Sharp reality check for St Joseph's

An hour of absorbing hurling at Parnell Park yesterday refused to be predictable. Undaunted by the obvious challenge, Ruairi Og, Cushendall wrestled with All-Ireland champions St Joseph's Doora-Barefield, very nearly sent them crashing and then deservedly drove them to a replay.

For a long time, though, it appeared that the upset which nobody had quite imagined was about to materialise. So much of the talk before this game was how St Joseph's Doora-Barefield were lining themselves up for only the second successful title defence in club history, yet the Clare-men glowed with obvious relief on the final whistle.

The lead changed four times in the second half before the sides were level on 12 points apiece and, for all their skill and experience, it was St Joseph's who had to fire the last shot. There was still some three minutes to play before referee Aodan Mac Suibhne called a halt, but such was the narrow margin throughout that it was fitting there should be another day.

The game was only minutes old when the Antrim men made it clear they were not letting anything away lightly. They had both the strategy and artillery to make a sustained attack, with team captain Conor McCambridge and Fergus McAllister pushing them into an early lead. The mixture of youth, fitness and seasoned players like John Carson and Aidan McAteer appeared to catch the St Joesph's side off guard.

In the early stages St Joseph's were slow in getting to the ball and equally slack in delivering it. Jamesie O'Connor did well to contribute five points in an otherwise low-key display, and Sean McMahon lacked his usual reliability at centre back. More significantly, Ollie Baker never drove the team from midfield as he so often does. The sides went into half-time level at 0-5 each. The second half became more heated, and Declan McKillop and Baker were booked.

Increasingly, it became a game dominated by defenders. Cushendall weren't leaving room for a shadow in front of goal, and while O'Connor moved in to full forward, there remained the ominous presence of Ciaran and Michael McCambridge and their determined blocking. Two O'Connor frees had St Joseph's two points up but, crucially, Cushendall never allowed the lead to stretch ahead any further.

Instead, they continued to respond through Conor McCambridge and substitute Kevin Elliot. Into the final quarter-hour and it was the Ulster champions who were two points clear and this sparked the determined play by St Joseph's.

Substitute Fergal O'Sullivan made an immediate impact with a point from long range, and Andrew Whelan an McNaughton in front of the net that briefly threatened the first sign of just missed out on scoring a goal. At the other end, there was a break on goal from Terence McNaughton. That set up Conor McCambridge's fourth free and Cushendall were back in front. Moments later, O'Sullivan provided the equaliser.

For Terence McNaughton, it postpones his retirement for at least one more game. "We had the belief in ourselves," said the man they call Sambo. "Three years ago we lost at this stage to Wolfe Tones by a point in a game we should have won. We hadn't forgotten about that."

And what about the replay, which is set for next Saturday? "It was disappointing that we didn't win, so we have nothing to feel inferior about next time out," he said.

St Joseph's Doora-Barefield: C O'Connor; G Hoey, D Cahill, K Kennedy; D Hoey, S McMahon (0-2, both frees), D O'Driscoll; O Baker, J Considine; J O'Connor (0-5, four frees), N Brodie, L Hassett; G Baker (0-1), C O'Neill, A Whelan (0-1). Subs: C Mullen (0-1) for Brodie (46 mins); F O'Sullivan (0-2) for O'Neill.

Ruairi og, Cushendall: C McNaughton; C McAllister, A McAteer, C McCambridge; Ruairi McNaughton, Ryan McNaughton, M McCambridge; K McKeegan, D McKillop; C McCambridge (0-6, four frees), M McCambridge (0-1), F McAllister (0-2); A Delargy, T McNaughton, J Carson (0-1). Subs: K Elliot (0-2) for Ryan McNaughton (halftime); E McNaughton for McKeegan (50 mins).

Referee: A Mac Suibhne (Dublin).