Brendan McTaggart spoke to Cushendall manager Brian Delargy after Sunday’s final win over Dunloy
The celebrations were in full swing on the Páirc MacUílín pitch as Cushendall lifted the Volunteer Cup for the 16th time. In a contest that was every bit as close as expected, it was a game that not only came down to fine margins, but who dealt with the horrendous conditions.
Having won the toss and electing to play against the wind in the first half, Cushendall trailed by 6 at half time. It felt like the elements was strong enough for double that advantage and Cushendall manager Brian Delargy felt they were in a good place during the break: “We were happy enough. It was an atrocious day to try and play hurling in and you don’t really know what sort of lead you’re going to need. Even when Dunloy were playing with the wind when they threw the ball up, it was travelling forward. Just a hard day for hurling. Full stop.
“We had to play really hard in that first half. We dug in. and got a few scores breaking up the field but it wasn’t pretty. We really had to dig in.”
Despite their position at half time, Cushendall had to grind this one out. Dunloy played a strong running game from midfield and broke the line regularly. It ensured they were always in the game and the Ruairi’s weren’t in a position of comfort at any stage: “Fair play to Dunloy, they caused us a lot of bother and seemed to be able to break the line in midfield and get in on us. Liam Gillan made a super block on Keelan, last ditch stuff. As much as the boys put the ball over the bar, that block was as good as a goal at that stage.
“Both teams played well into the breeze. Both like to carry the ball and are suited for that but the battle in the first half set us up well.
“We spoke at half time about getting the ball into the central area before shooting. But when you go out there, it was just so hard to get the ball where you wanted.”
The Cushendall defence and midfield were excellent throughout ensuring the Ruairi’s could put Dunloy under pressure and force turnovers. Wing half back Ruairi McCollam had an superb game, winning countless ruck and aerial ball and Delargy also singled out another of his half back line for praise: “Ruairi is based in Sheffield now with his job. Thank God for modern technology with GPS’s and our S&C coach can send him over the runs and check up on him and he did play really well but to be fair the defence really stood up to them. It’s maybe easier when the ball is hanging in the air.
“I thought Eoghan Campbell was super today. He came out with a few big catches in the middle third where the battle was.”
Having won the championship last year, the Ruairi’s had moved from being the hunter to the hunted. They had the bullseye on their back for the rest of the county to track down but Delargy said it had little baring on how they went about their business this year: “Every championship is really hard to win whether you’ve won the one before or not. We never looked on it like that or like we were being hunted. We handed the cups back in May before the league started and we were hunting everyone else.
“All the top performers just want to get better every day they go out and I feel like we’re still on that journey even though we won the championship last year and done well. We’re still improving and on the upward curve.”