Lorrha prevail after extra time battle
GAA: FBD Insurance County Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Finals
Lorrha 1-23
Borrisokane 0-25 (AET)
Report: James Hayden in Nenagh
Lorrha prevailed by the slenderest of margins over Borrisokane in what proved an absorbing County Intermediate Hurling Championship quarter-final on Saturday.
Extra-time was required to separate the sides in what proved a ding-dong Lower Ormond derby with these near neighbours serving up determined hurling fare as they went at it hammer and tongs from the very first whistle.
Going into this encounter, the Ken Hogan coached Lorrha were strongly fancied to put one over on Seamus Gleeson’s charges but despite having the upper hand in the opening half and leading by seven points (1-10 to 0-6) at the break they were pegged back in the second half by a determined Borrisokane who just refused to capitulate. After over sixty minutes of hard hurling, extra-time was required to separate the sides and throughout this nip and tuck twenty-minute additional period the outcome still remained unclear right up until the very final moments.
Playing with the aid of a stiff breeze, Lorrha were first to register thanks to a Cian Hogan point in what proved a decent half of hurling for the men in blue. Borrisokane responded with a brace of Mike Heenan points before a Patrick Maher point and frees from Brian Hogan and Oisin Larkin saw the sides locked at 0-3 apiece after ten minutes.
Lorrha were starting to get the better of the exchanges at this juncture with Brian Hogan, Darragh Guinan and Cian Hogan catching the eye before a booming long delivery was plucked from the sky by Patrick Maher and he palmed the sliotar off to the inrushing Christopher Fogarty for a fourteenth minute Lorrha goal. Ken Hogan’s charges raided again in their next attack and almost bagged a second major but on this occasion their best efforts were thwarted by some last-ditch Borrisokane defending.
Borris’ responded with a brace of Oisin Larkin frees book-ending an 18th minute free from the stick of Lorrha’s impressive Colm Fogarty.
The final ten minutes of the half belonged to Lorrha, however, outscoring Borris 0-4 to 0-1 as the men in green struggled to bisect the uprights. Three well-struck Brian Hogan frees, coupled with a sublime Colm Fogarty point on the cusp of half-time, ensured Lorrha led by seven points at the break.
Borrisokane laid a marker down early in the second half with points from Oisin Larkin (free, 65’ and one from play) and Gary Ryan bringing them right back into contention.
Niall McIntyre managed to add to Lorrha’s tally with a 36th minute effort before Mike Heenan arrowed over from way out the field. Colm Fogarty popped up with an influential clutch of points but Borris’ kept coming with Oisin Larkin firing over three points from placed balls to reduce the gap to two by the 50th minute but they had goalkeeper Colm Larkin to thank for a point blank save to deny David Fogarty.
Colm Fogarty once again responded and seconds later he was called upon again to answer Dylan Power’s 53rd minute effort for Borrisokane.
With five minutes remaining Borris’ hit a mini purple patch with three points on the bounce finally restoring parity, 1-15 to 0-18 as the clock ticked towards the sixty-minute mark.
Colm Fogarty edged Lorrha in front once more but when Oisin Larkin converted two further frees, Lorrha had fallen behind.
Christopher Fogarty brought Lorrha level again though before a 64th minute Oisin Larkin free appeared to have sealed the deal for Borrisokane. Lorrha rallied once again though with Brian Hogan stepping up to with a late equalising free to send the tie to extra-time, 1-18 to 0-21.
The first period of extra-time saw Lorrha take an early grip on proceedings with captain Mike Dolan and Brian Hogan (free) putting them on the front foot again. Oisin Larkin and Colm Fogarty exchanged frees before another Larkin free left just a solitary point between the sides, 1-21 to 0-23, at the change of ends.
The second period of extra-time saw Borris’ draw level once again thanks to another Oisin Larkin free. Substitute Martin Gorman responded for Lorrha before Larkin arrowed over his 20th and final point with another excellently struck placed ball.
Borrisokane’s Philip Austin had the opportunity to edge Borris’ in front but his effort sailed agonizingly wide before Brian Hogan (free) stepped up to fire over Lorrha’s winning point with just two minutes remaining.
Borrisokane were afforded the opportunity to reply however with Gary Ryan and Jack Larkin coming close but, in the end, it wasn’t to be and Lorrha prevailed to progress to a semi-final against Drom & Inch.
Player of the Match: Colm Fogarty (Lorrha)
Lorrha: Kevin Hough (7); Tom Duggan (7), Michael Dolan (0-1, 8), Oisin Guinan (7), Denis O’Meara (7), Brian Hogan (0-7f, 8), Daniel O’Donoghue (7); Darragh Guinan (0-1, 7), Alan O’Meara (7); Niall McIntyre (0-1, 7), Cian Hogan (0-2, 8), David Fogarty (7); Christopher Fogarty (1-1, 7), Patrick Maher (0-1, 7), Colm Fogarty (0-8, 3f, 8).
Subs: Conor Hogan (7) for O Guinan (52); Martin Gorman (0-1, 7) for A O’Meara (55 inj); Ronan O’Meara (6) for D Fogarty (ET).
Borrisokane: Colm Larkin (7), Brian Dooley (7), Shane Nevin (7), Jimmy Hough (7); Peter Collins (7), Liam Cleary (7), Bryan Davis (8); Stephen Gavin (7), Mike Heenan (0-3, 8), Dylan Power (0-1, 7), Oisin Larkin (0-20, 16f, 2 65’s) 8), Philip Austin (7); Jack Larkin (7), Gary Ryan (0-1, 7), Conor Ryan (7).
Subs: Liam Dooley (7) for G Ryan (51); Kevin Cleary (6) for Collins (ET), Seody Cleary (6) for C Ryan (ET); Gary Ryan for Heenan (ET).
Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).