Antrim Senior Hurling Championship final preview 2018
Words and photos by John McIlwaine
The great final rivalry between Sunday’s opponents all started back on September 9th 1985 when Cushendall and Loughgiel met at Fr Maginn Park, Glenravel in the decider. In his preview in the Ballymena Guardian Jim Smyth speculated about where the game would be played in an article entitled “All About The Venue”. Jim wrote “and what might you ask is so important about the venue? On this occasion the answer is of tremendous psychological advantage to both sides. It is a well-known fact that the Cushendall men have a dislike of the Dunloy ground, and have in the championship had some poor performances there. Loughgiel on the other hand find Dunloy a happy hunting ground and would much prefer if the game was played there.”
As it turned out Glenravel was the venue, and Jim may have been right about the psychological advantage as a Cushendall team managed by Donal Kearney won the game convincingly on a scoreline of 4-13 to 1-12. As things turned out it might not have gone ahead in Dunloy anyway, even it had been chosen as the venue, as torrential rain the day before the final had left many pitches unplayable, but the Glenravel venue with its recently laid Prunty Pitch was in perfect shape for the big game.
Action from the 1985 final at Fr Maginn Park. Pics by John McIlwaine
A hat-trick by corner forward Lawrence McAlister were the scores that won the game for the Ruairi Ogs in a match that never really came to life until the second half. Loughgiel looked the better team for most of the opening half and had a handy lead as half time approached, only to see it cut back in first half injury time when McAlister grabbed the first of his three goals.
An Alastair McGuile goal six minutes into the second half put the Ruairis ahead for the first time and with the famed James McNaughton, Leonard McKeegan and Terence McNaughton half-back line restricting the Loughgiel forwards, and Danny McNaughton lording it at midfield, they pushed on to extend their lead to eight points. Team captain Dominic ‘Woody’ McKinley pulled a goal back for Loughgiel to give the Shamrocks hope, but McAlister’s second goal eleven minutes from time all but sealed the deal and when he fired in his third five minutes later the Volunteer Cup was on its way back to Cushendall for the second time.
Footnote
There was also three McAlister brothers on the team, Brendan (Feet), Fergus (Skinner) and Lawrence.
Scorers – Lawrence McAlister 3-0; Danny McNaughton 0-5; Alastair McGuile 1-0; Fergus McAlister 0-2; Malachy Delargy 0-2; Brendan McGaughey 0-1; Brendan McNaughton 0-1.
Subs – Sean Paul McKillop for Seamus McKillop; Aidan McNaughton for Gerard McKinley; Seamus McNaughton for Dominic McMullan
Loughgiel scorers – Mick O’Connell 0-4; Aidan McCarry 0-4; Dominic McKinley 1-0; Owen McFadden 0-2; Aidan McNaughton 0-2.
Referee – Martin Brogan – Dunloy
