O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 2A
St Paul's 3-16 Cushendun 1-20

ST PAUL'S grabbed a vital win on their own patch on Wednesday to maintain their challenge for Division Two hurling honours.

It was a four-way tie at the top heading into the evening's action and the West Belfast outfit are now one of three teams still leading the charge with as many games to go as they hit goals at crucial times to fend off a Cushendun side that was snapping at their heels throughout the second period.

The hosts were dealt a blow within the opening minute as Declan Quinn was forced off with a nasty hand injury and the subsequent free from Caolan Ó Duibhfinn tailed wide.

The early exchanges were pretty even with Callum Kilgore pointing the visitors in front, only for Caolan Crossan to hit back and this was the them as Ó Duibhfinn twice replied to points from Johnny Morgan and a Connloath McNeill sideline.

St Paul's would then enjoy a big minute with 13 gone as Daire Stevenson went long and it was Patrick Doyle first to react and get on the end of it before crashing past Gareth Magee and from the poc-out, Doyle intercepted to squeeze the return just inside the near post for a second goal.

McNeill and Ó Duibhfinn would trade placed balls before Cushendun began to get on top with McNeill on point from a free and from play, while Conor McHugh produced a tidy finish from the left wing.

Ó Duibhfinn broke the cycle with Aidan McSparran as the half ended as it began with another exchange of points from Duffy and Morgan with St Paul's holding a 2-6 to 0-9 advantage at the break.

Cushendun will have been happy with their reaction to those goals and even happier with how they went about the third quarter as Conor McHugh landed an early free and McNeill then drilled over from play to reduce the gap to one.

An Ó Duibhfinn free was the home reply before McHugh cancelled this out and although St Paul's stretched out the lead once more with points from Declan Chapman and Ó Duibhfinn, Cushendun were getting the better of it and an Aidan McSparran score sandwiched between points from McNeill had the teams level.

Crucially, Emmett's could never get their noses in front as a superb sideline from Caolan Crossan edged the hosts ahead and although McHugh tied it once more, again the hosts replied as Mark Munce and Thomas Duff fired over to hep their team a goal in front.

Although Cushendun again brought it back to the minimum, another big moment went the way of St Paul's as Ó Duibhfinn let fly with a free inside his own half that dropped, was missed by everyone and through the ruck, the ball bounced into the net.

The visitors sensed they needed a goal and McNeill zipped a free inside that fell for Alex McMullan who whipped wide. 

They would eventually grab a lifeline as the game was moving into added time with a Donal O'Hara delivery touched home by Conor McHugh before O'hara tried it again, but his effort sailed over.

Perhaps fittingly, it was Ó Duibhfinn with he final say from a free, bringing his tally to 1-9 over the hour as St Paul's saw it out to grab a huge win and keep pace at the top of the table with three rounds of games remaining.

ST PAUL'S: C Murray; C O'Carroll, F Sewell, T Auld; D Stevenson, L Walsh, T Duff (0-1); M Munce (0-1), D Quinn; C Ó Duibhfinn (1-9, 1-6 frees), D Chapman (0-1), P Phillips; P Doyle (2-1), C Crossan (0-2, 1 sl), C Duffy.
Subs: B Burns for D Quinn (1), S Munce (0-1) for C Duffy (41), P Donnelly for D Chapman (43), C Killleagh for M Munce (51), C Murray for P Doyle (55).

CUSHENDUN: G Magee; M McSparran, A Corbett, M McHugh; T Scally, D O'Hara (0-1), J McKay; A McSparran (0-2), A Breslin; D McQuillan, C Kilgore (0-1), C McNeill (0-9, 5f, 1 65, 1 sl); C McHugh (1-5, 0-2f), J Morgan (0-2), A McMullan (0-1).
Subs: C Bannon for M McHugh (34), P McKeegan for J McKay (43), J O'Connell for A Breslin (58)

REFEREE: Colm McDonald (St Gall's)

Midweek results 
O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 1A
Cushendall 3-23 O'Donovan Rossa 1-18
Dunloy 1-17 Loughgiel 1-20

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 1B
Portaferry 1-17 Ballycran 2-21
Naomh Éanna 1-24 Ballygalget 1-12

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 2A
St Paul's 3-16 Cushendun 1-20
St Gall's 3-13 Carey 0-23
Glenarm 0-24 Clooney Gaels 0-18

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 2B
Tír na nÓg 4-14 Loughgiel II 2-19
Sarsfield's 1-16 Carryduff 0-14

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 3A
Lámh Dhearg 1-10 Creggan 1-22
Rasharkin 0-18 Cloughmills 1-18

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 3B
Armoy 3-24 All Saints, Ballymena 0-14
Na Magha 1-13 Glenravel 3-11

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 4A
St Brigid's 3-23 Loch Mór Dál gCais 3-12
Ardoyne 1-17 Gort na Móna 2-20

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 4B
St Gall's II P-P Loughbeg Harps
Latharna Óg P-P St Paul's II

O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Three
St Agnes' 2-11 St Malachy's 1-12
Wolfe Tones 4-5 Éire Óg  3-17