Moneygall among the front-runners for Intermediate glory

By James Hayden

The general consensus coming away from the launch of the 2024 Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship is that last year’s semi-finalists and reigning North champions Moneygall are the team to beat.

Speaking at the launch of the FBD Insurance sponsored county championship in Semple Stadium last Thursday, Tipperary County Board Vice-Chairperson & Competition Controls Committee (CCC) Chairperson Michael Tierney agreed that there are a few early front-runners in the battle for the coveted Michael Maher Cup.

“Moneygall possess a lovely blend of experience and youth there now and there are some great young hurlers coming through,” he began.

“They are showing well, and they will definitely be going all out for it as will the other teams.

“However, there are lots of good teams in the championship this year. Portroe are just down from the Premier Intermediate grade but there is a great tradition in the club, and they will fancy their chances on any given day.

“Kilsheelan-Kilcash will be in the mix too, but the intermediate championship has lots of good teams, the win last year for Boherlahan-Dualla was unbelievable and people mustn’t forget that last year’s finalists Golden-Kilfeacle are very young and have a great stream of talent coming through their ranks.

They will definitely be in the mix too. It should be a really entertaining Intermediate championship this year.”

Runners and Riders

In Group 1, the first round draws pit last year’s runners-up Golden-Kilfeacle against Cappawhite in what promises to be a very tasty encounter and a repeat of the West Intermediate final which Golden won impressively, while Clonoulty-Rossmore face Ballybacon Grange.

In a group that contains three teams from the West division the local rivalry is sure to throw up some cracking encounters while the sole South representatives Ballybacon/Grange hoping to steal a march on the West sides.

Undoubtedly Golden will be favourites to progress and to go deep into the championship in a bid to atone for last year’s county final loss to Boherlahan but it really is all to play for in what is an intriguing group.

Group 2 features four sides that will all have designs on reaching the business end of the championship with Borrisokane out against South champions Ballingarry and Kilsheelan-Kilcash facing Skeheenarinky in the opening round clashes.

Kilsheelan are set to welcome back county star Mark Kehoe from the States while Borrisokane will be hopeful of improving upon a disappointing North campaign. Ballingarry are riding the crest of a wave at the moment also having upset the odds to deny Kilsheelan-Kilcash’ dream of three-in-a-row of south intermediate titles with a Dylan Walsh inspired 1-18 to 1-14 victory.

Skeheenarinky are somewhat of an unknown quantity although Borrisokane have prior experience of them from this year’s county league, but the club straddling the Cork and Limerick borders are well capable of pulling off a surprise or two is what will be an interesting group.

Group 3 comprises Drom & Inch, Portroe, Shannon Rovers and Arravale Rovers with the North runners-up Port facing the Mid men in the opening round while the Rovers clash with the men from the West.

For the Rovers things can only improve after their mauling by Moneygall in the North semi-final while a seasoned Portroe side are fully capable of embarking on a winning run. Arravale Rovers will be the ones to watch though and will very much have designs on going deep into the competition.

Drom/Inch’s second side will have it all to do but are fully capable of emerging from the group if things go their way, having impressively won the Mid title last weekend.

Group 4 sees Carrick Davins face off against Moneygall in the opening round while Upperchurch-Drombane are out against a Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams side hopeful of progressing to the knock-out stages.

It’s hard to see Moneygall facing too many problems in this group and will more than likely emerge on top while the battle will be for second spot with all three sides capable of going through. In 2023, they fell just short to eventual winners Boherlahan-Dualla following a narrow semi-final defeat in monsoon-like conditions in Templetuohy, a day that is etched in the memory of Moneygall captain Paddy Fogarty and a performance that his side are eager to atone for.

“We are trying to use that defeat as fuel to drive us on this year,” he admitted.

“We can make excuses about the weather that day, but the bottom line is that we didn’t get over the line. We are leaving no stone unturned this year with our preparation.”

Paddy also agreed that the introduction of the likes of up and coming players like Cian Ryan and Tadhg Whyte have brought different options to the back-to-back North champions.

“Willie Greene (manager) is kind of gelling us together with Dan (Hackett, coach) by blending youth with experience, but you need that. You need younger lads coming in driving it on.

“Our first game is against Carrick Davins, and we really want to make a statement going into that game and put down a marker.”

However, the goal is abundantly clear this year for the men in red and black, bringing the Michael Maher Cup back to Moneygall.

“Absolutely, there is no other aim,” Fogarty said.

“We won the North and that was a box ticked for us. We have trained very hard and our aim this year has been to kill the games off early and not let teams back in and it has been so far so good.”

Last year’s intermediate grade threw up more than its fair share of surprises and few will bet against the same happening again. Could we have a team emerge from the pack and embark on a memorable run like Golden-Kilfeacle did or will it be Moneygall, Kilsheelan/Kilcash, Borrisokane, Arravale Rovers or even Ballingarry who make the step up to the Premier Intermediate grade.

“Only time will tell but one thing is for sure it won’t be all plain sailing in what promises to be a pulsating championship.