Volunteer Cup Returns to The Village

It’s a celebration that is renown the length and breadth of the country and for the 17^th time in the Cuchullains history, the Creagh lorry and Pappy’s Band paraded Dunloy into the Village with the team and management in the back.

With smoke bombs filling the cold night air and fireworks going off overhead, the team careered their way up through the village towards Pearse Park. There can’t have been many who didn’t make it out onto the Main Street of Dunloy as the celebrations kicked off.

At the clubrooms, club chair Malachy Molloy addressed those who were in attendance and spoke proudly of the achievements of not only their senior hurling team but also their senior camogs – completing the double for the first time since 2003 when Malachy Molloy was an integral part of the hurling team himself. With the Cuchullains facing Portaferry in the semi final of the Ulster championship in two weeks’ time, the Dunloy chairman took the time to pass on the condolences to the Mageean family on the passing of Irish athlete and legend, Ciara earlier on Sunday while went on to thank all those who helped to organise the home coming spectacle.

Team captain Keelan Molloy thanked the everyone for their support and paid homage to Paul Shiels with ‘Shorty’ announcing his retirement at the end of this campaign. But as team manager Shane Elliott said, they aren’t finished yet.

For now, the Village Inn was pumping and the tunes were playing. The Volunteer Cup resides in the Cuchullain Village yet again.