All-Ireland Club Senior Hurling Championship final
Dunloy Cuchullain’s v Ballyhale Shamrocks; Croke Park, Sunday, 1.30pm, live on TG4
 
FOR a couple of years, Nigel Elliott couldn’t have been any further away from Dunloy’s county title-winning celebrations.

Having relocated to Melbourne, Australia, he tuned in during the middle of the night to watch his clubmates claim the Volunteer Cup in 2020 against Loughgiel and then again against Rossa in 2021.

With the celebrations in full swing at home, Elliott was heading out to work for the day, enjoying the sunshine and different pace to life Down Under with his fiancé, Kathryn.

Hurling was never far away and he played away with Melbourne Sinn Féin, alongside some familiar faces from north Antrim.

But the lure of home eventually became too much to bear and the decision was taken to return home and as the 2022 season panned out, it was absolutely vindicated.

“I was hoping six weeks would have done me, but two-and-a-half years later I ended up coming back,” he said at Dunloy’s press night last week.

“I missed two (county titles) and after Dunloy won the second one after I had been away (2021) I just thought I couldn’t miss any more because I know how great a team we have and it’s not one that comes around too often.

“The experience I had for those two-and-a-half years was great and I wouldn’t change it. I was working away and hurling away, but not as competitive and 36 degrees down there, so a bit of a different climate.

“We has three or four weddings (back home) that were being rescheduled because of Covid and they were all happening close to each other, so we just made the decision to come back and it’s kind of worked out well.”

It also worked out very well for the Cuchullains as Elliott helped deliver an Antrim Intermediate football title, a fourth county hurling title on the spin and then, played a key role in their Ulster final victory over Slaughtneil, bagging a gaol late in the first half that proved to be crucial.

In the All-Ireland semi-final, his fetch and layoff put Keelan Molloy away for one of the goals of the hurling year, so is it a coincidence Dunloy are back in an All-Ireland final in the same season he returned?

“I don’t know about that,” he said with a laugh, “but it’s a great feeling now. You dream as a young boy to be in these situations and here we are.

“From no age, by ma had me wrapped up following the aul boy (Nigel Snr) about. My da has been to four finals so I’m still a bit off his mark yet.

“It’s 18 years since the last time we (Dunloy) were in one. They don’t come around too often so you have to relish the opportunity.

“The way we look it is to leave nothing behind and throw the shackles off.”

Success with your club always feels a little extra special considering your success is shared by those you grew up with, whether at home or in the community.

Nigel’s previous county title win before his departure was in 2019, a thriller against Cushendall in the final where younger brother Seaan came off the bench to net twice late on.

His younger sibling has blossomed as a hurler, becoming a regular starter for club and county so winning further medals together and gearing up for an All-Ireland final is the stuff of dreams.

“It’s great to win all these medals and make memories with him,” said Nigel.

“When you get older it’s something we can always talk about, but Seaan is just a good man to play with as he has bags of talent.”

It was another thriller against Cushendall in a county final in 2022 and again it was a late goal that put the seal on it - this tie Chrissy McMahon scampering through to finish.

Getting over that arm wrestle of a game proved invaluable as Dunloy went into their Ulster final against Slaughtneil battle hardened and having lost the three previous meetings with the Derry club, this time they were ready.

“Out of all the county finals I played in, Cushendall gave us a helluva game this year, but it was no surprise as we all know how good Cushendall are,” Elliott reflected.

“That benefitted us going into Slaughtneil as we were coming off that high-intensity, hard-hitting game and there are similarities between Cushendall and Slaughtneil.

“Thankfully we got over the line against Slaughtneil so it was nice to get that monkey off our backs. Both were great games with little in them and they benefited us going into the All-Ireland semi-final - it all played its part.”

The win over St Thomas’ was a magical early Christmas present, but entirely unexpected as there was a sense the wide-open spaces of Croke Park would suit this Dunloy side that is laden with pace and craft.

On Sunday, the bar is raised to the maximum as they take on a Ballyhale Shamrocks side that is laden with talent and All-Ireland medals.

The Kilkenny side is a red-hot favourite, but that doesn’t matter to Dunloy who will head south with full belief in their own ability.

“It’s a massive challenge against probably the best club team that’s graced Croke Park,” Elliott admits.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best, but we’ve fellas who’ve a lot of medals and success in Croke Park, so hopefully that continues.

“We know what we’re up against in Ballyhale and when you list the players they have it’s unbelievable, but we’ll just see what the 22nd brings.”