24 September 2009
By John McIlwaine
This year the GAA is celebrating its 125th anniversary but hurling fans under the age of thirty will find it hard to believe that when the association marked its Centenary in 1984, Sunday’s finalists had barely made their mark on Antrim’s club hurling roll of honour.
Back in 1984 Cushendall had one county title to their name, having beaten Ballycastle in a replay in the 1981 final, while Dunloy were still six years away from winning their first crown, which ironically also came after a replay in the 1990 decider against Rossa.
However since Dunloy made that breakthrough nineteen years ago Sunday’s finalists have created a new dynasty in Antrim hurling winning between them eighteen of the nineteen titles on offer, with Rossa the only team to break the sequence with a win over Loughgiel in the 2004 final.
There have of course been other periods of dominance throughout the history of Antrim hurling but never before have two teams been so dominant for such a long time
When Sarsfields beat Loughgiel in the 1974 final they became the first team outside the “big four” of Ballycastle, Loughgiel, Rossa and St John’s to win a title since Mitchels’ success in 1947.
Sarsfields’ win was a one-off, and for the remainder of the seventies Ballycastle and Rossa shared the silverware, until Cushendall made the breakthrough in 1981.
Dunloy’s emergence in 1990 changed things yet again and the old traditionalists were forced to watch from the sidelines as they accumulated ten titles while Cushendall’s win in last year’s final have eased them ahead of the Cuchullains with eleven wins.
Ballycastle still lead the title race on seventeen, though their last success came twenty-three years ago in 1986 while Loughgiel, who share second place with Rossa on fifteen, haven’t brought the Volunteer Cup home since 1989.
The last meeting between Sunday’s teams came in 2002 when Dunloy recorded a comfortable 3-12 to 1-8 win, while in their previous final meeting in 1999 Cushendall came out on top when a late goal from Terenece ‘Sambo’ McNaughton snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for the Ruairi Og.
Ten years ago – Cushendall 3-14 Dunloy 3-12
Cushendall and Dunloy met ten years ago in the Antrim final on a day when the Ruairi Og produced an amazing finish to deny Dunloy their third title on the trot.
The Cuchullains appeared to be ‘home and hosed’ when they led by 3-12 to 1-12 with just five minute left for play, but inspired by the veteran Sambo McNaughton the ‘Dall hit back to steal the trophy from under Dunloy’s noses.
A Mark McCambridge point in the fifty-sixth minute caused little concern for the Dunloy fans, but when McNaughton was awarded a penalty seconds later the alarm bells began to sound.
Up stepped big Jackie Carson to rifle the penalty to the net and suddenly there was only two between the sides, and when Sambo flicked in his sides third goal the comeback was almost complete. Dunloy were stunned and before they had time to recover substitute Brian McNaughton added the insurance point for the Ruairis to seal one of their most memorable wins.
The teams who did battle that day were –
CUSHENDALL – C McNaughton, C McAlister, Ciaran McCambridge, R McNaughton, E McNaughton, A McAteer, K Elliott, D McKillop, K McKeegan, M McCambridge, J Carson, A Delargy, Conor McCambridge, T McNaughton, F McAlister. SUBS – B McNaughton for E McNaughton.
DUNLOY – S Elliott, S McIlhatton, P Molloy, S Mullan, M Molloy, Gary O’Kane, S McMullan, C Cunning, N Elliott, P McMullan, C McGuckian, L Richmond, C McGrath, Gregory O’Kane, M Curry. SUBS – F McMullan for P McMullan; A Elliott for Curry; J Elliott for McGrath.
Referee – Tommy McIntyre
2002 – Dunloy 3-12 Cushendall 1-8
Sambo McNaughton was the Cushendall manager when the teams next met in the 2002 final, but there was no fairytale this time as Dunloy won convincingly by 3-12 to 1-8, led by their inspirational captain Gary O’Kane.
O’Kane, who is now part of the current Cuchullains management, was forced to retire at half-time that day but his team-mates fared OK without him as they dominated the second half on their way to the third of their four-in-a-row and their eighth title in all.
Martin Curry got the Cuchullains going with a goal in the seventh minute and despite losing star forward Alastair Elliott through injury they went on to lead at half-time.
The second-half was pretty much one-way traffic as Cushendall struggled to match the champions who had man of the match Malachy Molloy in sparkling form at left-half back they sealed the win with further goals from Curry and Eamon ‘Nipper’ McKee, and a couple of excellent points from eighteen-year-old substitute Darren Quinn to give team manager Sean McLean a senior title at his first attempt.
DUNLOY – G McGhee, D McMullan, S Mullan, F McMullan, P McMullan, Gary O’Kane, M Molloy, C Cunning, C McGuckian, Gregory O’Kane, L Richmond, N Elliott, M Curry, A Elliott, P Richmond.
SUBS – E McKee for A Elliott; M McClements for Gary O’Kane; D Quinn for N Elliott.
CUSHENDALL – R Kearney, O Scullion, C McAlister, Ciaran McCambridge, K Elliott, K McKeegan, M McClafferty, Conor McCambridge, M McCambridge, A Delargy, Ryan McNaughton, Ruairi McNaughton, KM McMullan, J Carson, S Delargy.
SUBS – B McNaughton for KM McMullan; D McKillop for Carson; E McNaughton for S Delargy.
Referee – Tommy McIntyre
Hurling finals this century
00-Dunloy beat Cushendun
01-Dunloy beat Ballycastle
02-Dunloy beat Cushendall
03-Dunloy beat Loughgiel
04-Rossa beat Loughgiel
05-Cushendall beat Loughgiel
06-Cushendall beat Loughgiel
07-Dunloy beat Loughgeil
08-Cushendall beat Loughgiel
09-Dunloy beat Cusehendall
