Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship
Sunday sees the biggest day for hurling fans in Antrim for many a year. Both hurling semi-final at the same venue, thanks to the Dublin and Kerry replay. A repeat of last year’s pairing these two games have been eagerly anticipated since the draw was made two weeks ago. Can champions Cushendall overcome St John’s for another time after their two epic battles last season. Can Dunloy gain revenge over Loughgiel for last season’s defeat? All will be revealed at Pairc MaUilin, Ballycastle on Sunday. During the week Brendan McTaggart spoke to the managers of the four sides and got their opinions on how they think things will go.
Hugh McCann – Loughgiel
The Shamrocks were the first team to book their place in the last four when they recorded back to back wins over St Johns and St Galls. Despite an early bump in the road against the Johnnies on their home turf, it’s all been plain sailing for the men from Fr Healy Park. We spoke with the Loughgiel manager, Hugh McCann ahead of this weekend’s crunch game against Dunloy.
This is McCann’s first year at the helm for the Shamrocks and he gave us an insight into his team: “I’ve been involved with Loughgiel club in a number of different guises through the years but at the end of last season a few of us got together and thought we’d put our names forward for the job.
“There’s no ego’s there and what I like about it, everyone brings something different to the table. Gavin Duffy, Joey Quinn and Niall Gillen all have that senior experience either playing or coaching from last few years while Eddie and Justin (McCormick) look after first aid and videoing the games.”
With new management teams comes new challenges and McCann told us the Shamrocks have reacted positively to the changes in hierarchy despite the changes in personnel within the panel: “The players have been brilliant and anything we’ve asked of them, they’ve bought into it from the word go. It’s well documented the number of lads who through different reasons aren’t part of the panel this year, retirements, work commitments and injuries. It mounts to something like seven or eight players but it’s all part of the rebuilding process.
“We’ve had eight or nine minors training with us all year until the U21’s finished and I think so far we’ve gave six senior championship debuts in the two matches between starts and subs used. It’s a huge ask but at the same time, the younger lads coming through have pushed the older fella’s and keeping everyone on their toes. Nothings taken for granted and everyone’s looking over their shoulder.
“There’s no ego’s in that changing room.”
Their opening game of the championship saw Loughgiel defeat St John’s in tenacious encounter. The Johnnies got off to a flyer but the Shamrocks reeled them in with Odhran McMullan’s late goal adding further gloss to the score line. Six points and a sigh of relief after a helter skelter and at times bad tempered affair. The Loughgiel manager gave us his views on that and the St Galls game where his side ran out convincing winners: “We always knew St John’s would bring a physical nature to the game but we did well to weather the early storm. We managed to get our noses in front and stayed in front but that was a tough game. They have some super hurlers and have been unlucky not to have reached a final in recent years. They’re an exceptional team and they came to do a job.
“St Galls are always a team that you can’t afford to take lightly. They have their problems with being a dual club with player availability so it was a game we were expected to win. It was another physical game but we performed well enough to win without any major problems.”
For the first time in this years championship, McCann and Loughgiel will go into their contest as underdogs and the Shamrocks manager was full of admiration for their opponents: “Dunloy are a super team. They’re blessed with some brilliant forwards, you just have to look at their performance against us in the U21’s. The youth they’ve brought through have been exceptional and will take some looking after.
“They went through the league beating all before them. If we can take anything from our matches against them, I suppose we probably gave them their hardest game the twice we played them but we’re preparing as best we can.
“It’s Loughgiel against Dunloy and anything can happen. They may think on last years match and have an element of revenge but for us that’s in the past. A lot has changed with our new management set up and there’s different circumstances coming into the game but we’ll give it a lash and see how it goes on Sunday.”
Gregory O’Kane – Dunloy
2017 champions and bookies favourites for the Volunteer Cup this year, Dunloy come into Sunday’s semi-final off the back of another league crown safely tucked away in the Pearse Park clubrooms. A 12 game unbeaten run secured the league honours before a two point defeat to St Johns at the end of the campaign and the Cuchullains manager Gregory O’Kane is pleased with the continued progress made of his side.
Continuing to integrate more players from the Pearse Park conveyor belt, O’Kane told us that last years semi-final defeat to their bitter rivals has helped focus their minds not only for Sunday but for the whole season: “If anything that defeat has strengthened us this year. There was obvious disappointment but the lads have been superb from the word go this season. We just went about our business, took each game as they came and it’s resulted in a very good league campaign.”
