aodhan McGarry, Keelan Molloy (0-03); Eoin O'Neill (1-01), Anton McGrath (0-01), Nigel Elliott.
Subs: Chrissy McMahon for A McGrath (44), Gabriel McTaggart for A McGarry (53), Paudie Martin for T McFerran (55)
Referee: Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel)
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