ANTRIM SHC FINAL Loughgiel 1-9 Cushendall 0-11:LOUGHGIEL'S HURLERS ended their Antrim senior championship famine at Casement Park yesterday when they clinched their first senior hurling title since 1989. The Shamrocks had famously lost six county finals in a row from 2003 to 2008.

Cushendall opened the scoring through Declan McKillop in the first minute but it was Loughgiel who then made the running after Eddie McCloskey blasted to the net past Ronan Kearney.

McCloskey, Benny McCarry and Liam Watson had Loughgiel five points ahead by the 11th minute but the Shamrocks would score just one more point in the remainder of the half.

Cushendall looked like adding another title to their roll of honour when Brian Delargy pointed to end a run of seven unanswered scores to make it 0-9 to 1-4, but Watson pulled a point back with their first flag for 28 minutes.

It was nip and tuck thereafter but Loughgiel went ahead at the crucial time when Watson converted another free after an off the ball incident saw Michael McCambridge sent off for a second yellow card.

CUSHENDALL: R Kearney; M McCambridge, O Scullion, M Burke; S Delargy (0-1),N McManus, A Graffin; D McKillop (0-1), P McNaughton (0-2); P McGill (0-4, three frees), D McNaughton, B Delargy (0-1); S McNaughton (0-1), C Carson, K McKeegan (0-1). Subs: A Delargy for C Carson.

LOUGHGIEL: DD Quinn; P Gillan, N McGarry, B McAuley (0-1); C McKinley, J Campbell, M Scullion; D Laverty, L McKillop; E McCloskey (1-1), James Campbell, O McFadden; B McCarry (0-1), J Scullion, L Watson (0-6, five frees). Subs: R McCloskey for D Laverty, D Laverty for O McFadden, A McCloskey for J Campbell.

Referee: R Matthews