O’Loughlin Gaels, masters of the narrow win, did what they do best yet again with another dramatic victory in Navan to secure an All-Ireland club SHC final clash with St Thomas’ next month.
Brian Hogan’s Kilkenny city side won both their county final and the provincial final by one-point margins and did the same here in a 1-17 to 1-16 scoreline, half-back David Fogarty this time drilling the winning score in the 63rd minute.
It was a long-range score as the Gaels took advantage of the wind in the second-half to move within an hour of national success.
They lost to Clarinbridge when they last made it to the All-Ireland decider, in early 2011, and will face Galway opposition all over again at Croke Park.
Free-taker Mark Bergin top scored for the three-times Leinster champions with 0-09 while Sean Bolger registered their only goal.
Cushendall, chasing just a second semi-final win ever despite being 12-times Ulster champions, will kick themselves for letting this one slip away.
They led by three points at half-time and had enough possession in the second-half to finish it out but struck seven wides in that period and dropped several more score attempts short.
Even at that, Neil McManus, who hit 0-09 for the Antrim side, had a late, late attempt for an equaliser to force extra-time but his pot shot flew just wide.
This was billed as a David versus Goliath encounter between an O’Loughlin Gaels side that had taken down the might of All-Ireland holders Ballyhale Shamrocks before even embarking on their successful provincial campaign and a Cushendall side that has always struggled at this stage of the competition.
Perhaps the Ruairi Og men didn’t get that pre-match memo because they burst out of the blocks and had 1-04 on the board inside the opening six minutes.
Veteran McManus, freshly retired from the inter-county game with Antrim, wore number 11 but immediately moved to the edge of the square and was picked up by All-Star full-back Huw Lawlor. Kilkenny’s other current All-Star defender, Mikey Butler, tracked teenage sensation Joseph McLaughlin.
But it was McManus and McLaughlin that got the better of the early exchanges, McManus scoring the opening point and setting up another and McLaughlin surging through for a fifth minute goal.
Butler cursed the concession as he’d initially been turned over on the right wing, allowing McLaughlin to skip clear and plant a low shot beyond goalkeeper Stephen Murphy.
Mark Bergin, who struck the winning point for O’Loughlin Gaels in their Leinster final win over Na Fianna, pulled back a score but Cushendall responded with two more themselves. Approaching the quarter hour mark, the Ulster champions led 1-06 to 0-01 and it was clear we had a game on our hands.
The stiff wind was a definite advantage to Brian Delargy’s side and centre-back Eoghan Campbell boomed over two long-range scores. Fellow defender Paddy Burke did the same.
O’Loughlin Gaels finished the half strongly though and a series of points from county panellist Conor Heary and Bergin preceded Bolger’s 26th minute goal.
All eyes were on the individual head to head between Martin Burke and speedy Gaels attacker Owen Wall but the real intrigue turned out to be around the battle between Paddy Burke and full-forward Luke Hogan.
Hogan beat his man to a high ball before blasting a shot that was only partially saved, allowing Bolger to tap in from close range.
Cushendall still hit the interval with a 1-10 to 1-07 lead but O’Loughlin Gaels, who also went close with first-half goal chances from Hogan and Bolger, were now right back in it and, crucially, had the wind in the second-half.
Cushendall, who hit the woodwork twice in the first-half, including a 21st minute McQuillan goal chance that cracked off an upright, must have wondered if they’d made enough of the elements.
O’Loughlin Gaels certainly restarted with intent, reeling off three points from Bergin and Eoin O’Shea to tie it up at 1-10 apiece.
The five-times Kilkenny champions finally took the lead in the 51st minute when Bergin punished a turnover in the Cushendall defence. Jack Nolan stretched the Gaels lead to two points, 1-16 to 1-14, as Cushendall started to rack up the wides at the other end.
It was a thrill-a-minute ride, much like last night’s first semi-final between victors St Thomas’ and Ballygunner.
Cushendall, typically, got it back to level again at 1-16 apiece but when the need was greatest, Fogarty stood up with the winner for an O’Loughlin Gaels side that breathed a huge sigh of relief at the final whistle.
O’Loughlin Gaels: Stephen Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tony Forristal; David Fogarty (0-02), Paddy Deegan (0-01), Jordan Molloy; Jack Nolan (0-01), Cian Loy; Conor Heary (0-02), Mark Bergin (0-09, 0-05f), Eoin O’Shea (0-01); Owen Wall, Luke Hogan, Sean Bolger (1-01).
Subs: Conor Kelly for Bolger 44, Jamie Ryan for Nolan 55, Paddy Butler for O’Shea 57.
Cushendall: Conor McAlister; Liam Gillan, Paddy Burke (0-01), Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell (0-02), Ruairi McCollam; Francis McCurry, Ryan McCambridge (0-01); Ed McQuillan (0-01), Niall McCormack, Ronan McAteer (0-01); Fergus McCambridge, Neil McManus (0-09, 0-07f), Joseph McLaughlin (1-01).
Subs: Sean McAfee for McAteer 23, Alex Delargy for McCormack h/t, Aidan McNaughton for Gillan h/t, Stephen Walsh for McCollam 48-f/t blood, Christy McNaughton for McCurry 59.
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
