Lorrha find groove late on to shock Gortnahoe

GAA: FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4

Lorrha 2-14

Gortnahoe-Glengoole 0-19

Report: Thomas Conway in Moneygall

Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat! Daylight robbery was committed last Saturday, and Lorrha were the culprits.

But Ken Hogan’s side won’t mind one little bit. The newly crowned North Premier Intermediate champions entered the last ten minutes down and out, overwhelmed by a Gortnahoe/Glengoole side still buzzing from their penalty shoot-out victory over Clonakenny in last weekend’s Mid final.

Make no mistake about it, Gortnahoe had won this game. They were seven points in front at one stage in the second and coasting towards a comfortable victory, but the closing stages materialised very differently.

Firstly, there was Darragh Guinan. His wonder goal in the 52nd minute catapulted Lorrha back into this game. Yet even then Gortnahoe should still have prevailed. They responded courtesy of two Keane Hayes points, enough to stem the Lorrha tide, not so.

As the game entered stoppage time Lorrha needed another goal. Who better than Colm Fogarty to arrive on the scene, snap the sliotar into hand, and fire a thunderbolt past Timmy Dunne. Moments later, Patrick Maher won a free and Fogarty would convert. The final whistle blew, Lorrha were ahead; Gortnahoe were shell-shocked.

For context, it’s worth bearing in mind that this was a clash between two aspirant sides with serious ambitions of securing further silverware in 2023. Gortnahoe-Glengoole didn’t feature in last year’s Premier Intermediate final for no reason.

And Lorrha? Well, the possibilities appear limitless for this crop of players. They soared through last year’s intermediate championship and they’ve already added the North crown to their repertoire of trophies for 2023. Could a newly promoted side really march all the way to the summit of this year’s championship? Who knows? They’re a team on an upward trajectory and they surely deserve the title of dark horses. After what happened here, Lorrha could be capable of anything.

The irony was, for much of this game, the northerners were second-best. A competitive first-half saw both sides trade blows in a kind of tit-for-tat battle. Cian Hogan landed Lorrha’s first inside twenty seconds, but it took Gortnahoe less than a minute to respond through Colm Guilfoyle.

The ensuing twenty minutes materialised along those lines, both sides exchanging scores at rapid-fire pace. There were a few gems thrown in - Niall McIntyre slotted a superb effort on the run, while Daniel O’Donoghue then sent one over from distance.

But as the half wore on Gortnahoe began to assume command. Their forward line is treacherous. If given time and space they will inflict damage, and they did precisely that in the closing stages of the first, building up a three point lead by the time the interval arrived, 0-12 to 0-9.

Most anticipated the Mid champions to motor on after half-time, and they kind of did so - albeit half-heartedly. Keane Hayes, their virtuoso corner-forward and chief marksman up front, was in sensational form. The sharpshooter was effectively flawless from frees, but several of his efforts from play, including a sweet over-the-shoulder strike in the 45th minute, were worth the entrance fee alone. That particular effort sent Gortnahoe 0-18 to 0-11 in front, and there was a sense amongst observers that this game was effectively over.

As it transpired, the real action was only really just beginning. Guinan’s goal gave Lorrha life. The midfielder took off on a solo-run, flicking his way past several red shirts and eventually letting fly to the net. It was a rousing moment, and it stirred the Lorrha crowd.

Gortnahoe responded professionally. Keane Hayes had landed two points, surely sealing victory for the Mid champions. Not quite. With the clock ticking towards the red, Colm Fogarty fired to the net.

There was time for one further development, a Fogarty free from a relatively acute angle out on the stand side. He nailed it, cool as ice, and Lorrha started to celebrate. They had completed the great escape.

Player of the Match: Keane Hayes (Gortnahoe/Glengoole)

Lorrha: Michael Kennedy (7); Denis O’Meara (7), Daniel O’Donoghue (0-1, 7), Tom Duggan (6), Conor Hogan (6), Michael Dolan (7), Oisin Guinan (7); Darragh Guinan (1-0, 8); Niall McIntyre (0-1, 7); Martin Gorman (7), Cian Hogan (0-2, 8), Colm Fogarty (1-7, 0-5f) 8); Christopher Fogarty (0-1, 7), Patrick Maher (7), David Fogarty (0-2, 7).

Sub: Ciarán Hough (7) for Gorman (23).

Gortnahoe/Glengoole: Timmy Dunne (6), Liam Hayes (6), David Nolan (7), Conor Gleeson (7), Martin Barnaville (7), Kevin Slattery (0-1, 7), Brian Maher (7), Karl Campion (7), Jack Moore (7), Adrian Maher (7), Fionn Cleary (0-2, 8), Darragh Maher (0-2, 8), Damien Corbett (0-2, 8), Colm Guilfoyle (0-1, 7), Keane Hayes (0-11, 7f) 9).

Sub: Gearóid Fahey (7) for Guilfoyle (46 inj).

Referee: PJ Nolan (Killea).