27 September 2009
Dunloy turned back the years at Casement Park on Sunday to clinch their eleventh Senior Hurling title, and their first since 2007, as they beat hot favourites and reigning champions Cushendall in a cracking final.
Going into the game few gave the Cuchullains a chance against a much fancied Ruairi Og side who were bidding for back to back titles, but as they have proved so often down the years Dunloy have the men for the big occasion and on Sunday they had no shortage of heroes who stepped up to the plate.
Paddy Richmond, Malachy Molloy Liam Richmond, Gregory O’Kane and Darren Quinn all produced performances right out of the top drawer but they were all eclipsed by goalkeeper Gareth McGhee who gave an absolutely superb display in a man-of-the-match performance.
McGhee pulled off two incredible saves in the early minutes to deny Cushendall what looked like certain goals, and when his side were awarded a penalty midway through the opening half he raced the length of the field to blast an unstoppable shot to the Ruairi Og net.
The former county keeper has been his side’s top performer throughout the championship campaign and indeed had it not been for vital saves he made in earlier rounds against Ballycastle and Glenariffe then Dunloy may not even have made to Sunday’s decider.
This history making team made another entry in hurling’s ledger with their eleventh title in nineteen years and two players, Gregory O’Kane and Alastair Elliott, set a record which must surely hold up in county in Ireland when they collected their eleventh winners’ medal each.
THREATENING
Champions Cushendall looked threatening in the early minutes and were unlucky when a Conor McCambridge shot thundered back of the frame of the goal. Minutes later Neill McManus cut through the Dunloy defence and seemed certain to score as he bore down on goal, but his well struck shot was brilliantly saved by McGhee and suddenly the complexion of the game began to change.
A superb high catch by left-half-back Malachy Molloy in the seventh minute saw him drop a high ball in around the Cushendall goalmouth and Paddy Richmond showed his class to out-catch the Ruairi Og defence and send an absolute screamer to the back of the net.
Cushendall’s full-back line were struggling to deal with Richmond’s ball winning ability and nine minutes later they were forced to pull him down in the penalty area and McGhee ran the length of the field to blast the resultant penalty home.
Cushendall began to settle, and with Shane McNaughton causing problems up front they cut the gap back to four with half time fast approaching. However their hopes of a revival were dashed in first half injury time when a beautifully floated pass by Paddy Richmond placed Darren Quinn for Dunloy’s third goal, and a half-time lead of eight points. (3-6 to 0-7)
ANOTHER GOAL CHANCE
McGhee had a chance to grab his second goal minutes after the restart when Paddy Richmond was again fouled in the ‘big square’ but this time his well hit shot was well saved by Cushendall corner-back Sean Delargy who formed part of the three man wall.
Cushendall had a great chance to grab a lifeline a minute later when they were awarded a penalty but Damian McMullan saved Neill McManus’s goal bound effort and the ‘Dall’s last real chance had gone.
They did fare better in the second-half but on a couple of occasions when they appeared to have cut the arrears to manageable proportions, thanks mainly to pointed frees by Karl McKeegan, Dunloy found an instant reply.
There was a few raised eyebrows, and sweaty palms, among the Dunloy fans when it was announced that there would be eight minutes of additional time at the end, but even though Neill McManus did manage a late consolation goal for Cushendall, Liam Richmond, Paddy Doherty, Gareth McGhee and substitutes Alastair Elliott and Cathaior Cunning all popped over points to clinch a memorable win.
DUNLOY – Gareth McGhee, Michael McClements (capt), Damian McMullan, Kevin Martin, Malachy Molloy, James McKeague, Conor McKinley, Paudie Shivers, Kevin Molloy, Sean Dowds, Liam Richmond, Gregory O’Kane, Paddy Doherty, Paddy Richmond, Darren Quinn.
SUBS – Cathaior Cunning, Colum Cunning, Alastair Elliott, Darren Webb
CUSHENDALL – Ronan Kearney, Paddy McNaughton, Odhran Scullion, Sean Delargy, Kevin Elliott, Arron Graffin, Donal McNaughton, Paddy McGill, Aidan Delargy, Neill McManus, Karl McKeegan, Eamon Laverty, Shane McNaughton, Conor McCambridge, Conor Carson.
SUBS – Stephen McKeegan for Laverty
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