Ballycran fight to finish in Ulster final

14 November 2018

BRAVE Ballycran gave their all, but in the end were unable to prevent Cushendall securing a record 11th Ulster senior hurling title at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh, on Sunday.

Eight points adrift at half-time, the Down champions raised their game in the second half, but unfortunately they wasted a number of good scoring opportunities.

There were plenty of Ballycran heroes, particularly at the back where Patrick Hughes turned in a near man-of-the-match performance.

Afterwards ‘Cran manager Gary Savage said: “We just couldn’t get those three or four scores in a row to get that bit of momentum. Momentum is everything in hurling.”

Before a crowd of 3,742, Cushendall raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead early in the second half when they had the wind in their favour.

By half-time, the lead had stretched to 1-11 to 0-6. The goal came after Stephen Keith had produced a fantastic save to keep out a shot from Fergus McCambridge, but he was helpless when the sliothar found Sean McAfee who found the back of the net.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, Ballycran showed plenty of determination and no little skill, despite the poor playing surface which had been heavily sanded.

Scott Nicholson gave the Ards side some hope when he sent over a magnificent point and there was more good news when Nicholson and Collum McManus landed two more scores.

However, they were then undone by some wayward shooting, spurning five good chances in a ten-minute spell.

James Coyle, Collum McManus, Christopher Egan and Conor Woods all shot wide during a period which should have yielded more than a solitary point from Coyle.

With 58 minutes gone, Collum McManus pointed to reduce the deficit to five, but despite heroic efforts from all of the Ballycran players, Cushendall had the guile and the strength to keep going.

By the end they were worthy champions.

Ballycran: S Keith; M Hughes, P Hughes, S Ennis, M Taylor, P Flynn, B Nicholson, S Nicholson (0-2), P Savage, C McAllister, C Woods (0-3, 0-1 free), L Savage, N Breen (0-1), C McManus (0-3), J Coyle (0-1).

Subs: G Hughes for Breen, C Egan for McAllister, P McSkimmon for Coyle, A Bell for Taylor.

Cushendall: E Gillan, D Kearney, M Burke, S Walsh, S Delargy (0-1), A Graffin, P Burke (0-1), E Campbell (0-1), N McManus (0-9, 0-6 frees), D McNaughton (0-2), F McCambridge (0-1), R McCambridge, P McGill, S McAfee (1-0), A Delargy.

Subs: E McKillop for F McCambridge, F McCurry for Graffin, C McClaffery for McGill, N McCormick for McAfee, E Laverty for McNaughton.

Cushendall 1-15

Ballycran 0-10

ULSTER CLUB SHC FINAL

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