Tooreen come full circle to lay title on the line
Tooreen goalkeeper Bobby Douglas signs his autograph on the jersey of young Tooreen supporter Sean Cassidy after the club's recent county final victory over Ballyhaunis. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Preview by Stuart Tynan
Tooreen will look to do a historic four-in-a-row when they face Ballinderreen of Galway in the Connacht intermediate hurling final this Sunday in Athleague.
Having won titles in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022, the Blue Devils are the most successful side in the competition, a remarkable statistic considering that Tooreen’s triumph in 2017 was the first time that a Mayo club had won the competition after six previous final defeats – four for Ballyhaunis, one for Tooreen and one for Ballina.
But since that memorable November day six years ago, Tooreen’s presence in this game has been a constant. It is a sixth consecutive final for the East Mayo side, the loss to Oranmore-Maree in the 2018 final their only blemish on what is an outstanding record. The competition in 2020 was not played due to Covid but given Tooreen were beaten by Ballyhaunis in the Mayo senior final, they wouldn’t have been involved.
Of course, there will be a feeling of bigger fish to fry given that they made it all the way to the All-Ireland final earlier this year, only to fall to Monaleen of Limerick. That said, all talk of another potential run will be firmly kept under wraps as they look to the task ahead of them in what is something of a full circle moment.
Ballinderreen were the opponents when Tooreen made the breakthrough in 2017 and they enjoyed a four year stint in the Galway senior hurling championship before losing the Galway senior championship relegation playoff to Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry in 2021. Ironically, this year they defeated the same opposition 3-18 to 2-18 to win a third Galway intermediate title.
For Ballinderreen, managed by Keith Connolly, it was all the more special given their bumpy journey to the final. They lost their opening group game to Kinvara before hammering An Spidéal and they secured a spot in the preliminary quarter-final with a draw against Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry.
Since then, they have been impressive as they beat Abbeyknockmoy, Rahoon-Newcastle and Sylane on their way to the county final before exacting revenge on Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry for that defeat which had relegated from the senior ranks two years ago. Their dangerman is Roy Lane, who scored 1-32 across the knockout stages while Evan Morgan, Padriag Lafferty, Niall Coen, Robbie Meehan, Shane Larkin, David Mannion and Kieran Meehan are men Ray Larkin’s outfit will also have to be wary of.
Tooreen’s journey has been a bit more straightforward thus far. They cruised through the Mayo SHC group stages with thumping wins over an understrength Ballyhaunis, newcomers St Ciaran’s and Castlebar Mitchels. Once more, their neighbours Ballyhaunis awaited them in the final and a much closer affair was expected.
Anyone in Tooreen will say it is the hardest game they face all year and the final was another example of that. While it was not a final that will live long in the memory for its quality, Tooreen will care little about that, if at all, as they overcame a dogged display by Ballyhaunis to win a sixth TJ Tyrell Cup in seven years.
Four Roads of Roscommon were comfortably disposed of in the Connacht quarter-final in Athleague yet that win would ultimately take them to the final as the scheduled semi-final never materialised due to a dispute in the London senior championship. While it means Tooreen have not had a competitive game since the October Bank Holiday weekend, that counts for very little given that Ballinderreen’s county intermediate final took place on the same weekend.
A staple of Tooreen’s success has been the strength in depth at their disposal. Sean Regan, Brian Morley and Gary Nolan, men who have not just won Mayo and Connacht titles with Tooreen but Nicky Rackard Cup with Mayo, were all brought off the bench in the county final against Ballyhaunis as they boast a squad that no one can match in their own county and arguably across the province at this level.
Defensive stalwarts like Stephen Coyne, David Kenny, Michael Morley and Joe Boyle have been a staple of recent Tooreen glory, while the emergence of corner-back Conal Hession, man-of-the-match in the county final, has been a massive bonus. Sean Kenny, Daniel Huane and John Cassidy are formidable midfield options while in attack, the firepower of Liam Lavin, Shane Boland, Eoin Delaney, Kenny Feeney, Oisin Greally and Fergal Boland – who missed the game against Four Roads due to an injury sustained in the Mayo senior final – can lead the way once more, even without the travelling Cathal Freeman.
Ballinderreen will provide stiff resistance for much of this contest but the experience and quality at Tooreen’s disposal will likely see more history made this Sunday afternoon.
Verdict: Tooreen
