McLoughlin takes up the slack

THE question about what makes top quality sports stars different from all the others will always be debated.

Is it natural born talent, a never say die attitude, an unwillingness to accept your fate until the final whistle blows or just a total dedication to your craft – one or perhaps all of those help to make the stars we know today.

There is one attribute, however, that all the top players have that many others seem to lack and that is the ability to go to the well over and over again when the time for action arrives. In Cork hurling circles, there are few as proficient in this regard as Kanturk’s Lorcan McLoughlin.

Last weekend the hugely talented hurler hit another seven points to help guide his club side to their first All-Ireland final and the mild mannered, extremely likeable star did it without any fuss whatsoever.

McLoughlin picked up from where he left off while also taking on the mantle of free taker for his injured comrade Liam O’Keeffe, while also dominating the middle third of the field over an exuberant but out classed Middletown Na Fianna of Armagh.

McLoughlin, as one would expect, was playing down the individual and concentrating on the team after Saturday’s semi-final win, but he was also very proud of what he and his Kanturk teammates had achieved.

“Delighted with the win today and thrilled to make it to the final next week. Games like this today are there for winning, it wasn’t the perfect performance from ourselves there today but we got there but we have plenty to work on over the next seven days or so.”

The inter-county star was clear that his side can improve and recognised that it is better to be going into a final with improvement still in the tank, but he also had a word of warning for his side as they look to claim the ultimate prize next Sunday.

“Of course it is good to be going into a final knowing that there is more in your team and that you can improve from the semi-final but unfortunately it doesn’t always work that way. You can’t just turn these things on. We have plenty to work on before the final and we will all do what we can to make sure we put in the best performance we can.”

As with most games the tone early on was key on Saturday and the early goal was key to the comfortable win. It’s good to be going into a final knowing that there is more in your team and that you can improve

“We got the perfect start. A goal inside a minute was perfect for us and we were able to push on from there. I thought we were well worth our nine point lead at the break and we were able to see it out from there.

“At times today you could see that the break had some affect. Last year we were week after week and that helped us gather momentum, but for this one we had a break and we weren’t as fresh as we would have liked.

“Normally we would be worried after last week’s postponement, but we got a really competitive challenge match during the week and that really stood to us – all that helped us to get the win look a win is a win and we are through to an All-Ireland final and we really are delighted with that.

“I think with the conditions last week the game might have been much more of a dog fight and that might not have suited us but this weekend I thought all the lads really knuckled down and we were focussed right from the start and got the result.”

While a lot of what happens next weekend is in Kanturk’s own hands it must be said that the opposition will clearly have a huge say in what Kanturk’s fate will be.

“Ballyragget will obviously be a tough opposition next weekend, we have all seen that and we know that we have to step it up to be in a position to challenge them.”

Lorcán is looking forward to going back to Croke Park, a venue that conjures up a mixture of emotions for him personally.

“Of course it is brilliant to be going back to Croke Park. There is no better venue, no better pitch and no better place to win but it is a horrible place to lose. I have experienced both there, but none of that matters now, it is going to be an incredible great day for the club to be sending out a team in an All-Ireland Final in Croke Park, it is going to be special for us all.”