Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship final: Cuchullain’s, Dunloy v Loughgiel Shamrocks (tomorrow, 2.45pm, Ballycastle, live on TG4)
SEVEN days on from an epic semi-final Sunday, Dunloy and Loughgiel will have to raise their weary bodies one last time – and, for these north Antrim neighbours, games simply don’t come any bigger than tomorrow’s county final clash in Ballycastle.
The fact it is being broadcast nationwide is deserved recognition for the competitiveness of the championship thus far but, for the two sets of players, it won’t matter a damn. This game could be played in a back field in the middle of nowhere, with nobody watching, and there would be no drop in intensity from what is promised.
There is no doubt that Loughgiel forward Liam Watson’s comments about defending champions Dunloy being “there for the taking” have added an extra layer of spice, but motivation is one thing that is seldom lacking on either side any time the Cuchullain’s and the Shamrocks clash.
Instead the bigger questions lie beyond psychological warfare, with the accumulated physical toll a much more significant factor for both camps.
On the face of it, you would have to expect that Dunloy might be the fresher outfit by the time referee Darren McKeown throws the sliothar in. The age profile of their starting 15 is lower than Loughgiel’s, while the Shamrocks were also taken to extra-time in a bruising battle with St John’s in Sunday’s second semi-final.
However, the Cuchullain’s are sweating on the fitness of probably their most influential player, Paul Shiels, after he was forced off with a hamstring injury just a quarter of an hour into their dramatic last-gasp defeat of a resurgent Rossa.
Even at 32, the former Antrim star has the ability to control games with his deftness of touch and eye for a pass, and his calming presence was sorely missed as Gregory O’Kane’s men let slip an eight-point lead before eventually pulling it out of the fire at the death.
The spirit of champions has been alive and well throughout, having also rescued late draws against Rossa and Ballycastle in Group One, but O’Kane won’t want to sail so close to the wind again. Eventually it may not blow in your favour.
Ryan McGarry is also a major doubt with a knee problem but, like Shiels, will be given right until the last possible second to prove his fitness. Whether they line out or not could have a huge bearing on what direction the Volunteer Cup takes when all is said and done.
Loughgiel showed plenty of heart last weekend too, having trailed to a Domhnall Nugent-inspired Johnnies going into added time, while experience and never-say-die attitude also stood to them in their other most significant game of the championship – the opening-day victory over Cushendall.
The Ruairi Ogs pushed hard for a leveller at the death but the Shamrocks showed steel to hold firm. And while their semi-final may have taken more out of the legs than Dunloy’s, over the course of the past month it is the Cuchullain’s who have undoubtedly had the more punishing schedule.
Quite apart from those playing both codes – Conor Kinsella, Oran Quinn, Aaron Crawford, Conal Cunning, Keelan Molloy, Seaan Elliott and Chrissy McMahon (and that’s just from the starting 15) - Dunloy were forced to fight tooth and nail throughout their ‘group of death’ campaign, and were faced with a possible championship exit going into the final round of games before pulling away from already-qualified St John’s.
Hugh McCann’s Shamrocks, in contrast, put everything into beating Cushendall but were comfortable winners over St Gall’s and St Enda’s in their other group clashes. They didn’t even need to introduce Watson, who came out of retirement for another crack at championship glory.
The 38-year-old started against St John’s and looked fresh, playing the full 100-plus minutes and scoring 1-3 as Loughgiel eventually crossed the line in extra-time. Few will relish the big stage that tomorrow’s game offers as much as he will.
Yet while Watson returned to the fray, another survivor from the 2012 All-Ireland winning side - full-back Neil McGarry - played no part and would be a big miss if unavailable again tomorrow.
McGarry had been brilliant in combating the direct approach of Cushendall and was sorely missed last weekend as Loughgiel looked vulnerable under the high ball against St John’s.
Dunloy will offer a different type of challenge, bringing energy, pace and purpose across the field. Seaan Elliott and Keelan Molloy have been in superb form and McCann will have to come up with something special to try and limit their match-winning potential.
Eddie McCloskey has been at his classy best for Loughgiel too, still possessing that uncanny ability to drift into space or pick up breaks before driving towards the danger zone.
And while veterans like Chrissy O’Connell, the returning Watson, Eddie and Tony McCloskey – who limped off in normal time last week – backbone the Shamrocks side, young Declan McCloskey, Callum McKendry, Damon McMullan, Ciaran McKay and James McNaughton, still only 23, have shown how bright the future could be.
In this year of years, and especially given the rivalry that exists between the two clubs, it is hard to make a case for anything but another full-blooded battle that goes right down to the last. A draw would be no surprise to anyone, but Dunloy’s youth could just give them the edge when it comes to the crunch.
PATH TO THE FINAL
Group One
August 9: Rossa 1-16 St John’s 0-20, Dunloy 0-17 Ballycastle 0-17
August 16: Ballycastle 2-15 St John’s 1-18, Rossa 0-18 Dunloy 1-15
August 23: Ballycastle 1-15 O`Donovan Rossa 4-14, St John’s 1-17 Dunloy 4-19
Group Two
August 9: Loughgiel 2-13 Cushendall 2-10, St Enda’s 0-12 St Gall’s 2-17
August 16: St Gall’s 1-10 Loughgiel 2-26, Cushendall 1-20 St Enda’s 1-9
August 23: Cushendall 3-19 St Gall’s 2-5, St Enda’s 1-12 Loughgiel 2-24
Quarter-finals
August 29: St John’s 1-16 St Gall’s 0-15, Rossa 2-11 Cushendall 0-16
Semi-finals
September 6: Dunloy 1-22 Rossa 2-18, Loughgiel 2-31 St John’s 5-18 (AET)
