Tooreen put title on line against Galway’s finest
Former Dublin and Cuala senior manager Mattie Kenny is back in charge of his native
Hyde Park is becoming somewhat of a home away from home for Tooreen as for the third straight game, they are heading for Roscommon as they take on Galway champions Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry in the AIB Connacht Club intermediate hurling championship final.
The Blue Devils stand 60 minutes away from yet more history. Having already won an unprecedented four consecutive Connacht intermediate hurling titles (five in total), Ray Larkin’s will look to complete the ‘Drive for Five’ or ‘Search for Six’ next Saturday – but their latest opponent will arguably be their most challenging, as well as familiar.
Galway native Larkin is a former member of Kilnadeema/Leitrim Hurling Club, which is only 10 miles away from Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry. Former Galway hurler Liam Hodgins, a stalwart of TAD, was also part of former Mayo senior hurling manager Derek Walsh’s backroom team and will know many of the Tooreen players to have played for the Green and Red very well.
The Galway intermediate champions, managed by two-time All-Ireland Club senior winning-manager with Cuala, Mattie Kenny, were expected by many to win their county championship last year but were beaten by Ballinderreen. But they went one step further this year, defeating Kinvara in the final, and they have match winners all over their team, many of whom have played in the biggest occasions in hurling.
Midfielder Shane Moloney, who struck 0-7 in the county final, is a former All-Ireland minor winning captain with Galway back in 2011 while he came on a substitute when Galway won the All-Ireland senior championship in 2017.
Paul Killeen has also represented the Tribesmen while men such as Conor Jordan, John Conroy, Padraig Breheny and Micheál Power are capable of mixing it with the very best, so Ray Larkin is expecting a tough final.
“We've seen their final. They're a good balanced team, they've 15 good hurlers but our lads, we've been here before and we're used to it and they won't fear anyone.”
The lack of fear is understandable as Tooreen have been the undisputed top dogs in Connacht for close to seven years. Having lost one provincial final over that time, back in 2019, their squad is littered with men who have been there and done it with both club and county.
Bobby Douglas’ shot-stopping capabilities are well-established and he can strike the small ball over tremendous distances in a powerful weapon for huge scores from inside his own half.
Michael Morley, Oisín Greally, Joe Boyle and Stephen Coyne are experienced defenders who have neutralised some of the best attackers around while in midfield, Daniel Huane and Sean Kenny complement each other’s talents well.
Their attack is vaunted. Dual stars Liam Lavin and Fergal Boland are devastating on their day, Eoin Delaney is a big-game player (as shown by his second-half goal against St Gabriel’s in the semi-final), and Shane Boland is as reliable a scorer as they come, both from frees and open play.
The squad’s injury issues are also clearing up, although there remain doubts about the availability of Sean Regan who had been an integral part of Ballina Stephenites’ parade to the Mayo SFC title until his injury in the county senior final. Conal Hession is back in training, as is Gary Nolan, and both may play a part in the Connacht final in some capacity.
Given the achievement that is potentially in front of them, it would be easy to get carried with the hype of it all but Ray Larkin is just looking it as another final.
“Our lads don't buy into that. We're Connacht champions. We said at half-time (of the semi-final) we're Connacht champions, and we want to defend our title no matter what happens. It's great if we get two halves together. Play two good halves, it’ll be hard to stop us.”
Tooreen haven’t yet, having been behind in both the quarter and semi-final. But get a 60-minute performance, and not even the might of Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry (provincial winners back in 2009 when beating Ballyhaunis) might have the answers.
Verdict: Tooreen
