Conor continuing the Hennessy legacy

By Shane Brophy

The Hennessy name is synonymous with Nenagh Eire Og and Conor continued its legacy with a man of the match performance in Saturday’s North Final.

“It was the first target of the year to win a North Championship and take it from there,” said the midfielder who contributed three points from play in an all-action performance.

“It is nice to have a back-door to the county championship as well so it takes a bit of pressure off in the group stage but that backfired on us a little as we didn’t play well in the group stage as it came back to bite us as we had to play a preliminary quarter final.”

Hennessy as featured on Tipperary minor and under 20 panels in recent years and has the style of play to make an impact at senior level as he is a well-built man with a great engine to cover the ground, and that is needed for any club to get the better of a team of the calibre of Kiladangan.

“They bring out the best in us and we bring out the best in them,” Hennessy added.

“We have had some great battles over the past five or six years. There has never been a game where there has been too much in it.

“Kiladangan are an outstanding team, and you only have to look how far they have come from over the last fifteen years. They have been the standard-bearers in the North and set the bar, so we are trying to get up to them and the likes of Thurles.”

Hennessy’s early years at senior level with Nenagh have been either in the half forward line or a man-marking defender but his move to the middle of the field this year, as part of a major reshuffle of the positions has given everyone a new lease of life.

He said: “You get a new lease of life playing in a new position and there are about seven or eight of us including myself and it brings a new player out in us and has given us a kick which is great.

“We have a nice young team and a great bench with Anthony Walsh, Adam Carey, Best West, Adam Gratton is not too far away from coming back. From last year’s North final team, we have lost four players to cruciates (Barry Heffernan, Adam Gratton, Conor McCarthy, and Killian Malone) so it is great to have a bench and we need it.”