Lorrha aim to make their mark in Munster

GAA: AIB Munster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Final Preview

By Liam Hogan

LORRHA v COROFIN

MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

Sunday, 5th November

Throw-in @ 1.30pm (E.T. & Pens)

Referee: Nicky Barry (Waterford)

Two weeks after claiming the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship title, the Lorrha supporters will head back to MacDonagh Park, Nenagh once more this Sunday to see their hurlers face Clare champions Corofin in the Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship quarter final.

It’s a bonus for the new Tipperary champions who have entertained their supporters with a string of thrilling performances, including three in thirteen days, culminating in a county final replay win over Thurles Sarsfields.

Lorrha take part in Munster competition for the second time, having previously done so in 2007 as intermediate champions but exited to Clonlara in the provincial semi-final.

Manager Ken Hogan says his men are ready to face the Clare champions as his team has no fresh injury concerns from the county final, plus last weekends under 21 game which saw eight panellists feature.

David Fogarty and David Sullivan have returned to training after long term injury, but Lorrha will have one absentee from the county final as Brian Hogan has returned to Australia.

“We are relieved to have got over the line,” Hogan said of the county final win.

“It was tough going as we had a county semi-final, a county final, and a county final replay all within thirteen days. From our perspective, we are delighted about what we achieved, and we are in bonus territory going into a Munster club.

“David Fogarty is getting his plaster off his hand on Thursday after sustaining a broken thumb against Clonakenny in the quarter final. It may be a few days too soon. David Sullivan has returned to training after a broken collar bone and it’s probably coming too soon for David.”

Ken admits that he knows very little about the Clare champions Corofin but what he does know is that they will be severe test.

“We know very little about Corofin except to say that are a fast skilful team,” Hogan added.

“Obviously, they are backboned by the Malone’s and the Cahill’s of football fame in Clare.

“Anyone who wins a county championship has to be respected.

“It’s new territory. We have worked hard and look forward to representing Tipperary. Championships don’t come easy. We were proud to beat a club with the stature that a club like Thurles has but we have to look to the future. It’s great to be playing and great to have a home venue in Nenagh, which we are no strangers too.”

COROFIN

Their opponents Corofin won a third Clare intermediate title to add to their successes in 1991 and 2002. A club with limited success in the big time but are finally moving in the right direction and are a dual senior club in 2024.

Manager Joe Cahill has been with this core group of players since they first won an Under 13 ‘A’ title in 2015, all be it with the help of Ruan club, a neighbouring parish.

“Joining forces with Ruan has been going on for a while but more recently we set up a five-year charter,” Cahill explained.

“I have been with the core of this team since we won the Under 13 in 2015 and since then we have won ‘A’ titles in under 16 ‘A’, Minor and Under 21 ‘A’ in the subsequent years.

“We had Gerard Cahill as a dual minor with Clare in 2016 and one year later we had Mark O’Loughlin, Killian O’Connor, Cillian McGroary, Conor Leen and Diarmuid Cahill on the Clare minor panel. Diarmuid Cahil and Cillian O’Connor are two Harty Cup winners and Clare senior footballer Jamie Malone is a very good hurler also.”

Corofin defeated Sixmilebridge by four points in the County final two weeks ago as the club completed a hurling championship and league double. To succeed in winning both they had a nine-game run in the league and a seven-game run in the championship and in that time, they lost just one game.

Gerry Quinn was a star wing back with Clare hurlers in the noughties while Seamus Clancy (dual player with the club) won an All-Star for his leading role with senior footballers who won a Munster final over Kerry in 1992.

Football has always been part and parcel of the club and after the county final win two weeks ago, eight players had played on 28 consecutive weekends, between hurling and football in league and championship so they are not short of match fitness.

Their footballers won the county intermediate two years ago and reached the senior semi-final last year, but this year suffered badly with injuries.

“Injuries hit us, and we didn’t do well but survived a relegation final to stay up senior,” Cahill added.

“Surviving the relegation final gave us a great buzz. The league run in the hurling also helped us and we picked up five new players which has strengthened our hurling panel.”