By Shaun Casey
REIGNING Ulster champions Cushendall are once again the top dogs in Antrim having braved Storm Ashley on Sunday to squeeze past Dunloy and star man Neil McManus was chuffed to once again get his hands on the Volunteer Cup.
McManus top scored on the day with 0-7 and the Ruairí Óg clubmen had to come from six points down to retain their title. Brian Delargy’s side trailed 1-8 to 0-5 at the short whistle, but with the breeze at their backs, pushed on after the turnaround.
It’s the first two in-a-row for Cushendall since 2015 and winning the championship is just as special as always says McManus.
“It’s always really, really special, whenever you win an Antrim county championship, just to see what it means to the village whenever you arrive back in. It’s something that we certainly don’t take for granted, just how well supported we are and how much it means.
“We have such a long history and for the past 40 years we’ve been there and thereabouts for nearly all the championships that have been on offer. That’s something to be very proud of and it was a special weekend for not only the players but the community.
“It was one of the strongest winds I’ve ever played a game of hurling in, to be honest. It was a tough walk on it too, never mind hurling into it at some stages when it really got up and Ballycastle is very open to the elements.
“It was the same for both teams, we both had to deal with it. It was hard just to get the measure of it when we were shooting with it.
“Both teams you could see were probably trying to feel their way with the win a little bit at stages.”
One point was the margin last season when the men in maroon toppled Loughgiel and it’s the small moments in games that make all the difference.
“There’s so little between the top clubs in Antrim,” explained McManus. “You nearly know it’s going to be a one- or two-point win in either direction, and you just have to try and make the most of your opportunities at every point in the game.
“I think that’s just about what we did on Sunday.
“We just took a few more of our opportunities than Dunloy took in the first half, whenever they were playing with the wind. It was the same last year, that was the difference.”
Focus will swiftly turn towards the provincial championship and while the Antrim men don’t know their next opponents just yet, retaining their Ulster crown will be at the forefront of their minds.
“It’s pretty much straight back into training on Wednesday evening,” he added.
“We’re delighted to be going back to training because there was very little between the two teams on Sunday and we could very easily have finished up for the year.
“We’re delighted that we’re going back to training on Wednesday night and the boys will rest up over these couple of days, but then we’ll be delighted to get back at it again.”
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