Loughmore aim to make overdue mark on Munster

GAA: AIB Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final Preview

EIRE OG ENNIS

V

LOUGHMORE/CASTLEINEY

Zimmer Biomet Pairc Chiosog, Ennis

Sunday, 16th November

Throw-in @ 1.15pm (E.T.)

Referee: Nicky O'Toole (Waterford)

By Stephen Barry

A NOVEL rematch will take place on Sunday as Loughmore/Castleiney face Éire Óg Ennis in a second consecutive Munster semi-final.

Whereas last year saw the clubs’ footballers meet, this year’s Cusack Park rerun will concern the hurlers.

Not that there’s much difference when it comes to Loughmore. Seventeen players who featured in the 3-9 to 2-7 victory are likely to see action again this weekend.

The Clare champions have a far larger catchment area but remain a true dual club. They had eight players on the field for both their hurling and football triumphs.

That mindset will help their hurling cause. Breakthrough winners often underperform on the provincial stage. After years of knocking on the door, Éire Óg bridged a 35-year gap to their last Canon Hamilton Cup when beating Clooney/Quin by 0-17 to 0-12.

However, the experience of four Munster football campaigns in the past five seasons provides valuable insight on how to manage the transition from celebration mode to refocusing for the next challenge.

Loughmore lack nothing in that regard. The 2007 Munster hurling champions have returned to provincial action three times in the intervening years. On each occasion, they also had to juggle football commitments. This time, hurling is their sole focus. Just like 2007.

Their recent campaigns have been beset by bad luck. They have been struck by illnesses, injuries, and controversial red cards while facing top-level opponents.

With Ballygunner and Sarsfields engaging in a Munster final rematch on the other side of the draw, this semi-final has a wide-open complexion.

Both sides have match-winning talent, including the past two Hurlers of the Year: Shane O’Donnell for Éire Óg and the recently crowned John McGrath in green and red.

Whatever about experience, O’Donnell has identified the six-week break since winning the Clare title as their biggest hurdle in the build-up.

“It’s a difficult period of time to manage from a training perspective,” he told Clare FM a fortnight ago.

“You don’t want to go back too early and have too long building. But you don’t want to leave it too late, because you could pick up soft tissue injuries.

“Six weeks is quite long. It’s a hard timeline to navigate, but at the end of the day, it’s a brilliant situation to be in.”

He identified three weeks as “the ideal amount of time; one week to come down off the high and then two weeks to build”.

That’s exactly the break Loughmore have enjoyed. They will field essentially the same team as last year against Ballygunner. Yet their adjustment towards a greater mix of direct play, as coach Donal O’Rourke employed with Cork, has added freshness as the season progressed.

It has also resulted in their matches becoming higher scoring. They have fired five more points per game versus 2024.

A refreshed Lorcan Egan, after overcoming his gastroenteritis misery, will likely be backed to tag O’Donnell. David Reidy may drift from centre-forward in a bid to lure the in-form Brian McGrath away from his covering role.

At the other end, Éire Óg’s defensive stats have been eye-catching, conceding 1-14 per game.

Playing through a niggly injury, John McGrath’s contribution from play across three knockout games has been 1-0. However, his free-taking, link play, and work rate have offered so much for his teammates, such as the wonderful assist for Liam McGrath’s county-final clinching goal.

With some extra time to recover, former Clare footballer Ciarán Russell will have his hands full to contain the No.14.

Those numbers equally highlight a healthy scoring spread. Other McGraths, Liam and Noel, and Ed Connolly have taken turns as top scorer from play in the knockout rounds. It could be someone else in Ennis.

All over the pitch, Loughmore are packed with experience. They are driven to do themselves greater justice on the provincial stage. They should do so on Sunday.