Loughgiel v Cushendall - A great final ahead.

Much has been written about the fierce rivalry between Loughgiel and Dunloy, neighbouring parishes who epitomise the parish rivalry which has been the backbone of the GAA down the years. 

There has been little love lost between St John’s and Rossa down the decades and it was clearly evident when the two met in this year’s quarter-final. When Ballycastle were dominating in the late seventies and early eighties Loughgiel and them had many a heated battle, as indeed have Cushendall and Dunloy through the nineties. 

However in the new millennium no rivalry has been any more intense than that between Sunday’s finalists, Cushendall Ruairi Og and Loughgiel Shamrocks. 

During that time the sides have met in countless semi-finals and finals and both have had their spells of dominance. They did of course meet 31 years ago in Glenravel when Cushendall, with six McNaughton brothers on the team, won their second title but it is this recent run of meetings that has dominated hurling in the county. During Loughgiel’s run of six final defeats on the trot from 2003 to 2008 Cushendall beat them in the finals of 05, 06 and 08, and they were also victors in the semi-final of 09 which ended the Shamrocks run of final appearances. 

There must have been many in Loughgiel who felt the run would never end but they kept on battling and when they made it back to the final in 2010 it was the Ruairi Og colours they lowered in a memorable day in Casement Park, the Shamrocks edging a low scoring decider by 1-9 to 0-11. They did it again the following year at Casement also and in 2013 when they completed their four-in-a-row it was Cushendall they beat again in the final, this time at Pairc MacUilin in Ballycastle.  

It was the Cushendall fans turn to feel this run might never end but of course new years bring new hope and in 2014 they turned the tables to beat the Shamrocks in the semi-final in Ballycastle and end their hopes of five in a row. 

As Kilkenny and Kerry will tell you the Drive for Five is not easy to achieve. Last season they did it again in the semi-final in Dunloy. Loughgiel looked well placed when they went in at half time a point up after facing a strong breeze, but just as they had done in every other round of the competition the Ruiris came storming back in the second half to claim victory. 

And so on Sunday they will do it all again at Pairc MacUilin. Cushendall all out to complete another 3-in-a-row, Loughgiel all out to stop them. Where else would you want to be on Sunday? Bring it on. 
Footnote: 

When they met for the first time in a final back in 1985 Wee John was the mascot in the Cushendall team photo and you can be pretty sure he will be there again on Sunday. The only Cushendall man the Loughgiel fans still love after all these battles.

••Report & Video by John McIlwaine.