Lorrha give Killenaule the blues

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling - Seamus O’Riain Cup Semi-Final

 

Lorrha     3-20 
Killenaule     2-13 

Report: Liam Hogan at Semple Stadium
 

MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Brian Hogan (Lorrha) 
SCORERS - Lorrha: Colm Fogarty 1-7 (0-7 frees); Christopher Fogarty 1-2; Cian Hogan 1-1; Brian Hogan 0-3 (2 frees, 1’65); Eoin McIntyre, Patrick Maher, Niall McIntyre 0-2 each; David Fogarty 0-1. 
Killenaule: Ciaran O’Dwyer 1-3 (1-2 frees, 1 ’65); Dean O’Connor 1-3; Eoin Barry 0-3 (2 frees); Thomas Keaveney 0-2; Michael Doyle, Joe O’Dwyer 0-1 each. 

Lorrha continued their impressive run to progress to the Seamus O’Riain Cup final following an impressive ten point semi-final win over a leaderless Killenaule side at last Sunday afternoon. 

In another high scoring performance following their 4-21 against Templederry in the quarter final Lorrha recorded their fourth win in a row. However, the victory was not without a jolt or two. For instance they opened the account with a Colm Fogarty free after two minute but yet conceded 1-2 in the next five. It was similar to their third round victory over Portroe but they recovered much well and led 1-10 to 1-6 half time and never looked threatened with Cian Hogan’s goal in the 56th minute sealing the win for the North men. 

They return to Semple Stadium to face Mullinahone in a final for the first time since 1984 when Lorrha last played a senior final there when losing the centenary county final to Moycarkey/Borris. Lorrha manager John McIntyre played that day and after Sunday’s win he has reason to be optimistic that they can collect the silverware on Saturday week. 

The display of his centre back was Brian Hogan was highly impressive. Hogan fielded so many balls, made many clearances and scored three points from placed balls. Ciaran Haugh was not far behind at wing back with his best game to date while Eoin Cleary rarely put a foot wrong in his first start on the other wing. 

The inside backline of Graham Houlihan, Conor Hogan and Michael Dolan, so often criticised in the past, never put a foot wrong with Houlihan having his best outing to date. They needed to be as Killenaule’s Dean O’Connor needed watching and conceding just 1-5 from play O’Connor (1-3) and Eoin Barry 0-2 made life easy for goalkeeper Paddy Reddin who was in the wars having sustained a leg injury.

 
The front eight had a good day with Eoin McIntyre and Colm Fogarty the main men while Christopher Fogarty and Patrick Maher always in the mix while Cian Hogan and David Fogarty had busier days but made handsome contributions nonetheless.  

Killenaule can have no qualms about this result. Since losing to Kiladangan in the 2016 Dan Breen Cup semi-final they have disappointed and dropping to the Seamus O’Riain for the 2020 season was meant to be a short duration. Luck hasn’t been on their side either and going into last Sunday’s game they were short of their talisman John O’Dwyer due to injury. With ankle and hamstring injuries, O’Dwyer looked clearly unfit when he appeared as a half time substitute but he lasted only thirteen minutes. His chances of featuring in Liam Sheedy’s plans this October look slim. 

However, the veteran Declan Fanning was included as he Mark Stakelum at wing forward just before throw in. Paudie Feehan featured best at centre back with Joe O’Dwyer, Ciaran O’Dwyer trying hardest while Dean O’Connor was their best forward. 

After Dean O’Connor fifth minute goal made it 1-2 to 0-1 for Killenaule, it looked as if Lorrha were going to have a battle on their hands. But between the seventh and 13th minute they recovered well with a run of 1-5 without reply thanks to points by Christopher Fogarty, Eoin McIntyre and Colm Fogarty from a free before Eoin McIntyre put Colm Fogarty through for a well-taken goal in the eleventh minute. 

Two Patrick Maher scores had Lorrha four in front before Killenaule wing back Ciaran O’Dwyer landed a huge free in the 14th minute. After Fogarty’s third pointed free the game reached its first water break leaving Lorrha in front 1-7 to 1-3.

In the 20th minute Ciaran O’Dwyer landed his second long range free. Three minutes later Eoin Barry converted another free from closer to home but Lorrha were beginning to look the better side and three points in five minutes through Chris Fogarty and two Colm Fogarty frees stretched their lead to five before Joe O’Dwyer landed one from play on half way as Lorrha led by four points at half time. 

John O’Dwyer’s arrival for the start of the second half caused a mild stir but the real impact came at the other end five minutes after the resumption when Lorrha availed of sloppy by play Stephen Browne as Christopher Fogarty robbed the defender and ran on to kick the ball to the net. The McIntyre brothers, Eoin and Niall, followed up with a point each to make it double score after forty minutes.

Killenaule hit back with three unanswered points through Tom Keaveney (2) and Eoin Barry. Niall McIntyre’s point from half way restored Lorrha’s belief in time for the second water break. When play resumed Patrick Bonner Maher won a free which Colm Fogarty converted. At the other end, Killenaule needed a score and it was left to Dean O’Connor to find the target. However, Lorrha had the better firepower and Brian Hogan’s two long range frees gave Lorrha their biggest lead yet 2-16 to 1-11 after 52 minutes. 

Frees by Eoin Barry and Ciaran O’Dwyer left Killenaule six in arrears with as many minutes remaining. One minute later the game was put to bed. A long range free from Brian Hogan landed on the edge of the small square where Cian Hogan used his height and power to outwit the Killenaule defence. One catch and bang, Lorrha were 3-16 to 1-13 in front. 

The goal seemed to take the full weight of David Fogarty shoulders as he popped up out of nowhere to add a point and Colm Fogarty’s free moved Lorrha eleven clear.  Lorrha could relax now but deep into injury time they conceded a close in free which Ciaran O’Dwyer firing low and hard to Patrick Reddin’s net. It was only a consolation score as Cian Hogan and another Brian Hogan free wrapped up the game as Lorrha edge closer to a return to Senior ‘A’ for the first time since 2016.

TEAMS – Lorrha: Patrick Reddin (7); Graham Houlihan (7), Conor Hogan (7), Michael Dolan (7); Eoin Cleary (6), Brian Hogan (8), Ciaran Haugh (8); Daniel O’Donoghue (7), Niall McIntyre (7); David Fogarty (7), Patrick Maher (7), Eoin McIntyre (8); Christopher Fogarty (6), Cian Hogan (6), Colm Fogarty (8). 
Sub: Denis O’Meara for Dolan (20-22 blood).
Killenaule: Jonathon Gleeson (7); Stephen Browne (6), Paddy Codd (6), Cillian O’Dwyer (7); Ciaran O’Dwyer (7), Joe O’Dwyer (7), Paudie Feehan (8); Michael Doyle (6), Eoin O’Connell (6); Declan Fanning (6), Jimmy Feehan (6), Tom Keaveney (5); Dean O’Connor (8), Eoin O’Shaw (6), Eoin Barry (7). 
Subs: Liam Meagher for K O’Dwyer (blood 29-30); John O’Dwyer (5) for J Feehan (HT); Liam Meagher (6) for Browne (43); Kieran Bergin (NR) for Barry (55). 
Referee: Mark Jordan (Golden Kilfeacle)