15 February 2010
Dunloy manager Gary O’Kane was very proud of how his team performed. Beaten yes by a twelve point margin but his makeshift side, short five of the team which won the Antrim title back in October, had fought to the very end against a team regarded by many hurling observers as the greatest club team in history.
From the team that beat Cushendall in the Antrim final Dunloy have lost Malachy Molloy, Damian McMullan, Conor McKinley and Paudie Shivers through injury and Darren Quinn has emigrated to Australia. On top of that corner-forward Sean Dowds was forced to retire through injury in the opening minutes of the second-half, yet with the odds stacked against them they turned in a display that left their supporters justifiably proud at the end. One bright note for Dunloy was the return of Paul Shiels after a long time injury which threatened to end his hurling career, and though short of match fitness after such a lay-off he showed what a great young hurler he is with a fine overall display.
Hectic start
The game got off to a hectic start when Dunloy went ahead inside five seconds but the All Ireland champions were back inside a minute when Damian Hayes pointed from the wing. With Joe Canning unerring free-taking edging the Galway champions ahead the gap began to open but Paul Shiels and Sean Dowds kept Dunloy in touch as they split the uprights at the other end.
Dunloy’s hopes received a blow twenty minutes in when a Joe Canning hand-pass put left-half forward Ciaran Ryan clear to kick the ball past Gareth McGhee in the Dunloy goal for the decisive score of the opening half.
Eight point down at the break Dunloy turned to play with the aid of the breeze and down the Parnell Park slope and it became clear that the contest was far from over as they produced their best hurling in the third quarter. Despite losing Sean Dowds to injury they hit four scores in a row to leave only five points between the sides and the temperature began to rise.
Minor skirmishes began to flicker and the crowd found its voice. For the first time, Dunloy began to get the better of the midfield exchanges and they sent a barrage of ball in on the Portumna defence.
A goal at this point would have made for an interesting closing spell but the one clear opportunity that arose saw Paddy Doherty take the wrong option with veteran substitute Alastair Elliott clear in front of goal.
The champions never buckled however and their coolness under pressure was reflected by corner-back Ollie Canning whose casual hand-pass saved a dangerous situation for the Galway men.
Ollie’s brother Joe, who was held scoreless from play by the Dunloy defence, finally got his goal. Big Joe had gone for goal on a couple of occasion but Gareth McGhee and his defensive ‘wall’ had managed to keep him out. However two minutes from time he finally found a way through as he fired a bullet of shot to the back of the net from a twenty-metre free to give his team a twelve point victory and set up a mouth-watering final meeting with the Henry Shefflin powered Ballyhale Shamrocks in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
Scorers for Dunloy: P Shiels 0-4f, S Dowds 0-2f, K McKeague 0-2, G O’Kane 0-1, L Richmond 0-1, P Doherty 0-1, P Richmond 0-1.
Scorers for Portumna: J Canning 1-8 (0-8f), C Ryan 1-1, A Smith 0-3, K Hayes 0-3, D Hayes 0-2, P Smith 0-1.
DUNLOY: G McGee; M McClements, J McKeague, Cathaior Cunning; K Molloy, P Shiels, K McKeague; P Shivers, Colum Cunning; G O’Kane, L Richmond, Conor Cumming; P Doherty, P Richmond, S Dowds.
Subs: A Elliott for Dowd 36, D Kelly for Doherty 45, M Molloy for Shivers 54.
PORTUMNA: I Canning; A O’Donnell, E McEntee, O Canning; G Heagney, M Ryan, P Smith; L Smith, E Lynch; C Ryan, K Hayes, A Smith; D Hayes, J Canning, M Dolphin.
Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).
