Ulster Minor Hurling Championship Final
Ruairi Óg, Cushendall (Antrim) 3-17
Seán Mac Cumhaill, Bealach Féich (Donegal) 0-4
At Ballinascreen

The Ulster minor hurling title will once more return to North Antrim after Cushendall swept aside their opponents from the west after they routed to a 22-point victory over Donegal champions Seán Mac Cumhaill.

In a totally dominant performance from the young men from the Glens, which saw them show off their hurling prowess as they made light work of their opponents in Ballinascreen, the Glensmen managed to strike every score bar one from play.

Fiontan Bradley and Ryan McAuley found the goals for the Antrim natives with Bradley continuing to star as he struck a major either side of the break.

But it was teammate Fintan McKillop who would take the man of the match prize after he replaced Brian McNeill. McKillop proceeded to dominate the scoring with six to his tally on the day in his starring role for the Dall.

The Ballybofey natives had already come so far by causing a major upset when they put Down champions Ballygalget to the sword last weekend but this week saw them face a different animal in the form of Cushendall who were determined to right the wrongs of their senior outfit this tear.

Daniel Donnelly, Jacob Malone and Pauric Kelly all had strong showings for Seán Mac Cumhaill but they struggled to cope with a sharp and more cohesive Cushendall side who just blew their opponents away.

Cushendall made a fast start to the final and had the first goal of the game inside a minute of play.  

Callagh Mooney stroked the ball towards Bradley who broke the delivery into space, with the Antrim All-Star young hurler continuing his form as his effort off the deck was drilled home from close range.  

Points followed from Connlaodh and Nicholas McLaughlin and Alex McCambridge while Bradley added to his goal to leave the Ruairi’s 1-4 to no score ahead after 10 minutes.

Daimhin Byrne opened Seán Mac Cumhaill’s scoring when he intercepted a loose pass before splitting the uprights in the 11th minute.  That would be their only score from open play however as the Cushendall defence remained on top throughout.

It went from bad to worse for the Donegal natives when Cushendall were awarded a penalty in the 15th minute after Bradley was hauled to the ground as he made his way towards goal.  Nicolas McLaughlin stepped up but his effort was well saved by Fionn Mac an Ultaigh in the Seán Mac Cumhaill’s net.

The Antrim men continued to find the target from various ranges with Bradley and Mooney firing over along with scores from Thomas McLaughlin, Cahir McCambridge and before a brilliant brace from Fintan McKillop saw the Dall well in front before the half-time whistle. Cushendall took a hefty lead of 1-10 to 0-2 into the half time interval, with very little hope remaining for their opponents.

The Ballybofey side started the second half with more intensity and tackles started to increase in ferocity yet as they brought the fight an early Cushendall goal killed momentum.  

Cahir McCambridge got clear of the tackles along the end line before finding Ryan McAuley.  The latter was under pressure but managed to get enough on the slíotar from close range and beat Mac an Ultaigh as Cushendall ramped up their charge for glory.

A free from Donnelly was responded with Fintan McKillop’s third point of the final before Seán Mac Cumhaill were reduced to 14 men after Seán Óg Hannigan received his marching orders for a strike with his hurl on Thomas McLaughlin, giving the referee an easy decision to make. 

With the game opening up, Cushendall began to put even further daylight between the sides with Fintan McKillop, Bradley and Shane McQuillan finding their range.  Donnelly would split the uprights for his second free with 12 minutes remaining but that was the last score by the Ballybofey men.

The third Cushendall goal came in the 55th minute through a piece of individual brilliance. Bradley gathered his surroundings and with great composure rounded his man before hammering his effort into the net and sealing the victory before Nicholas McLaughlin's score proved to be the curtain call.

Cushendall now join both St John’s and Kevin Lynch’s on three competition wins each with Antrim and Derry now tied with winning the competition on 11 occasions.

CUSHENDALL: S Coulter; P Morgan, C McCann, B McNeill; A McCambridge, C Mooney, A Campbell; T McLaughlin, N McLaughlin; S McQuillan, C McNaughton, R McAuley; C McCambridge, F Bradley, D Higgins

Subs: Fintan McKillop for B McNeill (4); Diarmuid McManus for S McQuillan (51); Sean Pol McNaughton for R McAuley (53); Calum Quinn for A Campbell (57)

Scorers: F Bradley 2-3 (1f); F McKillop 0-6; R McAuley 1-00; N McLaughlin 0-2; A McCambridge 0-1; C Mooney 0-1; T McLaughlin 0-1; C McNaughton 0-1; C McCambridge 0-1; S McQuillan 0-1

SÉAN MAC CUMHAILL: F Mac an Ultaigh; U Coyle, S Bradley, A Byrne; P McElhinney, O Mullen, L Byrne; P Kelly, T McNulty; R Doherty, D Donnelly, J Gallen; D Patton, J Malone, D Byrne

Subs: Sean Og Hannigan for A Byrne (28); Matthew Dowds for J Gallen (40); Shay McNulty for R Doherty (44); Ultan O Giollagáin for L Byrne (48); Liam Gallen for D Patton (51)

Scorers: D Donnelly 0-2 (2fs); D Patton 0-1 (1f); D Byrne 0-1

Referee: Sean Curran (Derry)