Cushendall into Jimmy Bruen final

Canny McCambridge, better known as 'Monty' and a former Antrim and Ulster hurler, produced an exquisite lob shot to the short but frustratingly difficult 192-yards 17th hole.

Reeled in from three-up after the long 13th to a one-hole advantage with two holes remaining, the tense tussle looked like going to the wire.

However, McKeegan shut the door with a delicately judged putt to secure a crucial 2 and 1 result for the patient pairing against Tim Fitzpatrick and Oliver Malone.

This was the point that lifted the Antrim Coast club to a 4-1 victory, and into the provincial final for a first time.

The 'Dall meet either Portstewart or Tandragee at Malone, on Friday, August 13.

The unlikely lads, skippered by Cushendall President Colm Thompson, had two points in the bag from the five monumental shot-about matches.

The opening encounter, on the impressively undulating parkland test at Magheralin, saw power-hitters Patrick 'Saudie' O'Hara and Nigel McAuley up the ante after turning all-square.

They moved to three holes clear after the 12th, but were forced to hold off a gutsy recovery by Ed O'Hanlon and James McDermott.

Glenarm-born McAuley produced a precision pitch shot through the gap at the tracherous 17th, to help clinch a 2 and 1 win.

Cushendall's early raiders were effervescent Joe O'Neill Jnr and Ally McCambridge. They turned five-up, and raced to a 6 and 5 result against Rod Davis and Des Gardener.

One of the highlights of the focussed McCambridge-McNeill performance was in sharing birdies at the short 145-yards fourth hole.

Called in were Henry McAlister and teenager Conor McAlister - against Ed Kellett and Brian Tighe, and also tail-enders Tony Hoey and Paul Delargy, against Padraig McEntee and Patrick O'Reilly.

Incidentally, the quietly efficient progress of the Bruen boys clinched a fifth Ulster men's final for the Cushendall club.

The previous final appearances were in the Barton Shield Foursomes (winning in 1959), the Ulster Cup (losing to Ballymena), and two Pierce Purcell finals, with one win against Rossmore in 1988.