There is no doubting the Cuchullains had another impressive league campaign but they will remember 12 months ago when they were unbeaten during the league, solid in the group stages and came up short against the Shamrocks in Pairc Mac Uílin. Many similarities to this season but O’Kane said they have been striving to improve in one facet of the game that he feels will help improve his side even further: “You’re always looking for consistency but the lads gave their best every match they went out and the results flowed. I suppose the consistency has been the most pleasing aspect of the league campaign.” O’Kane added: “These bunch of lads keep pushing each other. They are extremely self-driven from the 20 something’s to the 30 something’s, everyone wants to improve and be the best they can be.”
The championship so far has been a mixed bag for O’Kane’s men. A match against Cushendall where they will be their biggest critics after scrapping the points before travelling to Rossa Park and despite the score board reading a seven point win, Dunloy had one foot in the semi-finals going into the last 15 minutes. A performance that saw them back to something close to their best and a welcome sight for O’Kane and his team. He gave us his own synopsis of Dunloy’s two championship games so far: “Cushendall was a tough game. You know what they bring but from our own point of view, we didn’t perform as well as we would have liked but when it comes to the championship it’s all about winning. A win gives you a boost and prepares you for the next day.
“The Rossa game was very pleasing for two reasons. One, the way we won and by that I mean how we played. We looked more like ourselves and two, we felt it was a game that we needed to win. It was a championship game, a tricky championship game and we put in a really good performance. We were happy with our own game coming away from the city that day.”
Sunday represents a chance for redemption for Dunloy and while acknowledging the defeat at the same stage and venue last year: “At this stage it doesn’t really matter who you play. When you get to the semi-final of the championship there’s much of a muchness between the sides.” Said O’Kane: “Last year has come and gone. The pain and hurt from that match has come and gone as well. We can’t replay that game again and we wouldn’t want to at this stage. We’re focussed on being the best we can be for the weekend and all we can do is make sure we’re prepared to the best of our ability.”
When Dunloy and Loughgiel face each other, the form book tends to go out the window. Regardless of how well either side have played coming into the match, they may be rivals but they bring the best out of each other and players lift their game to meet the challenge. O’Kane concluded by adding: “Matches against Loughgiel can take a life of their own but in the championship, the best team on the day wins and we’re doing everything we can to make sure we’ll be that team come the final whistle.”
Ciaran Kearney – Ruairi Ogs
The reigning champions have almost come under the radar to the semi-finals if that is at all possible. An ordinary league campaign by their own standards yet here they are, two games away from retaining their crown.
With Eamon Gillan stepping down after their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to St Thomas’, Ciaran Kearney has been the Ruairi’s main man for the 2019 season. “I’ve taken more of a backseat role this year and let Mickey McCambridge do the coaching side of things” he told us.
“I drop in now and again but it’s more of an overseeing role and it’s taking a bit of getting used to.”
After a long winter training for the All-Ireland series, it’s maybe fair to expect the Ruairi’s not to be firing on all cylinders come the league campaign. Although they were managing their players back to fitness and making full use of their squad, Kearney told us there were other factors: “We tried to phase the season while wanting to peak at the right time. The early part of the year we had, I think it was eight players involved with the county and u20’s. Along with the Portugal trip, it left us thin on the ground for a bit and when you consider the loss of the likes of Sean McAfee, Conor Carson and injuries to a host of experience senior players, it was a difficult campaign.
“What it has done is give other players the chance, something similar to last year where other lads put their hand up and stepped up when they were given the chance and that will and has helped in the long run.
“I wouldn’t say we weren’t worried, our aim was always to finish in the top five and at one stage we were off the pace but we done enough.”
Two matches into the championship and the Ruairi’s could easily have had a 100% record. Missing some regulars, they travelled to Pearse Park and it took a late rally from the Cuchullains to edge that one before they did enough against Rossa in the Glens to book a last four spot. Kearney gave his own account on the Cushendall 2019 championship so far: “It was a match that we could have won but we spoke after the game about not wanting morale victories. We possibly should have won but we didn’t and it was similar to last year where we knew that a win against Sarsfields would have booked a semi-final place.
“With it being an open draw after the group stages, there’s no incentive for finishing top of your group. It leads to ‘phoney wars’. The other group was looking likely to be Loughgiel and St John’s and there was no difference between playing either side.
