Main picture- Player manager Randal McDonnell (seated 4th from left on the front row) and his fellow selectors John Kerr, Laurance Darragh, Philip Jamison, Seamus Kerr and Artie Harvey

Intermediate Hurling Championship final preview

When Glenariffe and Carey met in the 1988 Intermediate final in Cushendall the man in charge of the Faughs that day was a Glenariffe legend, as was the man who helped seal the win for the Oisins.

Niall Wheeler, a man who gave so much to the Oisins cause during a long and distinguished career, had taken a step back in 1988 and when the Faughs ask him if he would guide their fortunes that season he said he would give it a go. Niall recalls team selector Pat McCarry and club secretary Chris Campbell coming to see if he would join the management team with McCarry and Vinny McCaughan and he said he would give it a go. Little did he think that when he guided the Faughs to the county final that the team he would meet in the decider would be his beloved Oisins, who were managed by another Oisins legend…..Randal McDonnell.

Niall recalls having a great time in Carey where he made many good friends and worked with a lot of very good hurlers. He told us that Pat McCarry and the players were great lads that he really enjoyed working with and talked at length about the hurling skills of men like the late Danny McKinley, Joe Butler and one man who in particular who stood out….John McVeigh.

During the 1988 final Glenariffe made a great start to the game and with Dominic Kearns, Raymond McDonnell and Conrad McDonnell leading the charge they seemed set for a convincing win. However they had a man sent off and with John McVeigh leading the line the Faughs fought back. They closed the gap to three by half time, and though the Oisins pulled away again in the second half, McVeigh kept pulling his team back into contention, only to be denied at the death.

The man Niall Wheeler credits for getting his home club out of danger that day was his old team-mate and player-manager Randal McDonnell who was introduced as a sub. He had been ruled out of the starting line-up after hurting his back in training earlier that week, but when the call came the veteran was there to answer the call. Niall recalls “when Glenarrife started to look a bit shaky as Carey closed the gap, the man who steadied the ship was Randal, and he made a big contribution to get the Oisins over the line.”

Randal McDonnell was 45 that day and lined out along with his brother Charlie, his sons Raymond, Randal jnr and Conrad, plus Charlie’s son Shane. Some contribution from one family and what a great way to end your club career.