Attack deacon running to cuddle girl (9)
I believe the answer is:
cannonade
'attack' is the definition.
(cannonade is a kind of attack)
'deacon running to cuddle girl' is the wordplay.
'running' is an anagram indicator.
'to cuddle' is an insertion indicator.
'girl' becomes 'ann'.
'deacon' with letters rearranged gives 'conade'.
'conade' placed around 'ann' is 'CANNONADE'.
(Other definitions for cannonade that I've seen before include "Barrage" , "attack" , "Period of continuous heavy gunfire" .)