“The Rossa was a game that we had to win. We did that but essentially we weren’t please with the performance. The manner of the performance was night and day from the Dunloy game but it’s given us plenty to be working on and in fairness the players know themselves they’re capable of more.
“We felt like we had a couple of gears to go but regardless of the opposition you should look after your own performance. It definitely wasn’t great but hopefully we’ve got that sorted in training since.
“At the end of the say, the objective in the group was to reach the semi-final and regardless of performance we’ve done that.”
Last year St Johns pushed the Ruairi’s to the pin of their collar in Pearse Park and the ‘Dall survived a late fightback before sealing their final spot. Kearney told us they are expecting more of the same: “I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes down to the wire again. The league matches were tight and physical and we know each other inside and out. They have a mix of pace and strength all over the pitch and we need to make sure and get our match ups right. It’s up to us to work that out.
“It (last years semi-final) helps to focus our minds. There’s no way we’ll be underestimating St John’s. They’ve progressed to such a level now that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them reach a county final and it’s clear they have those ambitions.”
Kearney finished by adding: “The characters we have in our team though are well driven. Last year and this year it’s been more about facilitating them than managing. They are a driven bunch and know the standards they need to reach. The younger lads have done well but the experience means they know what it takes to get over the line when.”
Tony McNulty – St Johns
It’s been a helluva week for the men from Corrigan Park and it’s not finished yet. Sunday’s semi-final against Cushendall will be their third championship match in eight days across both codes. A delayed phone call to coach Tony McNulty until after events at Coláiste Feirste on Wednesday night were finished and 24 hours later, the frustration was still sizzling from the Johnnies coach: “I can’t believe these lads are being asked to play Sunday, Wednesday, Sunday. Where’s the player welfare in that? There has to be something done about it.
“It’s just going to make young lads make a choice. After minor it’ll be hurling or football and that’s something I would never ask my lads.
“Last year they were able to push the hurling final back a week or something to accommodate the replay with Cushendall. I’m sure the same thing could have happened this year.”
“It means we have three full days to prepare for a championship match. That presents its own problems and we’re just focussing on recovery. There’s a lot of sore lads from that match last night. That surface is sore on the bodies and they have burns on legs but look we’ll get them bandaged up and have them prepared as best we can for Sunday.
“Conor Johnston couldn’t play last night, the two matches were too close for him and if he did play it would have meant he would miss out on Sunday and he would have been a bigger loss to the hurlers than he was to the footballers last night.
“Sometimes these kinds of scenarios can galvanise a team to reach further heights, hopefully that will be the case.”
Back to the hurling and a quick analysis of their league season with McNulty telling us they achieved exactly what they wanted to over the campaign: “We came into the league looking to compete again and build on what has been achieved for the last few years. We finished fourth and I think we did well. We got points on the board early on and were able to experiment with the team. Play lads in different positions and maybe rest players who had football matches as well. We did that and still managed to comfortably finish fourth so that was pleasing.”
In the championship, the Johnnies travelled to Loughgiel and after a sensational start where Michael Bradley hit four points in as many minutes from throw in, the wheels came off and the Shamrocks sealed a six point win with an injury time goal. McNulty added: “We lost a couple of players, Shea (Shannon) and Ryan (McNulty) getting sent off didn’t help. I thought Ryan’s two bookings were the softest I’ve ever seen but we had players just coming back from injury for that match. Ciaran and Conor (Johnston) and big Domhnall (Nugent) wasn’t with us for a few weeks as well but we went to Loughgiel to give it a lash. It was all about that St Galls game for us. We targeted it knowing a win there would see us in the semi’s so we had a bit of a free rein against Loughgiel. We went, gave it a lash and see how far it got us.”
Their recent matches against Cushendall have been nothing short of epic. Nothing more than a poc of the ball between the sides and Sunday has all the ingredients to be something similar. McNulty told us: “We’re hoping it’s going to be third time lucky. Four years ago it was a couple of late goals in Dunloy that got us and we probably should have beat them in Dunloy last year. The replay in Ballycastle was changed when our Ryan had to come off, they got a couple of goals after that but it’ll be another tough game.
“Cushendall are a super side. They’re county champions for heavens sake, I’ve yet to see a bad team win a championship and they’ve got winners all over the pitch.”
McNulty concluded by telling us they hope to have learned their lesson from this time 12 months ago: “We see ourselves as one of the top four teams in the county now and we know that on our day we can be as good as any of the other teams in the semi-final. We’ll be looking to learn from those matches last year and use that experience.”
