Massive prize at stake for clubs on the rise in O Riain Cup final

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Seamus O Riain Cup Final Preview

 

By Shane Brophy

LORRHA v MULLINAHONE
Semple Stadium, Thurles
Saturday 19th September
Throw-in @ 2.00pm
Referee: Seamus Delaney (JK Brackens)

A huge prize is at stake for both Lorrha and Mullinahone in this Saturday’s Seamus O Riain Cup final at Semple Stadium.

Not only is their county silverware on offer, there is the big ticket to the Dan Breen Cup competition for 2021 and with a change in the structure with only one team being promoted and relegated this year compared to two in recent years, it provides a massive opportunity of one of these clubs to go up and possibly bed in for a couple of years.

Mullinahone would have been seen as one of the championship contenders at the start of the year to reach the final whereas Lorrha would have been in the outsiders bracket, and following their first round group stage defeat to Thurles Sarsfields in July, it appeared as if another underwhelming year would be on the cards for the Lower Ormond men.

However, just as losing becomes a habit, so does winning and since the monkey was lifted off their backs with the win over Kiladangan in round 2, they haven’t looked back, going onto record hugely impressive wins against Portroe, Templederry Kenyons and Killenaule to reach the final.

They are a team who always had the players but couldn’t gel together over the last four years, until the return of John McIntyre to the helm late last year. He firstly set about getting them senior championship fit and it is no coincidence that it is the first year in quite a few that Lorrha have been able to put their best fifteen on the field on a regular basis with the treatment table underutilised this summer.

The return of Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher from a long term knee injury has also boosted the side and whereas in previous years Maher would have been seen as the fulcrum of the attack, Lorrha now have six scoring forwards in their arsenal so opponents can’t focus on the three-time All-Ireland winner with Tipperary.

The addition of Colm Fogarty out of minor level this year has been a massive addition as he not only provides a class player, he also has provided an accurate free-taker which has been Lorrha’s problem in recent years. His arrival has also seen his older brother Christopher finally show his true ability while other older brother David offers a willing worker, with all three sons of former Lorrha attacker Willie Fogarty.

You also add in former Tipperary under 21 Cian Hogan who has been in strong form over the past two years, while the McIntyre brothers, Niall & captain Eoin, also have an eye for goal from midfield or the half forward line.

While the forwards have been filling their boots in the championship so far, defensively is where Lorrha are vulnerable but they will have been boosted by their improvement in the semi-final against Killenaule, however, Mullinahone will offer a stiffer threat, not only with Eoin Kelly, but Mikey O’Shea, Martin Dunne and Enda Keane have scores in them, as does former Tipperary panellist Sean Curran at midfield.

Lorrha’s first round loss to Thurles Sarsfields coincided with a suspension for Ciaran Haugh who was back to his best last time out, while Brian Hogan has been relocated from full to centre back, and along with Eoin Cleary, they offer Lorrha considerable size in the air in the half back line.

Mullinahone’s inside forwards aren’t quick which will please the Lorrha inside defence who like to attack the ball where Conor Hogan had his best game in the championship in the semi-final. Michael Dolan will likely be tasked to pick up Eoin Kelly and while the 38-year-olds legs aren’t willing, the mind certainly is as was seen against Newport where he gained frees not many other players would.

It is the first ever championship meeting between the sides with Mullinahone a junior side during Lorrha’s last strong period as senior force in the 1980’s while Mullinahone’s rise to a first county title in 2002 coincided with Lorrha drop back to intermediate level, before returning in 2007.

The prize could be more massive for both sides, a title a rise to the Dan Breen Cup for 2021. For Mullinahone, they have players from last years county Minor ‘A’ semi-final team that will only benefit from hurling at a higher grade in the near future. The same goes for Lorrha who have several promising players coming through in a couple of years’ time from under 14 and 16 sides that reached North finals. This is how big a prize this years Seamus O Riain Cup is for both sides.

Based on both semi-finals, Lorrha will go in as favourites but they will be first two know they didn’t get the test from Killenaule they would have been expecting while Mullinahone are battle hardened following their come from behind win over Newport.

After a slow start, Mullinahone were able get to drips with Newport’s lively forwards so they’ll feel they have the weapons to tie down Lorrha’s inside forwards with Colin Shelly and Daire O’Brien’s battled with Colm & Christopher Fogarty likely to be key, as will Paul Curran and Eoin Fennelly with Cian Hogan and Patrick Maher respectively.

They say forwards wins games and defence wins championships and if Lorrha have improve still further from their campaign to date in the back six, they could be celebrating a first county senior championship in their history on Saturday evening. Verdict: Lorrha