Antrim Senior Hurling Championship final

Loughgiel Shamrocks v Dunloy

(Sunday, Ballycastle, 2.45pm)

LOUGHGIEL are in top form and Eddie McCloskey is playing as well as he has done in years – but the man himself says it won’t count for a hill of beans if they don’t come out on top in Sunday’s Senior Championship final against holders Dunloy.

They may top the roll of honour list in Antrim with 20 titles to their name, but McCloskey says there’s always the fear that any period of time without a championship title will widen until it becomes an unwanted statistic weighing heavily on this proud club.

The veteran sharp-shooter was part of the Shamrocks team that ended a 21-year period without the big prize back in 2010, and although it’s only four seasons since they last claimed the big prize in Antrim, they’ll desperately want to do the business against Dunloy this weekend.

“When you play for Loughgiel, you’re expected to do the business every year,” said McCloskey.

“When I was dropped into the senior team back in the mid-2000s, we’d lost finals in-a-row already and we ended up losing six on the trot.

“It was a massive monkey off our backs when we ended up winning it, and club members fear another drought and we don’t want to that to happen.

“We feel we’re always competitive but there’s no point in just being competitive if you don’t win one now and again.”

For the first time in a couple of seasons, McCloskey is in tip-top shape with no niggly injuries holding him back. He delivered a vintage performance as they scraped by St John’s after extra-time at the weekend, scoring five points in an unforgettable match (you may have seen the video doing the rounds of St John’s wrecking ball Domhnall Nugent scoring a hat-trick with one arm).

On his own personal journey to today’s final, 32-year-old McCloskey commented: “I’ve really enjoyed the championship this year. The last few years there was always niggly injuries preventing me from getting into good shape, but I feel great and I’ve shed a few pounds.

“Some of the training sessions we’ve been doing have been top class and I’ve been playing with a smile on my face. I feel rejuvenated and it’s probably the best season I’ve had in a long, long time, but at the end of the day it’s all about trying to winning trophies.”

Loughgiel’s panel is particularly potent this year with the return to the flock of the mercurial Liam Watson, who had a short-lived retirement, and other top players like Benny McCarry and Damon McMullan. 38-year-old Watson came on against St John’s and weighed in with 1-3, and the likes of James McNaughton, Declan McCloskey and Sean McGrath have improved massively in the last few years.

It’s no given, however, that they’ll dethrone a Dunloy side bidding for their third title in four years at the weekend, and McCloskey admits he enjoys their brand of hurling.

“Dunloy know how to win and they’re carrying that mantle of the moment of being the best team in Antrim.

“They set the bar for the rest of the county, and fair dues to them, they’re a great team to watch with plenty of young and exciting players.

“They play hurling the way it should be played, but we won’t fear them and we’re ready for the challenge.”

The Antrim Senior Hurling Championship attracts thousands of spectators from across the country in normal times, but at least this week’s decider will be broadcast live by TG4. If it’s as good as the semi-finals, the watching audience will be in for a treat – Loughgiel edged St John’s by 2-31 to 5-18 after extra-time (almost takes a mathematician to work that scoreline out), while Dunloy’s Christy McMahon fired a late winner six minutes into stoppage time to take the spoils against Rossa.

McCloskey said: “It’s not the crowning jewel in club hurling in Ireland but the two semi-finals were fantastic, you’d the likes of Anthony Daly tweeting about it.

“The fact it’s on TV can only be good for Antrim hurling, and when you look at the two Tyrone matches on RTE, you see that club games are just as entertaining as any county match.

“It’s always been that way but I suppose it’s the centre-focus at the minute and that’s only a good thing. Maybe it’s something the GAA could look at going further – having a separate club and county season.

“It’ll be good to get the cameras up but it’s a game of hurling for us and we’ll not be watching it anyway!”

IHC final

Clooney Gaels v Tír na nÓg

(Saturday, Dunsilly, 1pm)

The Gaels are chasing their first Intermediate crown since 2013 and with James O’Connell in scintillating form, they have every chance. His 1-9 tally in last week’s semi-final win over Carey Faugh’s and the free-taker now sits on 2-26 after just three games. He is part of an excellent attacking unit with PJ O’Connell and Eoin Graham also ensuring that they have plenty of firepower up front. What a time for Tír na nÓg as their senior camogie side are also in championship final action this weekend. The Randalstown hurlers are attempting to end an 18-year wait for championship success – the 2002 Junior title – and the grit that they showed against Oisin’s Glenariffe in the semi-final suggest that they are a team on a mission. It was an ominous situation as they were three points down at the second water break, but they finished very strongly. The Duffins, defender Caoimhin, Colm and younger brother Sean, were in inspired form throughout. Sean made his Antrim debut last year and is viewed as a real exciting talent in the county. Tír na nÓg have never reached the final at this level, but this could be a very famous day in their 101-year history.

Verdict: Tír na nÓg

JHC final

St Mary’s, Rasharkin v St Paul’s

(Saturday, Dunsilly, 4.15pm)

St Paul’s and Cushendun always had the feel of being a huge game and it was Stephen Rooney’s 11 points that helped the Belfast side into the final. More impressively, the side turned a three-point deficit into a three-point lead in the final quarter with Rooney to the fore while Colm McLarnon also chipped in with a crucial score. The game did end with an unsavoury brawl and the Shaw’s Road men will be hoping that there are no ramifications from that red mist. Rasharkin are into their first final since 2015 after easily getting past Glenravel in the semi-final. Shane Hasson’s 2-5 haul was equal to what their opponents managed over the course of the game (1-8). Conor McKeever was dismissed in the first half but as it was for two yellow card offences, he will be available.

Verdict: St Paul’s

By Niall Gartland