All-Ireland Club Hurling semi-final: Cushendall edged out by St Thomas

Cushendall suffered a cruel 0-18 to 2-11 defeat by Galway's St Thomas in the All-Ireland Club Hurling semi-final.

St Thomas led 0-13 to 1-3 at half-time after Neil McManus' early Dall penalty.

But the Ruairi Ogs launched a stirring comeback as Fergus McCambridge's goal helped them level with 10 minutes left.

The Galway club moved two up again only for Dall to level once more and after David Sherry restored the St Thomas lead, Cushendall's Donal McNaughton had a last-gasp shot cleared off the line.

McNaughton was bearing down on goal after cutting inside from the left but instead of tapping the ball over the bar and almost certainly ensuring extra-time, he opted to go low and St Thomas full-back Cathal Burke blocked the effort.

There was still time for another 90 seconds of play at Parnell Park but Cushendall didn't get a further chance as their hopes of qualifying for their second All-Ireland decider in three years were dashed in agonising fashion.

The contest was the ultimate game of two halves with the Burke brothers-inspired Galway club totally dominant in the opening period only to knocked out of their stride by Cushendall's astonishing second-half revival.

After their attack had been almost totally snuffed out by the St Thomas half-back line in the first half, the introduction of half-time substitute Conor Carson to Cushendall's full-forward line helped turn the course of the contest.

As St Thomas suddenly lost their composure, they were outscored 1-6 to 0-2 in the opening 22 minutes of the second half, with McCambridge quickly following up his 41st-minute goal with another point before Paddy McGill's 50th-minute score levelled the game for the first time since the 14th minute.

At that stage all the momentum seemed to be with the Ruairi Ogs but St Thomas replied with two points in a minute before two Neil McManus placed balls restored parity again prior to the dramatic finale.

The exciting conclusion to the match didn't look to be on the cards at half-time after St Thomas' first-half domination.

McManus' successful early penalty, awarded even though the foul on Sean McAfee had appeared outside the the parallelogram, kept Cushendall in touch on the scoreboard for the opening 20 minutes but a late rush of Darragh Burke points left St Thomas with a seven-point lead which in no way flattered them.

Pre-match injury doubt Aaron Graffin did start for Cushendall in their half-back line while Sean Delargy also played most of the game despite having been unable to train fully for several weeks because of a knock.

Burke notched 0-5 of St Thomas' first-half total but stand-out player in the opening period was his brother Fintan who cut out a series of attempted Cushendall attacks.

Even with the second-half wind advantage Cushendall were going to have, such was St Thomas' superiority all over the field, a second-half comeback appeared fanciful.

But the Ulster champions were a completely different team in the second period as they hustled and harried St Thomas out of their stride.

St Thomas still appeared in control as they led 0-15 to 1-6 10 minutes after the restart but it was suddenly game on when McCambridge ran through the heart of the opposition defence to rattle the net.

As even the normal reliable Darragh Burke was off target with a chance, St Thomas were finding scores difficult to come by and by 10 minutes from the end of normal time, Cushendall had levelled as McGill hit his second point in five minutes.

However, Burke ended St Thomas' 12-minute scoring drought and his effort was immediately followed by a James Regan score.

But by the 56th minute, the Ruairi Ogs were on terms again after McManus followed up a 65 with another successful placed-ball effort.

Corner-back Sherry's St Thomas' winner was the only further score in the remaining 11 minutes of action but that only barely scratched the surface of the game's conclusion amid McNaughton's late chance.