Aidan Corby ready for fresh challenge as Clough-Ballacolla aim to defend crown

After captaining Clough-Ballacolla to the Bob O’Keefe Cup in 2024, Aidan Corby is setting his sights on back-to-back titles as the 2025 Laois Shopping Centre Senior Hurling Championship kicks off.

Speaking at the official launch of this year’s competition, Corby said the players are eager to get going in a refreshed championship format and are hopeful of repeating last year’s success.

“Hopefully, we can replicate last year as well. Excited to get going, new championship, new format, so we're looking forward to it. Hopefully, we can be successful again now this year,” he said.

While Clough-Ballacolla were crowned county champions again last season, their journey ended earlier than hoped in Leinster, losing out to Na Fianna, who went on to win the All-Ireland Club title. Corby, however, believes his side weren’t far off that level and are aiming to push on in 2025, despite the absence of injured talisman Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher.

“We all went into that game thinking we would have won it, so we had a chance to win that game. We felt ourselves we're not too far off competing in Leinster. We have a good panel of lads, Picky is gone this year, but we have a good squad and hopefully we can replicate and go one bit further now this year,” he said.

Corby only recently returned to the club fold after spending the first half of the year with the Laois senior hurlers. In his short time back, he’s been encouraged by the energy and depth in the squad.

“They're good. I'm only back myself two weeks, so I can't really say too much. But the boys are flying it in fairness, all fit. We have one or two lads to come back, but everything should be good now for sure,” he said.

Having come off a taxing inter-county season, Corby admits that while the body can recover quickly, the mind sometimes takes more time to reset.

“Yes, it's alright now. It's getting your head right more than anything really. I'm looking forward to the new year, and hopefully it all goes well,” he said.

As reigning champions, Clough-Ballacolla know they’ll be the team everyone is out to beat, but Corby says that pressure is something they accept and embrace.

“That's just the way it works. Everyone wants to beat the lads that won it the year before, but we're up for the challenge anyway, so we'll see what happens,” he ended.

They'll take on Castletown in the opening round on Sunday, July 13 at 1pm in Laois Hire O'Moore Park.

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