HURLING/ All Ireland Clubs: Ian O'Riordan talks to Dunloy defender Malachy Molloy about the Antrim club's determination to make their breakthrough at Croke Park

Six days before the All-Ireland club finals in Croke Park, each of the participating teams still have obstacles to overcome. In football, Caltra have to do without manager Frank Doherty, who remains suspended, and An Ghaeltacht have to decide whether to recall their player-manager, Fergal Ó Sé, who was suspended last month for their semi-final.

In hurling, Newtownshandrum have concerns about their most influential forward, Ben O'Connor, who continues to postpone surgery on a knee injury. And their opponents, Dunloy, have injury doubts hanging over Gary O'Kane and Liam Richmond, two of their more experienced players.

Yet only one team, Dunloy, can also be said to be truly facing a mental obstacle: the prospect of losing a fourth All-Ireland final in as many attempts. The Antrim club lost to Birr in last year's final, which followed the 1996 loss to Sixmilebridge, and another loss to Birr after a replay the year before that.

"Defeats like that always hurt," says Dunloy defender and captain Malachy Molloy. "But in some ways they leave you wanting more, a real incentive to get back, and reright the wrongs."

Molloy was speaking yesterday at the Toyota Motor Centre in Dublin, the company which will present a car to both the football and hurling club champions in Croke Park on St Patrick's Day. Winning the car would be nice, but in fairness the only thing Molloy and his team-mates care about is that All-Ireland title.

"Losing the first time we came to Croke Park was bad. The second time was worse. The third time was worse still. It's the hardest thing to go back to your own parish and to the people that you see everyday and explain to them what went wrong. All you really want to do is hide away. But sure, you have to go on, just hoping that you can get back to rectify the situation."

Even by Antrim hurling standards Dunloy is in the outback, away from the more traditional stronghold in the Glens. Every time they travel to Croke Park they've arrived as underdogs. Next Wednesday will be no different.

"You'll never have an Antrim team going in against a Cork team as favourites," adds Molloy. "But then that's only other people's point of view. We were made underdogs too for the semi-final against Portumna and ended up beating them."

Part of Dunloy's problem in their last three visits to Croke Park was their inability to repeat their form of the semi-final, most tellingly against Birr last year when they clearly underperformed compared to the semi-final win over Mount Sion.

"That's something we realise ourselves. But we've always tried our best going out there. Just because we've lost three All-Irelands doesn't mean we've lain down. We do have a great determination in the team, players that haven't had any real success over the years, and who feel this is maybe their last chance.

"But I think we were most unfortunate in 1995. And people are still saying we should have won that when we had Birr on the ropes. And we know Ulster hurling in general is crying out for something that might get the ball rolling. One success doesn't guarantee further success, but at least it's a step in the right direction."

Molloy would normally start at left wing back on the Dunloy team, but if O'Kane fails to get over his injury - a broken bone in his hand sustained in a challenge against UCD - then he is likely to switch over to centre back to provide the cover. Yet no one is ruling O'Kane out at this stage.

"Anyone who has made it to Croke Park on St Patrick's Day wants to play. So the management are giving Gary and Liam Richmond all the time they need, and they deserve that time.

"But I suppose in some ways it gives the rest of the team something to play for. It's no secret that we played that bit harder in the semi-final for Liam. We wanted to give him the chance to play in Croke Park on St Patrick's Day, and thankfully that's worked out."