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DD Quinn. Sportsfile.

‘It’s fairytale stuff’ – Loughgiel determined to take next step

If you have to lose one to win one, Loughiel Gaels should be odds on this weekend in Parnell Park.

LOUGHGIEL GAELS STILL boast that they’re the only Ulster club to have won the All-Ireland SHC championship crown, back in 1983.

But this is a new team looking to make their own history.

“It’s fairytale stuff from where we’ve come from; getting to six finals and being beaten to getting back-to-back championships,” club goalkeeper DD Quinn said this week.

“Last year was maybe more of bonus territory getting to an All-Ireland semi-final, but this year we are not looking at that we want to progress and get a step further and the next step is Paddy’s Day and it would be really nice. Every club wants to be there.”

The northeners face Na Piarsaigh of Limerick in Dublin this Saturday at Parnell Park, thanks in no small to Quinn’s performances this year.  He made a string of fine saves against O’Loughlin Gaels last season but it wasn’t enough to stop the Kilkenny champs marching on.

“You can’t buy experience and after being in Parnell Park, it is a small ground and maybe we do have that advantage over Na Piarsaigh,” he says.

“What we took from last year was that boys from the south are good hurlers – but they are no better than the rest of us. Loughgiel train probably as hard as the rest of them boys and maybe don’t get as much recognition because you are form a club in Antrim. The experience hopefully will stand to us but we won’t know until the day.”

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