The experts have their say….
Our own ‘St Brendan’ has already given his prediction, unsurprisingly going for a Dunloy win so we decided to ask a few other media types and managers from around the county for their thoughts on the senior final…..
Hugh McCann – Loughgiel, Shamrocks Manager
It’s very hard to call. Cushendall are reigning champions and have proved time and again that they will fight to the end and are very strong defensively. Dunloy have a good blend of experienced players and some brilliant young players who if given the space will do a lot of damage.
They’ve already proved that they can mix it up in championship hurling, that along with the loss of some of Cushendall’s exoerienced players, I would have to say Dunloy for the win.
Verdict: Dunloy
Tony McNulty – St Johns Manager
I think that if Dunloy can stay disciplined in the tackle and don’t concede frees, they can come through but from experience, if Cushendall get a sniff of a chance, they’ll not give up.
Dunloy to win but there won’t be much between the sides.
Verdict: Dunloy
David Mohan – Belfast Media Group
One thing’s for sure: tomorrow’s final will have a much different level of intensity to the meeting between Dunloy and Cushendall in the group stages.
While Dunloy edged that fixture by one, the game was certainly lacking the bite of a straight-up knockout affair that ensures this repeat of the 2017 decider that was won by Gregory O’Kane’s Cuchullians will differ greatly.
Not that we can write-off that game altogether, as Cushendall did provide a bit of a blueprint of how they can get at the Dunloy defence.
Cormac McAllister’s long poc-outs and their tactic of going long and early did cause Dunloy some headaches and this could well be their approach again as they try to isolate Paddy McGill and Alex Delargy inside, flood the middle and not give Dunloy time or space to get into their stride.
Dunloy are best served by using pace and trying to hit their flying forwards with quality ball to get a gallop up. They should be aiming to use quick, incisive passes to create openings, while non-stop movement could be the key to unlocking a formidable full-back line.
The middle sector is where this game is likely to be won and lost with both half-back lines not just required to repel attacks, but launch their own so the delivery from this sector into the forwards is likely to have a huge bearing.
Cushendall are champions and won’t relinquish their title without a struggle, but that extra, bruising game against St John’s just seven days prior could come into play and for that reason, Dunloy may be a little fresher down the stretch to prevail by a couple.
Verdict: Dunloy
Liam Tunney – Unit Updates
Dunloy’s title defence last year ran into a savvy Loughgiel challenge and the pre-match shenanigans around the dugout both delayed the throw-in and de-railed Cúchullain minds.
Another year wiser and their young side exorcised those ghosts, grinding out a victory over Loughgiel that was born out of grit and character.
Ruairí Óg have again taken the long road to the Final having taken two games to dispatch the Johnnies but a sturdy defence and their uncanny knack for winning tight games booked their place.
It’s easy to bill this as Cushendall’s brawn meets Dunloy’s agility, but both teams have a healthy blend. The likes of Kevin Molloy and Conor McKinley provide strength for Cúchullain’s, while Ruairí Óg’s Alex Delargy and Niall McCormick can confidently dance their way through defences.
Ruairí Óg come in with that winning experience and will be rightly confident as reigning champions, but Dunloy appear to have added the bite that was so sorely absent last season as Loughgiel’s mocking grins leered at them through the Ballycastle rain.
The pups have matured and are hungry for more.
Verdict: Dunloy
Kevin Heron – Saffron Gael
I’m going to back Dunloy in Sunday’s hurling final.
Purely based on the fact that many of my early memories of Croke Park was going down to watch Dunloy on All-Ireland club hurling final day. We’d have been packed in the car down to go down and watch the Green and Gold.
Hopefully it’s a great final with plenty of drama, but the Cuchullains by five.
Verdict: Dunloy