THE rain might have been dripping off the tip of his cap but there was no suppressing Gregory O’Kane’s smile as, one after another, well-wishers made their way towards him at Pairc Mhuire.
Dunloy’s drenched players had already headed for the sanctity, and the shelter, of the changing rooms after exacting revenge on fierce north Antrim rivals Loughgiel in Sunday’s championship semi-final.
O’Kane was intercepted a couple of times on the way back but, compared with sun-soaked Ballycastle 12 months earlier, these were conversations he was only too happy to have; pats on the back he would gladly receive on behalf of his side.
Because this was the kind of day that defined O’Kane the player as much as the manager – one when heart and hunger would dictate the outcome more than anything else.
And his spirit was at the heart of all that was good about a Dunloy victory that sets up a final showdown with Cushendall. That’s why there was an extra glint in those piercing blue eyes – his men wanted it more, and made it count when it mattered.
“That day scores are hard to come by, but the thing was we were creating plenty.
“We just needed to add that wee bit of composure to ourselves, settle down and get the scoreboard ticking, because we were dominating all aspects of the play.
“Pace creates space, and that’s what we’re good at – we’ve got legs, especially our forwards, they’ve savage pace. All you had to do then was trust the process and start sticking the ball over the bar.”
What a difference a year makes.
Bidding to lift the Volunteer Cup for the fifth year in-a-row, dual obligations in hurling and football took a toll on so many of the legs that had brought the Cuchullain’s back to the top in Antrim.
Loughgiel were lying in wait in Ballycastle and, with the scent of blood in their nostrils, spectacularly derailed Dunloy’s championship assault. It came as a shock to most, but not the Shamrocks.
Nobody was panicking or losing their heads; Dunloy had plenty in the tank, and plenty coming through. But you don’t hit the heights they have without serious introspection when required.
That applied to their manager too.
“Look, I’m no different to a player – I needed to improve,” said O’Kane.
“I needed to see where I was over the winter, I said to the boys have I anything to offer, we all went and we all soul-searched, we came back and said we’ll give this year a huge lash.
“I’m no different than the players - whatever I have I’m giving to it.”
Several of those who had soldiered for so long took a bit of time before coming back refreshed for another championship charge. Cushendall ended a five-year wait for the county crown, edging Loughgiel on a dramatic day at Corrigan Park, and the Ruairi Ogs are back once more to defend that crown.
For Dunloy, though, their first objective – and the righting of a wrong from last year – has already been achieved.
“Semi-finals are for winning, and that was our target at the start of the year – to get back to a county final,” said O’Kane, who hopes to have Conal Cunning available after the forward limped out of Loughgiel game after just 12 minutes.
“That’s all we wanted to do, get to the 20th of October, get to the county final then give the best account of ourselves, and we’re really looking forward to that.
“Cushendall are the form team, they’re county champions, league champions, they dug deep [to beat St John’s after extra-time on Saturday] and got over the line. But all we want in the final is to be the best we can be and see where that takes us on the day.”
