NO CUSHEN IN DECIDER AFTER AARON INJURY
Cushendall
1-15
Ballycran
CUSHENDALL needed a late flurry of points to make sure of an 11th Ulster club hurling title yesterday, raising their game after a sickening knee injury to Aaron Graffin at the Athletic Grounds.
Experienced county defender Graffin lay crumpled on the ground for eight minutes, overshadowed matters in the second half.
Graffin seemed to dislocate his knee and it was popped back in by the medics on the pitch which drew loud gasps from the crowd.
“It was terrible but it didn’t upset us,” claimed impressive full-forward Donal Mcnaughton.
“He’s a big figure in our team, and we rose to that and we fought for it.
“He gave us the thumbs up going off and he wanted to get down into the tunnel to see the Cup being lifted at the end. It was a big moment.”
Mcnaughton, Graffin and Neil Mcmanus, who finished with 0-9, were the key men for the Antrim champions, who were All-ireland finalists in 2016.
Down winners Ballycran, who 0-10 knocked out back-to-back Ulster champions Slaughtneil in the semifinal, were behind from start to finish.
However, they will regret the frees they missed in the second half at a stage when Cushendall were really struggling.
Bidding to end a 25-year wait for a provincial title, were wasteful in the second half and missed two easy frees and a ‘65’ at a crucial stage while they also failed to convert a good goal chance.
Cushendall took full advantage and despite only scoring one point in the second half until stoppage time, they finished strong with two Neil Mcmanus frees and another from Eoghan Campbell to set up an All-ireland semi-final against the Galway champions next February.