Aidan Corby: Clough-Ballacolla determined to reclaim Laois Senior Championship glory
They get their campaign underway on Wednesday, July 17
Clough-Ballacolla’s Aidan Corby comes into this year’s Senior Hurling Championship in the form of his life after a superb year in the blue and white of Laois.
Corby was speaking ahead of their opener against Abbeyleix St Lazarian’s at the launch of the 2024 Laois Shopping Centre Club Championships on Thursday, July 11.
“We're all ready to go now, we're looking forward to it. Last year didn't go the way we wanted so we're hoping to get a good start now against Abbeyleix and work from there really,” he said.
Clough-Ballacolla came into the 2023 championship hoping to lift a fourth successive Bob O’Keefe Cup but were unfortunately beaten on penalties by eventual county champions Camross.
“That was a bit of a killer but when it comes to penalties it could go either way so if it didn't go our way last year, we'll hopefully put it right now this year,” Corby said.
Corby knows ‘how hard it is’ to win the Senior Championship and he feels that this year is a crucial one for Clough-Ballacolla as they go in search of being crowned county champions.
“We're hoping to do it this year because we know how hard it is. I know we won the last three before that, but it was long, it could feel like a long time before that. If we don't win this year, you don't know when you're going to win it again so every year counts and hopefully, we can do it this year,” he said.
The Laois midfielder is hoping that he can carry his already impressive season into the blue and gold of Clough-Ballacolla.
“I’m feeling fit now. It's the fittest I've felt now in a long time so hopefully I can keep the form going in the Club Championship as I was at County and see how it goes anyway,” Corby said.
He also reflected on the news that Willie Maher would no longer be in charge of the Laois hurlers for the 2025 inter-county season. Corby says it came as a bit of a shock.
“It was a bit of a shock now to be honest. I wasn't sure if he was going to stay or not. There wasn't much said at the end of the year, so it was a bit of a shock taking it now, so we'll have to see who's over us now next year,” he said.
Corby knows how important it is to get Laois back into the Leinster Championship as they’ll play in the Joe McDonagh Cup for the third year in a row.
“It's massive for Laois hurling to be up in the Leinster Championship to try and get more competitive. It's a much higher standard and we're trying to reach that standard and you can't reach it unless you're up in it, so it'll be massive for us to get back up there,” Corby ended.
Clough-Ballacolla get their Senior Championship underway this evening, Wednesday July 17, against Abbeyleix St Lazarian’s in Colt GAA from 7.30pm.