St John's seek to end 52 years of hurt in Antrim

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Ciaran Johnston bursts out of defence during St John's semi-final win against CushendallImage source, Bert Trowlen

Image caption,

St Johns are in an Antrim Senior Hurling Final for the first time since 1994

ByDavid Mohan

BBC Sport NI journalist

Just three minutes remained when St John's led Cushendall by five points in the quarter-final of the 2015 Antrim Senior Hurling Championship.

Few expected St John's to be in such a position, but a crop of young players who had won it all in both codes from under-14 to under-21 seemed to have come of age on the senior stage.

However, it would all come crashing down as Neil McManus and Shane McNaughton bagged goals in the space of a minute to hand the Belfast club a crushing defeat - a sign of things to come.

"It's just unfortunate the result didn't go our way, but we will be back again," said a crestfallen St John's manager Brendan McGibbon moments after the final whistle.

"We showed north Antrim that Belfast is not finished in hurling yet. We are back and if we keep that team together, then we will be a force next year."

Since then, St John's had been competitive without getting back to a final for the first time since 1994, but on Sunday will finally get their chance in the showpiece when they take on Loughgiel in Ballycastle (14:00 BST).

'Resilience has been our key word this year'

St John's manager Gerard CunninghamImage source, Bert Trowlen

Image caption,

St John's manager Gerard Cunningham says Sunday's final is the culmination of 10 years' work

A glimpse back to the teamsheet from 2015 throws out names that have been leading the charge for the club over the past decade, including brothers Ciaran and Conor Johnston, Conal Morgan, Michael Bradley, Donal Carson and Ryan McNulty.

Gerard Cunningham played at wing-back, but this year has taken on the role of manager with the Johnnies finally breaking their semi-final hoodoo, having come up short six times in seven years.

There were replay defeats to Cushendall in 2018 and 2019 and an extra-time reverse to Loughgiel in 2020 followed by two losses to Dunloy.

After exiting at the group stage in 2023, they were back in the semi-final last year when, once again, Cushendall were their nemesis in extra-time.

There was a threat it was going to be the same old story two weeks ago when trailing 14-man Cushendall by six in the last 10 minutes of the semi-final, but they rallied, forced extra time and, on this occasion, got over the line.

"The core group we now have only was coming through 10 years ago," Cunningham reflected. "The games against Cushendall have really stood to them and last week showed 10 years of character building.

"'Resilience' is the big word for us. You saw it against Rossa in the quarter-final and then in the semi-final when six down.

"It would have been easy to just throw the towel in but we didn't. [We] showed great character to come back and win it in extra time because three times before it was Cushendall who got over the line."

'Our focus is the game and not the occasion'

Since their seventh and last county hurling title when beating Ballycastle in 1973, the Johnnies have appeared in five finals which included a 1989 decider against a Loughgiel spearheaded by a number of players who had lined out for Antrim in that year's All-Ireland final against Tipperary, including one Olcan 'Clute' McFetridge as the Shamrocks powered to victory.

Defeats in 1991 to Cushendall and in 1994 to Dunloy followed with the Johnnies unable to get back to Antrim hurling's biggest day since.

Naturally, their semi-final victory two weeks ago sparked an outpouring of joy and excitement around the club, but for Cunningham and his players, their focus does not extend further than 2015.

"We haven't discussed 1973," he stressed.

"It's big for the club, and well overdue for a club of our size, but our focus and discussions have been the last 10 years rather than the last 52. What we've done over the last 10 years is more controllable than what happened previous to that.

"Final days are different and the lead up is different. There's a great buzz about the club, but we have taken a step back. Our buzz will be at five o'clock on Sunday if we win."

Rian McMullan Image source, Bert Trowlen

Image caption,

Rian McMullan celebrates his injury-time winner for Loughgiel in the semi-final against Dunloy

To do so, they must negotiate a way past a Loughgiel team that is seeking to end their own mini-drought.

It's been nine years since they claimed their last county success - an eternity for a club which leads Antrim's roll of honour with 20 titles.

Two years ago, they lost by the minimum to Cushendall when a late rally fell just short and, after defeat in last year's semi-final to Dunloy, they turned the tables on their fierce rivals with an injury-time score from Rian McMullan seeing them through.

"We've a lot of respect for them and any team that can beat Dunloy deserves to be there, so it will be tough," Cunningham added.

"We've analysed them and put a plan in place, but the main emphasis is on ourselves.

"If we play the way we know we can play, we can give anybody a game. They know that if they click, they will get places and a championship final is just rewards, but we're not done yet."

This week's GAA club fixtures

Tyrone SFC semi-final replay

Loughmacrory v Carrickmore (Healy Park, Friday, 19:30)

Fermanagh SFC final

Derrygonnelly v Belleek (Brewster Park, Saturday, 18:00)

Antrim SHC final

Loughgiel v St John's (Ballycastle, Sunday, 1400)

Derry SFC final

Magherafelt v Newbridge (Celtic Park, Sunday, 15:30)

Down SFC final

Kilcoo v Carryduff (Pairc Esler, Sunday, 15:30)

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