Antrim Senior Hurling Final preview – Previous final meetings
Sunday’s meeting of Loughgiel and Cushendall will be the tenth time these modern day rivals have met in a final, but their first time to meet in a decider in Corrigan Park. The Shamrocks, who lead the overall roll of honour with 20 titles, have been winning championships for over 100 years, their first coming in 1920, while Cushendall’s breakthrough came 61 years later in 1981.
1985
The first final meeting between the two sides came in 1985 at Fr Maginn Park, Glenravel when the Ruairis collected the second of their 14 titles by beating the Shamrocks by 4-13 to 1-12, the late James McNaughton lifting the cup as captain.
2005
It was another twenty years until the two clashed again in a final, this time at Casement Park when the Ruairis won by the narrowest of margins 2-10 to 0-15 in a thrilling game in 2005. Loughgiel were in a run of final defeats of six in a row, this being the third of them. Sean Delargy and Ryan McNaughton shared the honour of lifting the Volunteer Cup.
2006
2006 was more of the same as the rivalry grew stronger, the Ruairis coming from seven down at half time to win by seven on a scoreline of 2-14 to 2-07. Aidan Delargy enlisted the help current St Enda’s manager Mickey McCambridge to help him hoist the famous silverware aloft on the steps of Casement Park.
2008
Two years later they were back again as the Ruairis made it four final wins in a row over the Shamrocks, at Casement Park. In a game with no goals the ‘Dall had a convincing 0-15 to 0-6 win, John Carson and his son Conor both saw action in a special day. A.D. managing to lift the Volunteer Cup on his own this time
2010
The tide had to turn, and it did two years later, back at Casement when Loughgiel came out on top against their rivals in a final for the first time, winning convincingly by 1-19 to 0-11. Eddie McCloskey got the only goal of the game while the honour of lifting the Volunteer Cup went to a man who had suffered so much during their six final defeats, Johnny Campbell
2011
In 2011 both sides were back again in the decider and once again the Shamrocks came out on top, Liam Watson getting the only goal of the game from a penalty to help his team to a 1-14 to 0-14 win. Johnny Campbell, who had missed a part of the season through injury brought vice-captain DD Quinn up to the podium to collect the cup, where they were joined by Bernie McKinley who had captained the senior Camogs to victory over Portglenone the previous day. DD joined Johnny again later in the campaign in Croke Park when the two of them held the Tommy Moore Cup aloft after their All Ireland final win over Coolderry.
2013
The Shamrocks great run continued when they beat Dunloy in the final in 2012, but Cushendall were back to face the Shamrocks again in 2013 this time in Ballycastle as, Casement Park had closed its gates. In one of their best ever displays in a final the Shamrocks completed a famous 4-in-a-row as they won convincingly by 3-14 to 2-6, Neilly McGarry having the honour of lifting the cup this time.
2016
That was the end of the Loughgiel run as Cushendall took the next two titles, beating St Gall’s in 2014 in Pairc MacUilin, and Ballycastle in 2015 in Dunloy , but when they went through to the final in 2016 Loughgiel against stood in their way as they bid for another 3-in-a-row. Pairc MacUilin in Ballycastle was again the venue and once again Shamrocks came out on top, winning by 1-15 to 1-12. For the third time in his great career DD was called upon to help lift the trophy, as he and Neilly McGarry hoisted the silverware.
2018
2017 saw a young Dunloy team make the breakthrough by beating Cushendall in the final and it looked like they would dominate for many years to come, but it 2018 it was the Ruairis and the Shamrocks who once again shared the stage on the biggest day of the hurling year in the county. Dunloy did of course to go on to dominate, winning five in six years but in the last final that the Cuchullains didn’t figure in it was once again the Dall and Shamrocks. By this stage there were level with four final wins against each other but Cushendall edged back ahead in the personal dual between the two as they won by 2-12 to 0-15. Paddy Burke was the man to lift the Volunteer Cup. On a sad note it was the last time Wee John McKillop helped a Cushendall captain lift the trophy. John was there for all fourteen wins up to now, but if the Ruairis were to triumph on Sunday it will seem strange collecting that special trophy without him.
