Toomevara pushed to the pin of their collar by a strong Lorrha effort in Dolla

Hibernian Inn North Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final

Toomevara 2-21 

Lorrha 1-21

By Liam Hogan 

Toomevara needed everyone on board to help steer them to a three-point win over a fit Lorrha team following a very exciting and sometimes good game played at Dolla last Sunday afternoon.

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Trailing, 1-15 to 1-14 and the game reaching the three-quarter mark, the firm favourites Toome needed goalkeeper John Hayes to be brave when he came off his line to deny Cian Hogan from the edge of the large square in what looked a certain goal.

The result was a 65, which the brilliantly accurate Colm Fogarty converted to leave the underdogs two in front and playing well with the assistance of a strong breeze.

The Toome management decided to clear the bench, and as one of five substitutes, Jack Delaney scored Toome’s second goal in the 48th minute and as Toome raised the bar, they outscored the blues 1-7 to 0-5 in the final quarter and were very glad to hear the sound of the final whistle at the end. 

Even in the halcyon days of the 1990s and 2000s, Toomevara always faced a strong challenge from the Lower Ormond side, and this was no different. In the end, Toome had the extra gears in Darragh McCarthy, who seemed fresh after his week’s celebrations of All-Ireland victory, as he finished top scorer on 1-10 (1-0 pen, 0-7f) while his brother Kevin produced a man of the match performance with six points from play. 

The McCarthys needed to be strong because, apart from Liam Ryan at centre back, little else seemed to sparkle until the arrival of Jack Delaney, Robbie Quirke, Conor O’Meara and Austin Duff. 

Lorrha, for their part, came into the game very much the underdog based on their performances in 2024, which was their first year back at senior level. They played very well indeed as Ciaran Hough, Tom Duggan, Michael Dolan, Eoin McIntyre, Colm Fogarty, Donnacha O’Meara and Conor Kennedy were very much in evidence in a side that missed the experienced  Niall McIntyre, who didn’t play through injury. 

The opening minutes were lively as sides were level for the second time at 0-3 each by the fifth minute. One minute later, Darragh McCarthy punished a Lorrha indiscretion as he buried a penalty after Adam Hall was fouled in the large square.

After wind assisted Jake Hackett scored a point in the eighth minute, Toome were four in front 1-5 to 0-4 but Lorrha kept in the frame after Colm Fogarty pointed back to back, from play and a free to see his team trail by two. 

Toome stretched the lead to three in the 15th minute after Kevin McCarthy made it 1-7 to 0-7, but Lorrha fought back as three unanswered points, two from Patrick Maher and a third by Colm Fogarty, saw teams level 1-7 to 0-10 and ten minutes to the break. 

Then it was Toome’s turn to score three unanswered points with Daragh McCarthy scoring all three, one from play in a period that saw their wides increase to nine after some very wasteful attempts at goal. It was 1-10 to 0-10 at half-time.  

By the 35th minute, both Darragh McCarthy and Colm Fogarty had bisected the posts with three frees and the Lorrha man claimed two.

After Lorrha recorded their first wide in the game in the 37th minute, their possession percentage began to increase. A goal by Eoin McIntyre brought the game to life following a move by Patrick Maher and Donnacha O’Meara. 

A quick response by Darragh McCarthy made it 1-12 each, but Lorrha were moving with confidence and went three clear after Eoin McIntyre scored a brace, closely followed by another Colm Fogarty free in the 38th minute.

By then, both Robbie Quirke and Jack Delaney had departed the bench, and the Greyhounds began to regain ground as Darragh McCarthy scored before Robbie Quirke surged forward to score another thanks to a Liam Ryan assist. 

However, Lorrha went two in front after Colm Fogarty pointed a 65 following Darragh Hayes' save on Hogan. A Darragh McCarthy free was quickly answered by Conor Kennedy, his third, before Toome struck a goal in the 48th minute after Jack Delaney took an assist from Darragh McCarthy, the Greyhounds 2-15 to 1-17 in front.

A mix-up by the Lorrha defence allowed Darragh McCarthy to profit before another foul on Donnacha O’Meara saw Colm Fogarty on target once more. 

Austin Duff came into the scene, but Lorrha were not for leaving as Colm Fogarty made it level with a free, nine minutes remaining. Duff won a free, and McCarthy did the needful, closely followed by Kevin McCarthy’s sixth white flag. 

David Fogarty pulled one back for Lorrha. With Jack Delaney fouled, another Darragh free had his team two in front approaching the 58th minute.

A free from almost halfway by Colm Fogarty left the minimum between the teams again but Toome had the extra gear and Robbie Quirke, plus Kevin McCarthy, combined to see Delaney on target with the dying minutes of added time, allowing Darragh McCarthy to have the last say when pointing a free.

It was game over by the 63rd minute as Toomevara were into the semi-final when they meet Kiladangan. 

Toomevara: Darragh Hayes; Cathal Frend, Andrew Ryan, Jake Ryan; Colm Canning, Liam Ryan, Paul Ryan; Josh McCarthy (0-1), Conor O’Farrell; Daren Delaney, Kevin McCarthy (0-6), Jake Hackett (0-1); Adam Hall, Barry O’Connell (0-1), Daragh McCarthy (1-10, 0-7f, 1-0 pen)

Subs used: Robbie Quirke (0-1) for O’Farrell (39); Jack Delaney (1-1) for Hall (39); Joshua Powell for P Ryan (42); Austin Duff for Josh McCarthy (50); Conor O’Meara for Canning (53).

Lorrha: Michael Kennedy; Lee Hogan, Ciaran Hough, Tom Dugan; Conor Hogan, Michael Dolan, Brendan Fogarty; Alan O’Meara, Eoin McIntyre (1-2); Donnacha O’Meara (0-2), Patrick Maher (0-2), Colm Fogarty (0-12, 0-9f, 0-1 65); Christopher Fogarty, Cian Hogan, Conor Kennedy (0-3).

Subs used: David Fogarty (0-1) for Alan O’Meara (51).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)

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