ULSTER SHC: Cunning feels Slaughtneil are setting the standard

Dunloy attacking ace Conal Cunning has had quite a year.

Named Joe McDonagh player of the year for his exploits with Antrim, the talented forward had a superb county championship campaign in both codes.

'Coby' picked up Antrim All-Stars for both hurling and football, while also clinching Hurler of the Year and the top scorer award in both codes.

The Cúchullain's picked up the Antrim intermediate football title alongside their fourth hurling crown in a row, but when it comes to Ulster, Cunning says the Emmet's are the measuring stick.

“Slaughtneil have set a standard that we know ourselves we haven't got to over the last four, five years,” he said.

“We know now where that standard is and where we have to be. Slaughtneil is a great team, there is no doubt about it. You are not going to go out not playing your best and get anywhere close to them.

The Dunloy attacker has had a fine year with club and county. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile.

“You're going to have to play your best and things are going to have to go your way as well.

“All we can do is put in a good performance, and if we get that, and things go our way, we'll end up on the right side of things.”

Over the last five years, there has been a consistent margin of around seven or eight points between the sides at the final whistle.

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The experienced centre back said both Dunloy and Slaughtneil have moved forward.

After three bouts of sparring, the sides are familiar with each other, something the Antrim star said could be both a help and a hindrance.

“It's like a game of chess in a way too, because we have played each other four or five times. We know every player, we kind of know positions and certain roles, and they know us too,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the team that wants it the most is going to win, and probably – though we've worked very hard the last couple of years – we just haven't got over the line.

“I don't know if it helps or hinders you; it goes both ways. I suppose for forwards it's maybe going to hinder you but for backs they might argue it's going to help them.

Action from Páirc Esler during the 2019 meeting of the teams. Pic: Philip Fitzgerald/Sportsfile.

“We're coming out of Antrim four years in a row, Slaughtneil are coming out of Derry, that's how it's been.

“We could tell at the start of the year whoever came out of Antrim was going to be playing Slaughtneil, and they are a top class team; top class players, top class athletes.

“We see them playing for Derry in football and hurling and if we want anything, it's going to have to be our very best.”

With the Cúchullain's footballers' success, and the consistency of their camogie team, the comparisons between them and Slaughtneil have felt unavoidable.

“I've thought that the comparisons were always there,” said Cunning.

“Yes, Slaughtneil were winning all those times, and maybe the last couple of years when we won the football championship and have been getting to the final of the camogie championship.

“We've been working hard in all codes. Maybe last year a few of us didn't play football, but in my eyes the football benefits the hurling and the hurling benefits the football.

Cunning's dead ball ability has been an asset to Dunloy. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.

“It's not easy to re-enact games in training and those game time situations that you're getting in football has definitely helped us in the hurling.”

Eyes around the country will be fixed on Armagh on Sunday, but the Antrim champions have a clear focus on the task ahead.

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Dunloy once again come for the champions; will it be fourth time lucky?

“It's what you love doing; playing championship in front of crowds, but at the same time, we're concentrating on ourselves,” said Cunning.

“Whoever is coming to watch the match, that can be for the supporters, the pundits and the media to discuss.

“We don't care if there are three people or three thousand people, we are just worried about getting a performance.”