Ulster Intermediate Hurling glory for Carey Faughs
Carey Faughs 1-11
Swatragh 0-13
Carey Faughs of Antrim captured the AIB Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship title by beating Derry side Swatragh in a pulsating decider at Fr Healy Park Loughgiel on Saturday.
It was a compelling hour of hurling, with a strong breeze dictating the play throughout. Carey made the most of the wind advantage in the opening half, with James Black, James McCouaig and Caolan McCaughan all registering early points. For battling Swatragh, the accuracy of James Friel and Sean Martin Quinn kept them in touch.
Scores from Black and Conall McGlynn pushed out Faughs’ lead before they struck for the game’s only goal in the 22nd minute. Callum Cane’s point effort dropped short and McGlynn was alert to instinctively pull on the loose ball and nestle it in the back of the net. Quinn and PJ O’Connell points for the Davitts would leave the scores at 1-9 to 0-6 to Carey at the break.
Now aided with the breeze, Swatragh threw everything at the Faughs in the second half. The Derry champions hit a purple patch after the 40th with three points in three minutes from Sean Francis Quinn, Friel and Dominic Bradley.
Goalscorer McKinley added a point for Carey but it was Swatragh still mounting a fightback, points from Sean Martin Quinn and Friel reducing the deficit to the minimum with five minutes of the hour remaining.
Alas, that was a close as Swatragh would come to getting on top, as Carey displayed defiant determination to see out the victory. Black and McCaughan made both made vital defensive interventions to keep Swatragh pinned back.
Referee Peter Owens sounded the final whistle as Carey held on to bridge a 20 year gap and win the Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship.
