Campaign ends as it started for Lorrha and Moneygall

GAA: FBD Insurance County Intermediate Hurling Championship Final Preview

By Liam Hogan

LORRHA v MONEYGALL

FBD Semple Stadium

Sunday 30th October

Throw-in @ 1.00pm

Referee: John O’Grady (Rosegreen)

Hurling has come full circle this year in terms of the journeys both Lorrha and Moneygall have taken to this Sunday’s County Intermediate Hurling Championship final.

It was back on the day in early July when Tipperary beat Offaly in a dramatic All-Ireland minor hurling final when Lorrha took on Moneygall in the North Championship semi-final in Roscrea which Lorrha won comfortably 5-24 to 2-13.

It wasn’t the ideal start for Moneygall who after a successful league campaign, including a St Patrick’s Day win over Lorrha, and wanted to maintain their good form from 2021 when they lost the county semi-final to Kilsheelan.

Then again, the club was in the throngs of a crises with six of the team from 2021 absent either through semi-retirement, injured or out of the country as Willie Greene and Michael Ryan, Joe Fogarty, Sean Kenneally along with Paddy Fogarty and Mark Fanning on the missing list.

Lorrha on the other hand wanted to rid themselves of the disappointing outcome against Burgess in the 2021 premier intermediate relegation final. That semi-final win set them up for a big North final win over Shannon Rovers and from there they haven’t looked back, which with the exception of their narrow win over Borrisokane in the quarter final, they have more or less produced commanding victories throughout the remaining games in the county championship.

Both teams were almost at full strength for their respective group stage games and each side had commanding victories on route to the quarter final stages.

Looking at Lorrha’s path to the final they had wins over Carrick Davins (15 points), Golden-Kilfeacle (17 points) and Boherlahan-Dualla (3 points) which yielded an incredible 8-60 for while conceding 2-43 giving them a score difference plus 35.

Meanwhile, Moneygall overcame Ballingarry by two points and secured two more victories against Cappawhite (14 points) and Ballybacon/Grange by two clear goals to yield 5-54 for while conceding 1-44 giving them a score difference of plus 22.

The knockout stages were less clearcut. Lorrha drew their neighbours Borrisokane and received the fright of their lives as extra time was required to see them win by one point. Their semi-final win over Drom & Inch was much more facile as they registered their biggest score in the championship when winning 3-27 to 1-6.

Twelve months of hurt saw Moneygall get over Kilsheelan/Kilcash with a solid display in their quarter final, which overturned the semi-final defeat to the same opposition last year.

Their semi-final win over Skeheenarinky was more difficult with three points separating the teams in the end. There were some worrying moments for Moneygall. They trailed by five points at half time and the margin could have been eight had Skeheenarinky not missed a guilt edge chance of a goal towards the end of the first half. Hitting fourteen wides didn’t help Moneygall either.

But they are back in the final where they feel they have a real chance to pull off a surprise win as they will enter the game as underdogs. They have a solid fifteen with a strong backline led by Cathal Kennedy and Adam Hogan in the spine of the defence while Cathal Greene, Liam Carroll and Roddy Teehan have plenty experience to help them in front of an improving Ciaran Quinlan on the goal-line.

Liam Carroll will be a major loss at wing back as he appeared to be in trouble when substituted in the first quarter of the semi-final with Skeheenarinky. Elsewhere, there is plenty strength in the workrate of Conor Ryan and Paddy Fogarty at midfield while their forward line has plenty going for them also where Bob Kenny, Brendan Toohey, Joe Fogarty, Aodhan Ryan and Sean Kenneally will lead the way. Eoin Whyte, their captain in 2021 is a major loss to the side because of injury.

Lorrha have been everybody’s favourites since the campaign began. They have so many well-known names in their forward line Cian Hogan along with David, Christopher & Colm Fogarty. Eoin McIntyre’s return is a welcome boost to the attack which is led by the brilliant Patrick Maher at full forward. The Lorrha vice-captain will be hoping for a second county intermediate medal following his first one in 2007 where he had Kevin Hough and Ciaran Haugh on the same winning team, although the latter will miss the game with a long-term injury picked up prior to the North Final.

Kevin Hough is back as number one on the team since replacing Patrick Reddin who got injured in the Moneygall game three months ago. He hasn’t put a foot wrong since then as he plays behind a very cohesive backline of Tom Duggan and Denis O’Meara in the corners as they flank Daniel O’Donoghue. Michael Dolan is their team captain at centre back and will be supported either side by Tipp senior goalie Brian Hogan and recent Tipperary minor Darragh Guinan. At midfield are the likely to be the dependable Niall McIntyre and Alan O’Meara.

Going on scoring ability, you would have to favour Lorrha as they appear to have more options in the front six. Add in Brian Hogan who has the potential to score from either frees or general play and by Sunday afternoon, it should be the Lorrha men making an immediate return to the premier intermediate grade. Verdict: Lorrha