Lorrha win back-to-back county titles in slender victory over Thurles Sarsfields

FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Final Replay

Lorrha 2-13 

Thurles Sarsfields 0-18 

By Liam Hogan 

Despite producing a brilliant last 40 minutes, Thurles Sarsfield were caught on the finish line by a battling Lorrha side who claimed a thrilling County Premier Intermediate Hurling title played at a sunny MacDonagh Park last Saturday afternoon.

Trailing by seven points 2-6 to 0-5 after 20 minutes, Thurles Sarsfields went toe to toe with the North champions and eventually took the lead when Mossie McCormack pointed in the 54th minute. 

However, the lead only lasted two minutes before Colm Fogarty’s close in free had matters level and a minute later Cian Hogan secured what was to be the winner.

There was another six minutes of action, including three minutes of added time and it left both sets of supporters on a knife edge especially the Lorrha support who saw Michael O’Brien, the Thurles hero of the drawn game with 1-2, cause more bother but his latest effort was well denied by the combined efforts of team captain Michael Dolan and Tom Duggan. Lorrha had survived much to the delight of their huge support and why not with this title coming 12 months after capturing the Intermediate final against Moneygall.  

Lorrha’s joyous welcome to the victory was in stark contrast to that of the Thurles players who fell to the ground. With their senior team also facing a replay, there were hopes of a double win but they left it too late as Lorrha had the perfect start when Eoin McIntyre’s opening score after thirty-eight seconds was enhanced by a well-organised goal by Cian Hogan a minute later after Patrick Bonner Maher laid down the assist.

Lorrha were in command as Michael Dolan, Daniel O’Donoghue, Tom Duggan were prominent in defence while Cian Hogan, Colm Fogarty and the ever-hard-working Patrick Maher caused endless problems up front but their lead was cut to two by Sars before the North champions went five in front by the 15th minute 1-5 to 0-3 thanks to Colm Fogarty with two frees and Niall McIntyre adding one from play.

Two points by the excellent Jack Lanigan brought Thurles back in the frame but Lorrha went for broke in the 19th minute when Patrick Maher glided past the Thurles cover to collect a looping Daniel O’Donoghue delivery before the full forward gave Kevin Bracken no chance. 

Eoin McIntyre’s point a minute later had Lorrha seven in front and the North champions had the look of champions. 

But Sars had other things in mind. Helped by the solid play of Michael Cahill, David Maher and Aidan Ryan, who had switched to wing-back after spending a stint at midfield and they had Lorrha’s lead whittled down to four by the 23rd minute after Jack Lanigan pointed a free when Liam McCormack was hauled down in a potential goal scoring drive. 

Robbie Stapleton added another point from the right before Lanigan converted another free after a foul on Mossie McCormack. Sarsfields were on the ascendency for sure.

At the other end, another foul on Bonner Maher saw Colm Fogarty increase Lorrha’s lead to five but the Thurles side were, if anything, growing in confidence and a Lanigan free plus a Robbie Stapleton score from play to make the half-time scoreline read Lorrha 2-7 Thurles Sarsfield 0-10.

After the teams returned Lorrha looked very much the part again as they began to increase the pressure.  Once again, the work rate of Patrick Maher was invaluable as he put Eoin McIntyre through for a goal but Kevin Bracken did well to deny him seconds later Colm Fogarty’s free in the 38th minute made amends as Lorrha were five in front.  

However, Thurles began to recover once more. Their defence began to close off the channels and at the other end, they began to find the target as Rory Purcell, Lanigan from a free and Liam McCormack from play had the margin down to two with seventeen minutes remaining.

Colm Fogarty’s point from a free was timely for Lorrha but another brace from Thurles through Aidan Ryan followed and a sixty-five by Lanigan made it 2-10 to 0-15 after forty-eight minutes. 

It was tense and exciting but Colm Fogarty came to Lorrha’s rescue once more. Yet it wasn’t enough as Sarsfield were gaining ground in almost every position as they hit three unanswered points to take the lead thanks to Lanigan (two frees) before Mossie McCormack edged Thurles in front for the first time. 

Another Sarsfield attack yielded a wide ball their fourteenth (Lorrha (seven) but Lorrha had enough hunger to fight back and two late scores, the first a Fogarty free which was hotly disputed by Thurles was closely followed by Cian Hogan’s winner two minutes from time.

There was yet more time for an equaliser but the Lorrha defence were firm and finished up deserving winners.

Best for Lorrha included the usual suspects in Michael Dolan, Colm Fogarty, Cian Hogan, Patrick Maher and the McIntyre brothers but there was much to admire based on the work rate of Tom Duggan, Conor Hogan, Daniel O’Donoghue, and a less than fit Darragh Guinan. Brian Hogan was called on to replace Denis O’Meara at the start and lined out at full-back in front of a reliable Michael Kennedy in goal. Hogan battled hard but failed to stamp his mark in the game. 

Thurles had a string of great performances not least in Kevin Bracken in goal who produced a string of good saves. Aidan Ryan really dominated the game with with Kieran Moloney and Michael Cahill doing well in defence with Cahill giving his all until he retired injured. 

Mossie McCormack put in a trojan amount of work while Jack Lanigan was a real thorn on the side of Lorrha. Rory Purcell had his moments also.  

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

Subs used: Denis O’Meara for Christopher Fogarty (54). 

Thurles Sarsfields: Kevin Bracken; Jack O’Mara, David Maher, Henry Fogarty; Kieran Moloney Michael Cahill, Aidan Ryan (0-2); Kieran Costello, Harry Fitzgibbon (0-1); Liam McCormack, Rory Purcell (0-2), Mossie McCormack (0-1); Tommy Maher (0-1), Jack Lanigan (0-10, 0-5f, 0-1’65), Robbie Stapleton (0-1).  

Subs used: Michael Rusell for T Maher (39); Michale O’Brien for L McCormack (43); Pa Dunne for Cahill (50); Tommy Maher for Lanigan (58, inj). 

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess)