Nenagh Éire Óg booked their place in the final of the Dr Fogarty Cup thanks to a resounding thirteen-point win over Lorrha-Dorrha at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh on Friday evening.
Clean Ireland Recycling County
Senior Hurling Challenge Cup
Dr Fogarty Cup Semi-Final
Nenagh Éire Óg 1-23 Lorrha-Dorrha 0-13
Lorrha took the lead thanks to a converted free in the first minute, but Éire Óg hit back with points from Kevin Tucker, Donnacha Quinn (two), James Mackey, Tommy Heffernan and John Cahalan to help the home side into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the tenth minute.
A smartly-taken Donnacha Quinn free created the first goal chance of the game for James Mackey – unfortunately the corner-forward’s rasping shot flew narrowly wide in the 13th minute.
James Mackey then added to the Éire Óg tally with a point from play before the Blues carved out another goal-scoring opportunity in the 17th minute, but Lorrha ‘keeper Brian Hogan saved superbly from Tommy Heffernan.
Points from Tommy Heffernan and Donnacha Quinn helped Éire Óg into a 0-9 to 0-1 lead before Lorrha converted a ’65 in the 26th minute to double their tally. Further points from Michael Heffernan, Donnacha Quinn (free) and James Mackey forced the Blues ten points clear before a Lorrha free left nine in it at the break (0-12 to 0-3).
Lorrha made an encouraging start to the second half and hit three consecutive points (two frees) before a Michael Heffernan long-range free got Éire Óg moving once more in the 35th minute.
Tommy Heffernan was denied a goal in the 36th minute when a Lorrha defender recovered just in time to hook the Éire Óg full-forward, but the Blues soon added to their tally thanks to efforts from James Mackey and Tommy Heffernan (0-15 to 0-6).
Lorrha hit back with a converted free, but Éire Óg responded in kind with two Donnacha Quinn frees helping the home side into a nine-point advantage entering the final quarter.
A Lorrha point cut the Éire Óg lead to eight, but Éire Óg finally struck for the goal which their enterprising attacking play deserved in the 45th minute when Paddy Murphy set up Michael Heffernan for a three-pointer (1-17 to 0-9).
Lorrha responded with a point, but efforts from James Mackey and John Cahalan stretched the Blues’ lead to twelve entering the final ten minutes. A Lorrha point then preceded another Éire Óg goal-scoring opportunity in the 52nd minute – once more Brian Hogan saved, this time from centre-forward Paddy Murphy.
John Cahalan then traded points with Lorrha before Tommy Heffernan’s 21-yard free in the 55th minute ricocheted off the bar for a point following a foul on the raiding James Mackey.
Lorrha brought the scoring to a close from their point of view with a free on the hour mark while John Cahalan and Shane Hennessy added to the Éire Óg tally.
Éire Óg last appeared in the Dr Fogarty Cup final in 2013 when the Blues lost after a replay to Burgess. On the opposite side of the draw Burgess will take on Mullinahone on Friday, June 19th in Drombane at 7.30pm. The final of the Dr Fogarty Cup is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
Nenagh Éire Óg would like to wish Lorrha-Dorrha well as they prepare to take on Kildangan in an up-coming north Tipperary senior hurling championship quarter-final.
The Blues will not return to championship action until the respective divisional championships reach a conclusion – Éire Óg have already qualified for the last sixteen of the Clean Ireland Recycling County Senior Hurling Championship.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Michael McNamara, Mark Flannery, Hugh Maloney, Conor Ryan, Andrew Coffey, Dáire Quinn, Adam Gratton, Kevin Tucker (0-1), Michael Heffernan (1-2, 0-1 frees), John Cahalan (0-4), Paddy Murphy, Killian Gleeson, James Mackey (0-5), Tommy Heffernan (0-4, 0-1 frees), Donnacha Quinn (0-6, 0-4 frees). Subs: (43rd) Philip Hickey for Killian Gleeson, (50th) Alan Kelly for Kevin Tucker, (50th) Shane Hennessy (0-1) for Donnacha Quinn, (54th) Michael Collins for Conor Ryan, (55th) Niall Madden for Andrew Coffey.
Referee: Tommy Ryan (Kildangan).
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