Gregory O'Kane has guided Dunloy back into the Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Final.
By Cian O’Connell
“We are no different to any county in Ireland, we love our hurling, we love playing, we love watching, and we like being involved in it,” Gregory O’Kane remarks about the passion which exists for the game in Dunloy.
Another Antrim Senior Hurling Championship decider beckons against Ruairí Óg Cushendall as a keenly contested competition edges towards an interesting conclusion.
Dunloy, champions in 2017, face holders Cushendall with O’Kane acknowledging the desire and interest that surrounds the game.
“Absolutely, you had around 7,000 people at the two semi-finals two weeks ago,” O’Kane adds. “On Sunday again Cushendall and St John's played in the replay, the same packed to the rafters. Antrim people have passion for hurling.”
So Dunloy are thrilled to be relevant once more. Between 2009 and 2017 Dunloy didn’t raise any senior silverware, but underneath the surface significant underage work was being carried out according to O’Kane.
“It is brilliant for this young team,” O’Kane admits. “They are the next generation of Dunloy hurlers so we are delighted to be back in a final. Hopefully they can push on.
“There is no substitute for coaching, no substitute for putting the work in to underage structures. If a lot of people do the right thing then eventually you get there.
“A good club like Dunloy, this is inherited by the people, they live for hurling, the same as anywhere else.
Brian Whelehan, Birr, and Gregory O'Kane, Dunloy, during the 2003 AIB All Ireland Club Hurling Final.
“When you get everyone bought into it, like the parents, you just stay going with your coaching. Please God you get them through the age groups to play senior, and then you try to drive on.”
In Dunloy was there a belief that this emerging crop of hurlers would deliver on the most important days in Antrim once more?
“Yes, if you trace it back a lot of their fathers played,” O’Kane replies. “You might have six or seven sons, their dads would have been in the 90s team. As the saying goes they didn't pick it off the ditch so in that regards there is sons and offsprings.
“You might even have nephews, like all traditional clubs. When you see players coming through, when you see that potential you just want to keep them playing, you want to get them through the grades.
“They have been successful at underage, minors, and Under 21s, then you start thinking to yourselves that we could be going places at senior. We are at that level now.”
A widely respected inter-county performer for Antrim, O’Kane has derived pleasure from his graduation into various coaching roles during the past decade.
“At times like this you enjoy it, but coaching and management sometimes can be a hard gig; I always enjoy it, I love being involved in hurling which is just a way of life for us,” O’Kane remarks.
“Being involved in hurling, it doesn't matter if it is your under 8s or your senior team, it is just nice to go to the pitch, coach it, manage it, just be involved.
Dunloy were defeated by Portumna in the 2010 AIB All Ireland Club Hurling Semi-Final.
“I was always keen to stay involved in the game because the last thing you want to do when you finish playing is just walk off the scene.
“I'm delighted to be given the chance to manage Dunloy to stay involved in the coaching and management aspect of the game.”
These are encouraging times for Antrim with O’Kane adamant that the Joe McDonagh Cup is assisting the Saffrons.
“The county scene has gone nearly all or nothing with lads putting so much effort and time into it,” O’Kane says.
“Definitely for Antrim there has been green shoots, the Joe McDonagh has been a huge success for Antrim. The quality of games Antrim are getting. All you have to do is to look at Laois going on beating Dublin before dying with their boots on against Tipperary.
“The McDonagh has genuinely worked for Antrim. Where we need to improve on is probably the college aspect, having that structure around like the strong counties - Galway have NUIG and GMIT, obviously you have the likes of LIT and others in Limerick, Cork has colleges.
“That is the next step for Antrim, the secondary school coaching aspect of it, following that through into your colleges to help develop minor and Under 21s to progress to seniors.”
O’Kane has occupied a central role in Dunloy’s renaissance. The next chapter in that story will be penned against an accomplished Cushendall outfit. It could go the distance.
