Will it be third time lucky for Lorrha manager John McIntyre?
By Liam Hogan
Lorrha manager John McIntyre will be hoping that next Saturday’s Seamus O’Riain Cup Final against Mullinahone will be third time lucky.
His return to the helm has certainly changed the fortunes of the famous club. The semi-final win over Killenaule was their fourth in a row as you have to go back to 2015 since Lorrha last won three championship games in the one season which included a county senior championship win over Loughmore/Castleiney.
The former Lorrha and Tipperary great returned as manager this year in a bid to see Lorrha bring back some silverware. In the 1991 and ’92 season he was player manager culminating in Lorrha’s defeat to Nenagh Eire Og in the 1992 North senior hurling final. Two days later (yes two days later) as North final runners-up, his team lost narrowly to North League champions Toomevara in a play-off for the right to represent the division in the county quarter final, alongside Nenagh Eire Og.
His second tenure was in 2005 when he was also Offaly senior manager as he got Lorrha going at intermediate level and while he didn’t remain beyond that year, he put the platform in place from where they won the North and County titles in 2007.
Since dropping into the Seamus O Riain Cup in 2017, Lorrha have struggled and late last year McIntyre returned but it looked as if the list of honourable defeats was going to continue based on his team’s first round loss to Thurles Sarsfields. However, it was a game that helped turn his team around.
“That was the moment of truth for us because things could have collapsed,” McIntyre revealed.
“They (Lorrha) had drawn with Thurles the year before. We had put in a massive effort, but we didn’t perform on the day. Thurles Sarsfields were the better team. Having said that it really tested our character as manager and players and thankfully the response was excellent.
“When I went home that day, I was the most chastened man in Tipperary. After coming back to manage Lorrha this spring I could not get my head around being beaten by a ‘B’ team.
“The last time I managed in Tipperary I was player-manager with Lorrha in 1991 and 1992. And I was over the intermediate team in 2005 while also managing Offaly. It was lunatic stuff.”
Lorrha have been on fire in attack scoring 17-73 in their subsequent wins over Kiladangan, Portroe, Templederry and Killenaule. A fantastic statistic but the semi-final win over the South Tipp side generated some concern for the Lorrha manager.
“It was tough. We had peaks and troughs in the match, very good at times and slack at other times,” he said.
“We got the first score which was important because we can be slow to get to the pitch of the game early on. We conceded two goals which should have been stopped but you can’t argue with a ten-point victory and when you go through the nuts and bolts of our display, we have plenty to work on."
Next Saturday’s final will be Lorrha’s first county final in Semple Stadium since their senior final defeat to Moycarkey/Borris in 1984 in which John was centre back that day.
“I’m still tormented over losing that game,” he recalls.
“Look you cannot turn back the clock. It’s a big deal for Lorrha and hopefully the spectators will be allowed back. We haven’t much to cheer about. Our under 16s had a good win last week (North final). Our under 14s are in a final against Roscrea and our minors in conjunction with Shannon Rovers were in hard luck,” he added.
Hurling passion is high in Lorrha at the moment and John McIntyre is a fitting example of that passion. Without it he would not be back for a third time. Of that you can be certain.