NEWS ROUND-UP: Dunloy will be at full strength for Sunday's All-Ireland club semi-final against Mount Sion in Mullingar. After the lifting of Gregory O'Kane's suspension, allowing him to play, comes the good news that Dominic McMullan and Liam Richmond have been passed fit to play against the Munster champions.
"We gave them a fitness test and they came through so they're both in the team," according to manager Seán McLean. "Gregory's had an outstanding campaign but got sent off in the last minute of the Ulster final. We thought he'd be cited for rough play or something and couldn't believe it when the referee reported him for striking.
"We brought forward some video evidence which exonerated him, and fair play to the Ulster Council they accepted that."
Although available yesterday at 10 to 1 for the weekend's match, Dunloy are vastly more experienced at this level than their opponents. In 1995 and '96 the Antrim champions reached the All-Ireland final, losing to Birr (after a replay) and Sixmilebridge.
"I'm happy enough with the preparations," says McLean. "Everyone knows that Waterford hurling is on a high after winning a Munster title for the first time in 39 years and Mount Sion winning their first since 1981. But Dunloy has players who have been there and done it, so we have the experience and I'm not in awe of Mount Sion. To tell you the truth we'd be fairly confident."
Not over-confident, of course. Mount Sion's well-publicised row with All Star Eoin Kelly, who returned to training only last week, has created an air of anxiety in Waterford that will have the Munster champions on their guard.
"I'm not party to what's going on there," says McLean, "and you can't always believe what you read in the papers."
Like the Galway champions, Antrim's representatives don't have the benefit of a testing provincial championship. To make up for this, Dunloy have been on their travels in preparation for Sunday.
"That's why we went to Tipperary for a weekend camp," says the manager. "It helps us to get to the pace of the game. That's our problem. The skills are there but the speed of the hurling is something we need to practise and the intensity."
Former Tipperary player Ger O'Neill has been advising Dunloy since before Christmas and his club, Cappawhite, provided opposition, as have the Down and Laois county teams.
Twice finalists and seldom less than competitive, taking Sarsfields to a replay five years ago and pushing eventual champions Birr 12 months ago, Dunloy have only one remaining ambition: the All-Ireland.
"Every year we say that winning the county again would be a bonus and when we get through that it's a question of whether we will give the All-Ireland a go again. But there's a freshness about the team this year that I haven't seen in a while."
DUNLOY (SH v Mount Sion): D Magee; D McMullan, S Mullen, F McMullan; M Molloy, Gary O'Kane, P McMullan; C McGuckian, C Cunning; Gregory O'Kane, L Richmond, N Elliott; P Richmond, A Elliott, M Corry.
