Lorrha hold nerve to edge past Clonakenny

GAA: FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Lorrha 1-20

Clonakenny 2-15

Report: Liam Hogan in Nenagh

If Lorrha are to go on and win the County Premier Intermediate Hurling title, they will surely look back on this two-point quarter final victory over a gallant Clonakenny side as the one that made it possible.

Last Saturday’s win was perhaps the perfect tonic for the side that entered the game as favourites but were made fight all the way and needed three unanswered points in a blistering last five minutes to edge to victory.

That late late burst was Lorrha’s best hurling in the whole game. Yes, they led by six points on six occasions, the latest after 41 minutes when the scoreline stood at 1-13 to 0-10 after Michael Dolan converted one of his three long range frees. But from that moment, the game turned on its head as Clonakenny, backed by the stiff breeze really took the game to Lorrha and almost snatched what would have been a great victory for the Mid Tipp side.

Lorrha finished the stronger, but we wondered what might have happened if Clonakenny had taken their three goal chances in the first half, a half that began with Cian O’Dwyer opening the scoring with a free inside a minute. Alan O’Meara’s well struck sideline ball bisected the posts with precision thirty seconds later before Colm Fogarty began his whirlwind performance with a free in the third minute.

The first half began in a whiz, and it almost exploded into a frenzy as Clonakenny came storming up the field before John Joe Ryan levelled when a goal seemed easier to score.

Ryan was one of Clonakenny’s best and he troubled Lorrha from time to time and he had able assistants in Bobby Bergin and Cian O’Dwyer while Willie Ryan and Delacy Byrne shored up the defence with many clearances.

Meanwhile, Lorrha recovered from the early fright and began to settle with Colm Fogarty pointing a free before showing a clean pair of heels as he scored his second from play. Fogarty won another ball and cut through the Clonakenny cover but Bobby Bergin’s timely flick cleared the danger before Clonakenny had the Lorrha goal area under threat when Cian O’Dwyer’s effort was cleared off the line.

Lorrha had nine lives, but they eventually settled and with Michael Dolan and Tom Duggan cutting off any further danger from the Mid runners-up, at the other end they increased their lead to five by the fourteenth minute after Colm Fogarty’s free was added to by two well-taken points by Eoin McIntyre.

Two Clonakenny points inside five minutes through Willie Ryan and John Joe Ryan brought them three behind and they almost scored a goal, but Tom Duggan denied Cian O’Dwyer before Diarmuid Ryan scored a great point in the 26th minute.

As much as they tried, Lorrha were unable to reach the plateau of what we have come to expect with Patrick Maher and Cian Hogan not much involved, but the latter soon came good when he scored a brilliant goal in the 27th minute, firing to the top left hand corner of the net.

Colm Fogarty’s pointed free had Lorrha six clear, but Cian O’Dwyer’s free had the margin back to five before Michael Dolan’s ninety metre free had Lorrha six clear and looking in a good spot at half time, 1-9 to 0-6 in front.

The opening five minutes of the second half saw both sides match each other with point for point with Matthew O’Sullivan scoring first for Clonakenny only for with Ciaran Haugh to reply as Cian O’Dwyer and Michel Dolan traded scores from placed balls.

Two Cian O’Dwyer frees had the margin back to four as Lorrha were guilty of conceding their fifth free in seven minutes before points from Alan O’Meara and Michael Dolan (free) had Lorrha ahead by six for the final time.

A minute later, Clonakenny posed danger close to the Lorrha goal with Matthew O’Sullivan fouled and Cian O’Dwyer converted the free. There was more coming from the ever improving Mid men and a minute later Cian O’Dwyer had Michael Kennedy beaten with the Clonakenny following now in full voice.

Lorrha’s most potent forward, Colm Fogarty had Lorrha back three in front as the game had really come to life. Fogarty was Lorrha’s shining star, but he needed more assistance from his fellow forwards. Eoin McIntyre was a help with his three points while Michael Dolan held the Lorrha backline together with Daniel O’Donoghue and Tom Duggan keeping tabs on an improving Clonakenny attack.

Meanwhile, Clonakenny replied through Michael John Carroll. It was end-to-end stuff and Christopher Fogarty was fouled in pursuit of goal and Colm Fogarty increased his tally from frees before Cian O’Dwyer matched Fogarty on the free count.

Another Fogarty free had Lorrha three in front after Patrick Maher won a free when cutting through the Clonakenny cover. But Stephen Russell’s puckouts, helped by the breeze, had John Joe Ryan in possession before he found Bobby Bergin with the latter having the Lorrha net bulging.

Christopher Fogarty put Lorrha in front once more but Cian O’Dwyer levelled with a free as the scoreline read 1-17 to 2-14 with seven minutes remaining.

Lorrha needed something but Patrick Maher’s shot at goal was their first wide of the second half before Clonakenny responded again and they deservedly secured the lead for the first time thanks to another Cian O’Dwyer free with three minutes left.

The North champions appeared to be in trouble, but they responded superbly, firstly through Eoin McIntyre who grabbed his third and most important point.

This coincided with Lorrha strengthening their defence by bringing Darragh Guinan back to wing back instead of the wing-forward role. Lorrha raised the heat with nothing passing their half backline and with Cian Hogan and Patrick Maher taking over on the forty, they came good and after two efforts by Christopher Fogarty and Ciaran Hough strayed wide before the steady hand of Colm Fogarty scored two vital points to seal the win for Lorrha.

Player of the Match: Colm Fogarty (Lorrha)

Lorrha: Michael Kennedy (7); Denis O’Meara (6), Daniel O’Donoghue (7), Tom Duggan (7); Conor Hogan (6), Michael Dolan (0-3f, 8), Ciaran Haugh (0-1, 6); Alan O’Meara (0-2, 1 s-cut, 6), Niall McIntyre (6); Eoin McIntyre (0-3, 7), Cian Hogan (1-0, 7), Darragh Guinan (6); Colm Fogarty (0-10, 6f, 8), Patrick Maher (7), Christopher Fogarty (0-1, 6).

Subs: David Fogarty (6) for Conor Hogan (50); Martin Gorman (HR) for N McIntyre (60+2).

Clonakenny: Stephen Russell (7); Donie Greed (6), John Costigan (7), Cain Russell (7); Alexei Harty (8), Willie Ryan (0-1, 7), Delacy Byrne (7), Diarmuid Ryan (0-1, 7), John Joe Ryan (0-2, 8); Conor Shanahan (6), Cian O’Dwyer (1-9, 0-9f, 8), Michael John Carroll (0-1, 6); Bobby Bergin (1-0, 8); Nicky Ryan (6), Matthew O’Sullivan (0-1, 6).

Subs: Paul Bergin for W Ryan (20-22 blood); Paul Bergin (6) for C Russell (HT); Peadar Byrne (0-1, 6) for O’Sullivan (53); John O’Meara (NR) for Carroll (58).

Referee: John Dooley (Thurles Gaels).