Open competition expected in the race for the Liam Devaney Cup

By Liam Hogan

The North Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship is about to enter its second year.

Next weekend, four of the six teams take part in the two quarter finals, two derbies with Ballina taking on Newport on Friday evening in Templederry while Burgess take on Silvermines the following day in Nenagh acting as curtain raiser to the senior game between Kiladangan and Roscrea. Meanwhile, Lorrha and holders Portroe will sit it out for the semi-finals.

The Liam Devaney Cup is the prize and winning the divisional final is important as the winner will gain a place in the preliminary quarter finals in the County Premier Intermediate Championship on failing to make the top two in their respective groups.

BALLINA

Tipperary hurler Michael Breen is the Ballina captain for 2023 and fresh from his inter-county prevails he says he is happy to be returning to his club as the lakesiders hope to make it to the important stages of the North & County championships.

Ballina lost by one point to Portroe in the quarter final of the North Championship last year. They drew with Thurles Sarsfields in the first round of the County Championship but lost their remaining group games to Killenaule and Gortnahoe/Glengoole thus exiting championship but required a win over Carrick Swan in the relegation semi-finals to preserve their status. Meanwhile Ballina were crowned County Intermediate Football champions and reached a Munster semi-final where they lost to na Piarsaigh of Limerick on penalties.

Breen says that the progress made in the football should stand to the young players and they should carry that progress work with the hurlers.

“The key to the success is how we brought on the young players,” he said.

“They have enjoyed much under-age success especially at Roinn A levels.

“We played Newport many times at underage level. Some of their players have progressed to play a part at inter-county levels. Like Ballina, the Newport club has put a lot of work into their underage structures.”

BURGESS

In 2022, Burgess received a bye to the last four and were drawn against Portroe in the penultimate round when they lost 3-18 to 4-12.

Next Saturday they will play Silvermines, and talisman Stephen Murray will lead the side as he plays in his sixteenth year at the top level. As one of the best free-takers in the county, Murray has led Burgess through thick and thin.

Injuries have been a barrier, but he returned to the action in 2022 and produced a magical 2-18 in his side’s 3-27 to 2-18 county quarter final win over Cashel.

However, the modest Burgess man was reluctant to take a share of the limelight before turning his thoughts to the game at hand next Saturday.

“You know yourself; you need a good free-taker these days,” he said.

“I looked up to Tony Scroope a lot. He did it for years with Burgess. Silvermines will be good. They have Jason Forde and a young team of hurlers who are up and coming. We will miss Eoin Grace, who is in America, and we have a few lads struggling with injuries.”

LORRHA

Tier two hurling has been familiar territory for Lorrha, and after spending a season at intermediate level they return to the Premier Intermediate grade after a one year absence.

Lorrha have a bye to the semi-final, and their preparation has been going smoothly according to their captain, Michael Dolan.

“Last year was a great year,” he said.

“We knew going down that we had to get back up straight away. Thankfully, the lads stuck to the task or otherwise we would be in a bit of bother. To win both North and county was great and now we are back to the level we were the year before.”

Lorrha did well in the 2023 league without the services of Patrick Maher (Tipp duty) plus Brian Hogan (Australia) and reached the division 3 semi-final when losing narrowly to Newport.

“Brian is the only one missing,” Dolan added.

“We had a few injuries during the league, but we have Bonner Maher and Eoin McIntyre (back from the Middle East) plus Ciaran Haugh who has recovered from his Achilles injury sustained in the warm-up before the North final last year.

“We also have young faces in Darragh Guinan, Martin Gorman, Donnacha O’Meara who got a taste of intermediate hurling last year and that will stand to them,” said Michael who first played for Lorrha at senior level in 2015.

NEWPORT

The timing could not be better for Newport as they have two pieces of silverware already in the trophy cabinet for 2023. Last month they won the North Junior ‘B’ League and on Sunday they added the County League Division 3 silverware with victory over Ballingarry.

The victories will make up for the disappointments of 2022. Their first round in last year’s championship was a defeat to Roscrea in the quarter final and next Sunday’s tilt with near neighbours Ballina is the perfect start. The experienced Peter O’Sullivan is their captain, and he says the team is preparing very well despite missing one or two players.

“We have a few lads leave for J1s and a few coming back in but everyone is putting their shoulder to the wheel,” he said.

“We haven’t done too bad so far this year. We have a few setbacks in losing Daniel Carew and Darragh Carroll and they might not be back while Thomas Floyd and Brendan Coffey have on gone on student visas.

“We have a good management team in Timmy Floyd as manager, Ger Downes as trainer plus Ger Bradley and Dinny Ryan as selectors.

“Ballina gave us a good beating in the league last year. They are going to be sticky, but we expect to provide tough opposition,” said Peter who is entering his fourteenth year at top level.

PORTROE

Holders Portroe will have to wait another week before they enter the arena as they received a bye to the semi-final.

The experienced Justin Conroy, who will enter his eighteenth season in senior hurling, will be the captain for 2023. He takes over from Robert Byrne who led his team to success last year, the inaugural year of the new competition.

“It was great to have the name on the cup in the year the competition commenced,” Conroy said.

“We are preparing to bring it back again. We have the same management as last year in Nick Weir (Manager), Bob Duff (S&C), Patrick Conroy, Greg Baker, and new addition Paddy Flaherty.

However, Portroe’s’ plight won’t be made easy by the fact they have lost two of their best forwards with both AJ Willis and Ruadhan Mulrooney gone to America.

“They were two big players, and they did a lot for us last year so they will be badly missed,” Justin added.

“It doesn’t look likely that we will have them for the county championship either,” said Justin who looked back on his 2012 North Tipp Senior win against Toomevara as the special moment of his career.

SILVERMINES

Kiladangan’s Brian Lawlor will manage Silvermines this year with John Mescal as coach as the ‘Mines hope to go a step further than last year when succumbing to Roscrea in the North semi-final.

Darragh Nolan is their captain for 2023 and has so far been happy with the preparations made by his team and is looking forward to the tilt with neighbours Burgess next Saturday in Nenagh.

“The boys have brought a good deal of professionalism to the group in terms of gym work and ball work,” Nolan said of the new management.

“The last couple of weeks have been very good. Our games with Burgess have always been close affairs ever since my juvenile days - always 50-50 games.”

Silvermines can call on all of their players and the team will include some new faces.

“We have gained four of our winning under 17 team from last year and a couple of them are in contention for a place in the starting fifteen next Saturday,” says Darragh.