The passing years have failed to dilute the passionate interest former Antrim player Dominic McKinley has had for hurling so it’s no surprise to discover that he can hardly wait for Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final between Cork and Clare to get under way at Croke Park (3.30pm).
It was back in 1989 that McKinley was a key figure in the Antrim side that went under to Tipperary in the decider but his love for the sport has remained unquenchable.
Limerick may have pocketed the last four All-Ireland titles but McKinley is convinced that Sunday’s contest will have added allure given that Clare have already won the Allianz League title and the Rebels are desperately keen to sit on the All-Ireland throne once again.
“There is no doubt that Limerick’s recent dominance has kept other counties at bay but I think that this pairing is particularly appealing,” points out McKinley.
“In Cork and Clare we have two teams who will want to stamp their authority on this All-Ireland Final and for this reason I think it will be a cracking tie. Other teams have lived in Limerick’s shadow of late but we will have new champions this weekend.”
In winning the Allianz League title, Clare underlined their consistency before engaging a higher gear in the Munster and All-Ireland Championships with players such as Eibhear McQuilligan, Aidan McCarthy, Tony Kelly, Adam Hogan, Mark Rodgers and Shane O’Donnell stepping up to the mark.
But McKinley believes that Cork are capable of rising to the occasion in style. He points to the sustained accuracy of Patrick Horgan in particular and the skills of Brian Hayes, Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy, Declan Dalton and Eoin Downey as being central to Cork’s game plan for the contest.
In their Semi-Final against Limerick, Cork trailed by 0-16 to 1-11 at half-time but underlined their tenacity and scoring touch in the second half when they turned on the pressure. They finished the game on a high note in winning by 1-18 to 0-29 on a day when Limerick failed to maintain their pace and work rate in the last quarter.
“I honestly think that Cork will have the edge in this one. They showed in overcoming Limerick at the Semi-Final stage that they are made of stern stuff and they will certainly relish this challenge. Their manager Pat Ryan will have the team fired up, that’s for sure, and if they can hit the ground running then they will not be easily contained,” insists McKinley.
Clare last won the All-Ireland title in 2013 while Cork have not been crowned champions since 2004 and this offers ample evidence that Sunday’s contest will be an absorbing battle.