Semi-final: Sarsfields (Galway) 1-6 Ruairí Óg, Cushendall (Antrim) 3-12
MEET the history boys. Bedecked in proud maroon and white. Despite the sheeting rain and a wind that could scorch marrow, there was no better place to be on Saturday afternoon than deep in the bosom of the midlands.
The unspectacular environs of Pairc Tailteann, Navan was where dreams were made, and dashed.
After falling at the All-Ireland semi-final hurdle on eight previous occasions, Ruairi Og, Cushendall reached their first-ever All-Ireland final.
From the moment Neil McManus lashed home his side’s fourth minute penalty there was something wonderfully pre-ordained about the day for the north Antrim men. Something seismic. And historic.
John ‘Smokey’ McKillop’s men delivered one of the most dominant displays ever seen in an All-Ireland club semi-final.
It was as close to perfect as you could get. Galway champions and favourites Sarsfields never found their stride in Saturday’s one-sided semi-final.
In truth, they weren’t allowed to.
“We didn’t turn up,” said Sarsfields’ player/manager Cathal Murray, “but maybe weren’t allowed to turn up.”
Murray’s charges mustered a meagre 1-1 from play. That’s all the superbly drilled Cushendall defence would allow them.
“We were working on our defending because we were shipping too many goals,” said ‘Smokey’ McKillop.
“So we worked and worked and worked on it, and it paid off.”
Alan Ward grabbed Sarsfields’ first score from play after 29 agonising minutes and Joe Cooney flicked to Cushendall’s net in the 41st minute, which left the Galway men trailing 2-6 to 1-5.
But, rather than wilt at the prospect of an unlikely comeback, the Ruairi Ogs drove on after Cooney’s major by hitting four unanswered points.
Sarsfields were out-hustled and out-hurled from start to finish. There were heroic performances all over the field for Cushendall.
For 60-plus minutes, Ryan McCambridge defended like superman, plucking umpteen balls out of the grey skies over Pairc Tailteann, breaking ash, blocking and hooking with fantastic tenacity and precision.
McCambridge broke the heart of Sarsfields. And then there was young Alec Delargy in midfield – 20 years of age going on 30.
Injured for most of 2015, Delargy played the game of his life in Navan, setting up early scores for Conor Carson and Paddy McGill and throwing his wiry frame in front of Niall Morrissey’s 47th minute shot on goal.
And, any day a player who spends most of the time around the middle sector and finds the target three times when his side sorely need a score is worth their weight in gold. Take a bow Paddy McGill.
He fired over two sensational points in the first half and provided the finishing touch to a flowing move in the 50th minute that put the Antrim men ahead by eight points [2-10 to 1-5].
Facing into a tricky first half wind, Neil McManus missed a couple of chances but finished strongly and top-scored with an invaluable 1-7.
But if there was one player who could have prised the man-of-the-match award from Ryan McCambridge’s stubborn grip it was Sean McAfee.
The Sarsfields defence couldn’t contain Cushendall’s roving full-forward, at least not by fair means. McAfee was fouled for Cushendall’s early penalty and his penetrating runs led to two more converted frees.
But it was his 33rd goal that broke Sarsfields resistance.
McAfee caught Shane McNaughton’s long clearance and with Darren Skehill and Niall Quinn hanging off him, he managed to keep his balance and composure to flick the ball past Ciaran Dolan in the Sarsfields goal.
McAfee’s divine major put Cushendall 2-5 to 0-5 ahead and firmly on the road to Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
“I thought the key was Sean McAfee’s goal,” said McKillop.
“I thought Sean McAfee (below) was fantastic. But, look, every player – one to 17 – gave everything they had.”
After McAfee’s three-pointer, panic set into Sarsfields play. They lobbed high ball after high ball into Joe Cooney – now at full-forward – and although he rippled the net in the 41st minute it was all that the route-one tactic yielded for the Galway men.
“We put Joe in at full-forward and played route one,” said Murray.
“But Cushendall defended well, got men back and put in a lot of tackles. We were blocked, we were hooked and we were harried.
“Look, they just defended really well. They’re a quality team.”
The Sarsfields player/manager added: “Their experience probably showed out there. And you’d know they were training a lot over the winter because physically they had an edge over us, and they used that in fairness.
“I wish them all the best going forward. They’re a good team and shouldn’t fear anyone. It’s there for them if they want to take it.”
In the closing stages and with Sarsfields completely demoralised, Neil McManus powered over two fine points.
And there was still time for a third Cushendall goal.
Deep into stoppage-time, the Sarsfields defence failed to deal with Conor Carson’s high ball, and with McAfee distracting both full-back and ’keeper the ever-alert and evergreen Karl McKeegan pick-pocketed Nolan and rolled the ball into the empty net.
It put 12 points between the sides at the end. The gap on the scoreboard didn’t flatter Cushendall one bit.
“I just thought our fitness was superb,” said McKeegan, who entered Saturday’s semi-final in the 44th minute.
“There was nobody out of breath at half-time and we knew we were in a good place.
“We probably should have been further ahead at half-time than two points. I just knew watching us that our fitness would tell in the end. We could have hurled on for another 20 minutes.”
McKillop said that the team’s winter preparations were the reason why they were able to finally end their All-Ireland semi-final hoodoo.
They played Cork, Dublin and Wexford in challenge games to give themselves every opportunity of beating Sarsfields on Saturday.
“I’ve been involved before as a selector and I just thought we weren’t getting good enough games [in the build-up to All-Ireland semi-finals] but we did this time,” said McKillop.
“But it’s no good getting to an All-Ireland final, you have to win it. That’s the semi-final monkey off our backs but we’re not going to get an All-Ireland handed to us. We have to prepare the same again [for Na Piarsaigh].
“I took a lot of these boys at minors and they never lost a game. I know what they’re capable of, and they are capable of winning an All-Ireland, but it’ll take a lot of hard work.”
For everyone associated with Cushendall, it was a memorable afternoon in Navan.
Not only did McManus, McAfee and McKeegan’s goals leave an indelible impression on the day, so too did those fine voices among the Ruairi Og supporters who sang an impromptu version of The Green Glens of Antrim at half-time.
Beautiful. Stirring stuff all round...
Sarsfields: C Dolan; C Murray, D Skehill, E Cleary; N Quinn, K Hynes, R Quinn; J Cooney (1-0), I Fox; N Morrisey (0-5 frees), N Kelly, K Wade; I Skehill, K Cooney, A Ward (0-1)
Subs: I Kelly for I Skehill (45), S Kelly for N Morrissey (52)
Yellow cards: C Murray (3), R Quinn (7), I Skehill (26)
Ruairi Og, Cushendall: E Gillan; R McCambridge, M Burke, A Graffin; D Kearney, E Campbell, S Delargy; S McNaughton, A Delargy (0-1); C Carson
(0-1), N McManus (1-7, 0-1 pen, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65), S McAfee (1-0); P McGill (0-3), D McNaughton, C McNaughton
Subs: K McKeegan (1-0) for C McNaughton (44), C McAllister for D McNaughton (60)
Yellow cards: S McNaughton (24), S Delargy (37), N McManus (49)
Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow)
