HURLING: ALLY'S NOT DUN YET.. HE'S BEST BIRR NONE; Elliot back after serious injury in club quarter-final.

Byline: Jackie CAHILL 

EIGHT weeks ago an All-Ireland club hurling semi-final was the furthest thing from Alastair Elliot's mind.

For him, the immediate task was mere survival.

Late on in the quarter-final clash with Fr Murphy's, Elliot was struck by a sickening blow to the head that caused a double fracture to the skull.

As the Dunloy star lay prostrate on the Ruislip sod in London during the last-eight tie, worried club officials rushed to his aid.

Elliot wasn't wearing a helmet and, while he didn't lose consciousness or require stitches, the seriousness of the injury was immediately apparent.

The Antrim hitman was rushed to hospital where his condition was closely monitored for 48 hours.

He suffered damage to one of his inner ears and couldn't travel home by plane.

Instead he was forced to return by ferry via Stranraer, accompanied by his father and brother Malachy, who is a Dunloy selector.

The 30-year-old said: "I remember nothing.It was only when I came round and found myself in hospital that I knew something was seriously wrong.

"But now I'm coming on well and I should be fit for the match against Birr in two weeks."

The irony is that Elliot wore a helmet at underage level, but when he lost it at 16 years of age, he never really bothered to invest in another.

His uncle and Dunloy coach Seamus Elliot says: "I always remember Ally going onto the pitch with that white helmet on him.

"He was such a super player as a youngster and I had him since under-12 level.

"He always looked the part and was blessed with supreme skill.

"He has seven county medals with Dunloy, but I'll always remember a Feile na nGael tournament in Wexford where Alastair scored 28 goals and 37 points in total.

"We went all the way to the final that year and ended up being beaten by Birr of all teams."

Now the scene is set for a return match in Clones on February 17 - and Elliot is winning his battle to be fit.

"I returned to training two weeks ago and everything's going ok," he explains.

"The doctors have advised me to wear a helmet so I'll be doing that now.

"I find it difficult using one, but I'd advise anyone to do so. It's compulsory for kids to wear one these days and it's proper order.

"I haven't had too many side-effects from the injury although I do feel a little dizzy from time to time.

"I was in bed for two weeks until Christmas and there were plenty of people calling to the house to see how I was.

"But I think they were more worried about whether or not I'd be fit in time for the Birr game," he jokes.

Elliot made his championship debut for the Saffrons back in 1990 - just a year after that famous victory against Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final.

But unfortunately for a player with such immense talent, the medals have been few and far between, save for Ulster glory.

Dunloy came desperately close to the club title in 1995, losing a replayed final against Birr.

And Seamus Elliot says: "It was a terrible day in Dublin, but we should have beaten them first time out.

"But funnily enough if we had won the All-Ireland we'd never have won those seven county titles.

"Losing that match actually kept the side together, because I think the team would have broken up had we not lost.

"Now we have another match against them and we are optimistic.

"We know we'll have to have up to 20 players performing out of their skin to do it, but we've trained hard for it."

For Alastair, it's a chance to familiarise himself with intense hurling once again.

"I was a little shaky returning to training because I really didn't know what to expect," he says.

"But it was nice to get back. I had to get the boat back home again.

"So it was a seven-hour journey from London to Scotland, followed by the sailing and then another journey back home.

"I was glad to get to bed I can tell you," he grins.

Even though he's one of the most gifted hurlers of his generation, Elliot doesn't dwell on what might have been had he been born in a more successful hurling county.

"Home is home after all," is his simple answer.

Seamus adds: "If he had been from Kilkenny, Clare or Cork he still would have made the senior team because he's pure quality."

A five-goal salvo against Fr Murphy's illustrates the point, but Ally will always remember that day for all the wrong reasons.

A joiner by trade, he returned to work last month, but it's been tough trying to get back to full fitness.

"Hopefully by the time the Birr game comes around I'll be back to a high level."

And he'll be armed with a brand new helmet.

CAPTION(S):

SAFFRON STYLE: Alastair Elliot of Dunloy has tasted Ulster Hurling Championship success with Antrim; PASSING YEARS: Antrim last appeared in an All-Ireland final in 1989 - a year before Elliot made his Saffrons debut