Dunloy 2-8 Portglenone 0-10: Cuchullainns reach first Antrim SFC Final in 82 years

Goalscorer Nigel Elliott was among the Dunloy hurlers who helped the footballers reach their first Antrim Football Final in 82 years

Dunloy reached their first Antrim Senior Football Final final in 82 years as they beat Portglenone 2-8 to 0-10 in the opening semi-final.

The win keeps the Cuchullains on course for a senior championships double in the Saffron County.

The Dunloy side is backboned by dual players including Nigel Elliott who scored their second goal on Friday.

Karl Fitzpatrick netted the opening goal as Dunloy led 2-3 to 0-6 at half-time at Dunsilly.

County hurlers Conal Cunning and Seaan Elliott were also among Dunloy's scorers as the Cuchullains finished strongly after Paddy Kelly's fourth point had brought the sides level at 2-4 to 0-10 with 12 minutes remaining.

Scores from Seaan Elliott, Cunning and Chrissy McMahon put Dunloy three up before Niall McKeever was inches wide with a Portglenone goal chance, which if converted, would have levelled the contest.

As Portglenone frantically battled to avoid a fifth Antrim semi-finals defeat in as many seasons, Dunloy keeper Sean Doherty denied Oisin Doherty before Nigel Elliott hit the insurance score.

Dunloy's victory sets up a final meeting on 8 October with either holders Cargin or St Brigid's, who meet in the second semi-final on Sunday at Dunsilly (14:00 BST).

The Cuchullains' last Antrim Football Final was in 1941 while their last of their sixth football titles was five years before that.