Lorrha make little of Shannon Rovers effort to clinch north intermediate title

North Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

Lorrha 2-24

Shannon Rovers 3-11

Lorrha breezed their way to victory in the north intermediate hurling final as they completely dismantled Shannon Rovers in the dead heat of MacDonagh Park, Nenagh this evening.

Truthfully, Lorrha looked every bit a team playing below their grade, and the match was akin to a poor grading of an underage team in the boardroom, such was the gulf in class on the day.

But Lorrha are in the intermediate grade on merit after a dismal campaign in 2021, and their quest to regain their status in the second tier of Tipperary club hurling will be boosted with this win, as they have silverware to give them confidence going into the county championship next weekend.

They had a very rounded team performance in the win, particularly with the forward play as the inside line of Colm Fogarty, Patrick Maher, and Christopher Fogarty went to town throughout the game, particularly in the first half, as the Lorrha deliveries from deep were pinpoint, bypassing the Shannon Rovers sweeper Austin Tierney time and time again.

Fogarty in particular looked every part the county player he is, with his first half goal a real piece of quality, and shortly after that goal went in in the 20th minute, it looked like a game that was all over bar the shouting.

Shannon Rovers started the game really well though, and inside the opening seven minutes, they had built up a 1-3 to 0-2 lead after points from Tom Hogan, George Hannigan, and a very well taken goal from Hogan again, cutting inside from the left corner forward position before lashing a low shot past the Lorrha keeper.

Two Brian Hogan frees were the Lorrha scores in that time, with the Tipp keeper operating at wing back, but to give you an idea of the take over from Lorrha during the first half, it wouldn’t be until the 31st minute until the Rovers scoured again, as the men in blue took utter control of the game.

A massive purple patch from Eoin McIntyre’s deflected point in the eight minute to Cian Hogan’s second point in the 29th minute seen Lorrha notch 11 unanswered scores, including two very well taken goals from the aforementioned Fogarty and Patrick Maher; the latter’s coming after a brilliant lobbed pass from Christopher Fogarty.

Others were stepping up to the scoring mark with good scoring contributions from Alan O’Meara and Cian Hogan, but much of the classier play was coming from the two Fogarty’s - Colm in particular - and Patrick Maher who were running amok as they were being afforded so much space throughout the half as they went in leading 2-13 to 1-4 at the interval.

The second half had a processionary feel to it as it continued as the first half finished, with Lorrha in the ascendancy with five in a row coming from Colm (two) and Christopher Fogarty, along with scores from play through Eoin McIntyre (two) by the 40th minute, as it was essentially game over now, if it wasn’t already.

Rovers went looking for goals from here on, and they found the net in the 46th minute after Conal Moran’s 21 yard free was saved, along with the rebound from Tom Hogan, but substitute John O’Meara made no mistake with a ground stroke to cut the arrears back slightly.

But that did little to stem  the blue tide and rouse the Rovers faithful, as the atmosphere was completely gone around the pitch, and despite a very late George Hannigan goal putting somewhat of a gloss on the scoreline, the remainder played out as more or less a score for score contest, with Lorrha holding onto their lead with ease to claim the north title.

Scorers: Lorrha: Colm Fogarty (1-9, 0-5f); Brian Hogan (0-4, 0-3f); Eoin McIntyre 0-3; Patrick Maher 1-0; Cian Hogan, Alan O’Meara, Christopher Fogarty, David Fogarty all 0-2 each.

Shannon Rovers: Tom Hogan 0-6, 0-3f); George Hannigan 1-1; Eamon Hough, John O’Meara both 1-0 each; Conal Moran 0-3f; Alan Hogan 0-1.

Lorrha: Kevin Hough; Tim Duggan, Conor Hogan, Oisin Guinan; Brian Hogan, Michael Dolan, Denis O’Meara; Niall McIntyre, Alan O’Meara; Colm Fogarty, Patrick Maher, Eoin McIntyre; Christopher Fogarty, Cian Hogan, David Fogarty.

No subs used.

Shannon Rovers: Paddy Heenan; Marcus Esmonde, Matt Tierney, Kieran O’Sullivan; James O’Sullivan, Michael Slattery, Alan Hannigan; Austin Tierney, Emmet Moran; Conal Moran, George Hannigan, Andy Byrnes; Michael Tierney, Eamon Hough, Tom Hogan.

Subs used: Alan Hogan for M Tierney; John O’Meara for Esmonde; Derek Horan for Slattery.

Referee: Gerry Treacy (Borris-Ileigh)