Neil McManus dedicates Ruairí Óg’s Ulster win to late supporter in powerful speech

Niall McIntyre

Neil McManus dedicated Ruairí Óg Cushendall’s Ulster club hurling championship win to the club’s late supporter John McKillop.

Cushendall defeated Slaughtneil by 0-20 to 2-10 in Newry on Sunday, to win a record-breaking 12th Ulster club hurling championship.

Ed McQuillan, Joseph McLaughlin and Neil McManus starred for the Glensmen, who ended a famine of sorts in winning their first provincial title since 2018.

They now advance to the semi-finals of the All-Ireland club hurling championship, where they will take on O’Loughlin Gaels of Kilkenny.

The fixture will undoubtedly inspire welcome memories of 2016 for Cushendall, of when they defeated Sarsfields of Galway to reach that season’s club final, where they were eventually beaten by Na Piarsaigh of Limerick.

On that day, Wee John, as John McKillop was affectionately known, accompanied the club’s captain Aaron Graffin for the throw-in. McKillop passed away back in July at the age of 60 but his memory and his legacy live on, and he was remembered by McManus in a powerful victory speech on Sunday.

“Lifting this cup should have been John McKillop’s job, as everybody knows,” McManus ended his speech, from the steps of the Páirc Esler stand.

“He’s very much in our thoughts, even when he’s not being spoken about. He is the epitome of our club, and we take this cup home today, in memory of John, and everybody who’s surrounding his family.”

Prior to that, the 35-year-old had paid a big tribute to Slaughtneil, their opponents on the day.

“I want to pay tribute to Slaughtneil, the standard-bearers in Ulster hurling for the past decade.

“A team that everybody’s been chasing, a team that everybody’s been learning from, ourselves included. We hold you in the highest regard, and we have the utmost respect for you and your club.”

“To our own management team in Cushendall,” he continued.

“You’ve stuck with us for three years. It’s took us a while to get to the level we needed to get to. But your faith in us is stead-fast and you never stopped believing in us.

“We’re only on part of the journey, there is more of the mountain to climb. But we appreciate everything you do for us.

“To our players, the work that you’ve put in over the past three seasons has culminated in today.

“There is more to come. But the work you’re doing is paying off lads. You’re an absolute credit to your families and to our club, and I’m very proud to be part of this group.”

Watch the full speech here.