They march to their own beat in Dunloy, as far as hurling is concerned. For eight decades, the local hurling club - founded in 1908 - had an infertilte existence, but survived in the belief that their time would come. In 1990 it did when they claimed the Antrim county title for the first time; and they've almost forgotten how to lose since.

Yet, as Dunloy prepare to take on Sarsfields, the Galway and Connacht champions, in the AIB All-Ireland club championship semi-final at Mullingar on Sunday, the patience that stood them well in their lean spell is threatening to burst over into impatience. Not content with the rich pickings of a trophy cabinet full of Antrim and Ulster silverware, they want to make the national breakthrough too.

"Things don't go on forever," muses Dunloy official Tony Shivers, conscious that the age profile of the players' is rising and that Dunloy have knocked on the door twice - or thrice, if you count their second chance in the 1995 All-Ireland replay - already this decade, but without perceived success.

The real heart-break came three years ago when they lost out to Birr in a final replay - "the first game was a terrible match, but we should have won it," recollects Shivers - and then 12 months later in 1996, after beating Glenmore of Kilkenny by 12 points in the semi-final, they were back in Croke Park on St Patrick's Day but succumbed in the final to a Sixmilebridge side riding high on Clare's generally buoyant mood.

The foundations for Dunloy's rise to the top of Ulster hurling was laid in the late 1970s, when a strong juvenile programme was implemented. "Bascially, the team that won our first county title in 1990 was the same one that had been brought up together from under 10 and under 12 level," says Shivers.

That same team has now won four county titles this decade, but time is starting to catch them up. However, at least they re-enter the national stage on Sunday with the experience of two All-Ireland finals behind them - and the knowledge that their game-plan to date has worked superbly. "Some people say we weren't all that impressive in the Ulster final against Lavey, but it is all about peaking at the right time; and this is now the right time. We're counting down the time to Sunday's game," says Shivers.

Dunloy have left few stones unturned in their quest to make 1998 a year to remember. The entire squad has been "off the drink" since Christmas, augmenting two midweek evening training sessions (mainly physical) with another on Saturday (mainly ballwork) and a match on Sundays.

Two weeks ago, their desire for perfection brought them down to Wexford where that county's former manager Liam Griffin, who had guided them to the Liam McCarthy Cup two years ago, conducted a training weekend and arranged a challenge match with the county team. Dunloy's attitude and performance left a favourable impression amongst the Wexfordmen.

"We've played Wexford, Antrim, Down in the past few weeks and won all the games," reveals Shivers, providing an indication of the club's determination to overcome Sarsfields and reach their third All-Ireland final in four years, "but that counts for nothing really." The matches that have to be won are championship games, and it is four months since Dunloy had one of them.

The current determination in the Dunloy camp comes from a decision made back in 1996, shortly after they had lost their Antrim title to Ballycastle. "Last year we set our stall out to give it one more go," says Shivers, adding: "We resolved to work hard at it and try to win an All-Ireland."

Players and management - Seamus Elliott, Willie Richmond, Tom McLean and Dick McCague are the four selectors - were as good as their word and, after emerging again from Antrim, managed to overcome Derry champions Lavey in a tempestuous enough game. "Now, everything is focused on Sunday's game," states Shivers.

An indication of the team's solidity is that the same 15 players who started that provincial final with Lavey will again line out at the start against Sarsfields on Sunday. And if their ace sharpshooter, and captain, Alastair Elliott, who plays at left-corner forward, hits one of his increasingly more frequent good days, then the northerners' could be making a familiar trek to GAA headquarters next month in search of the Tommy Moore Cup. It'd be a nice way to celebrate the club's 90th birthday!