Dunloy boss Gregory O’Kane happy to get the ball rolling

DUNLOY manager Gregory O’Kane feels there are no easy games in their Senior Hurling Championship group that swings into action on home soil on Saturday.

St John’s are the visitors with Rossa and current Ulster champions Cushendall also coming down the tracks.

The top team in each group advance straight to the semi-final with second and third going into quarter-finals.

Dunloy, who have taken home the Volunteer Cup on 16 occasions since their first title in 1990, had a chance to win a fifth successive title last season but were beaten by Loughgiel in a semi-final.

“We’re happy enough with it,” O’Kane said of this year’s draw. “At the end of the day, you have to play whoever’s in front of you regardless.

“The group’s good…you have to be at it earlier because there are no easy games. Sometimes that’s probably the best thing in terms of preparation.”

O’Kane was speaking as he finalised his plans and had the recent u-21 success to feed into the senior squad as they balance all the preparations while also leading a hand at underage.

“There’s an appetite for games,” he said of hosting this season’s opener. “People want to see games, you could see that at the u-21 final.

“There was a very good crowd in Ballycastle on the Monday evening. I would imagine Saturday evening, with everybody off work and if it’s a decent evening, I’d say you’d be looking at plenty of boots on the ground.”

While Dunloy and Cushendall have won the last two Ulster titles, both came very close to winning the biggest prize. For O’Kane, having experience both as a player and manager, it doesn’t necessarily ramp up the competitive nature of the Antrim Championship.

“It is really, really hard won,” he stressed. “You’ll find that, if you are lucky to win an Antrim Championship, you’re probably well prepped going into Ulster in that regard.”

He also caveated it with Portaferry coming within seconds of beating Cushendall last year and Sleacht Néill’s dominance with four titles in six seasons.

Now it’s all about St John’s and getting their house in order. In that regard, Dunloy got all they needed from the league.

“We actually enjoyed it because we like to blood a lot of players,” O’Kane said of working around their players on county duty.

“In a way, it forces your hand. Your seasoned players can build through the league, in terms of fitness and in terms of game time.

“Then, obviously, you can blood new players in and give lads game time. We’ve used it well and we’re happy enough with that.

“We did have three lads away (travelling) there but they’re all back now. They are all fit and healthy and ready to go.”

This weekend’s games

Group 1
Sunday 2pm – Naomh Éanna v Loughgiel
Ballycastle bye

Group 2
Saturday 7pm – Dunloy v St John’s
Sunday 4pm – Rossa v Cushendall