Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Final
Cushendall 1-13
Dunloy 1-19
At Pairc MacUílin 

DUNLOY managed to see off the late challenge from Cushendall to clinch their 17th Antrim Senior Hurling title despite a late Neil McManus goal causing a late resurgence for the North Coast side.

Cushendall managed to kick off proceedings when late addition to the 15, Fiontán Bradley thumped the opening score of the tie but it was not long before Seaan Elliot responded with a terrific effort from the middle of the park.

It did not take long for Cushendall's star-man of the year to step forward and blast over a 65 to temporarily restore their lead, but it was soon met with a Conal Cunning strike which once again saw parity restored.

Most of the opening period followed that trend with the sides nip and tug for the best part of half with the key men being the set-piece specialists for each side Conal Cunning and Joseph McLaughlin.

Charlie McAuley launched a terrific post-splitting rocket shot to edge his side once again in front on the 10th minute before Seaan Elliot showed off his phenomenal skills off the stick as the Dunloy star cracked the sliotar off his base without the use of a hand, and saw the white flag raised for the second time in the contest.

Cunning then added a free as Dunloy looked to really kick on and assert their dominance.

The major breakthrough came on the 17th minute when Ciarán Elliot managed to put real separation between the sides in the first half with a terrific goal.

The Dunloy forward slipped through the Cushendall back line and was the recipient of a Nigel Elliot pass before ensuring the sliotar's safe passage to the net.

Neil McManus responded by driving an emphatic free to reduce the deficit, but a first half five-point lead allowed Dunloy build on their margin as the second half commenced.

Cuchullains were straight out of the blocks and made sure it would take something special from Ruairi Óg’s to cause any real trouble.

Joseph McLaughlin then stood up and planted a free between the posts to reassure that the game was not done just yet.

Elliot and Cunning continued to provide Dunloy’s point-scoring threat with five points apiece by the final ten minutes. Cushendall’s only answer came from McManus and McLaughlin’s sharpshooting from dead balls with substitute Thomas McLaughlin also finding his range.

McManus did threaten to reignite the comeback for Cushendall when with five minutes left of normal time, the former Antrim star blasted the ball into the turf and beat a pile of Dunloy bodies to find the net.

The final moments grew scrappy, with the North Coast men desperate to find another net burster with limited time remaining.

A few late tallies from Dunloy helped them calm the nerves with the final whistle imminent.

Wave after wave of Cushendall attack was combatted with a strong defensive showing and the final big chance came when Fiontán Bradley's low swinging goal effort was blocked in a last ditch effort from Oran Quinn to prevent a late momentum switch.

Dunloy would not falter however, and scores from Keelan Molloy and a late Tom McFerran strike ensured the Village side would be lifting title number 17 in Antrim.

Cuchullains end a four year wait for a title, and reclaim the Volunteer Cup in style.

Cushendall XV: Conchúr Mac Alastair; Conor McCann, Martin Burke, Fred McCurry; Scott Walsh, Austin Birt, Charlie McAuley; Eoghan Campbell, Callagh Mooney; Thomas McLaughlin, Ed McQuillan, Fiontán Bradley; Fergus McCambridge, Neil McManus, Joseph McLaughlin

Subs: Joseph McNaughton on for Ed McQuillan (57’), Sean McAfee on for Fergus McCambridge (43’)

Scorers for Cushendall: Neil McManus 1-2, Joseph McLaughlin 0-5 (4F), Fiontánn Bradley 0-2, Charlie McCauley 0-1, Joseph McNaughton 0-1, Eoghan Campbell 0-1, Callagh Mooney 0-1,

Dunloy XV: Rian Elliot; Aaron Crawford, Eamon Smyth, Oran Quinn; Aodhan McGarry, Eoin McFerran, Ryan McGarry; Nicky McKeague, Seaan Elliot; Nigel Elliot, Conal Cunning, Luke McFerran; Ciarán Elliot, Keelan Molloy, Chrissy McMahon

Subs: Tom McFerran for Chrissy McMahon (47'), Barry Scott on for Ciarán Elliot (55'), Paul Shiels on for Eamon Smyth (56’)

Scorers for Dunloy: Conal Cunning 0-11 (6F), Seaan Elliot 0-4, Ciarán Elliot 1-0, Aodhan McGarry 0-1, Nicky McKeague 0-1, Tom McFerran 0-1, Keelan Molloy 0-1