Resurgent Loughrea end long reign of arch rivals

Date Published: 19-Oct-2010

STEPHEN GLENNON

AT KENNY PARK

LOUGHREA have taken a lot of criticism since their controversial county final victory over Portumna in 2006, yet in Kenny Park on Saturday, they confounded the pundits and the hurlers on the ditch with a display of real quality. To some degree, there may have been a measure of redemption in the performance; it certainly was a demonstration worthy of respect.

Once again, supporters turned up in Athenry in their thousands for this county senior hurling semi-final replay between two great protagonists. Let’s be honest, though, there were not too many – outside of those in Loughrea perhaps – who didn’t think that Portumna were going to win this, hands down, at the second time of asking.

However, that’s what you’ve got to love about this game – its unpredictability. In many respects, Loughrea have become its lord and master. To them, the odds count for nothing. They love nothing more than to shatter preconceptions, break boundaries, set their own limits. They are the proverbial mountain climbers. Give them a height, they will scale it.

On Sunday, they shed their ‘hard man’ image and submitted a display of undeniable substance. It had it all, crisp hurling, commitment, hunger and desire . . . qualities so long associated with their Portumna rivals, although, on last weekend’s display, it would appear they no longer have the monopoly on these.

No doubt, Loughrea were deserving of their 1-11 to 0-9 half-time lead, the Town’s goal netted on 23 minutes by Johnny O’Loughlin. It really was an absolute gem. Midfielder Emmett Mahony fought for possession deep in his own defence before clearing towards Thomas Hoban. He, in turn, caught and immediately offloaded to O’Loughlin inside and ‘Johnny O’ finished off the move by carefully placing the ball beyond Portumna keeper Ivan Canning.

That major nudged Loughrea – no doubt, benefitting from the recent input of Galway senior hurling management duo John Hardiman and John Kearney – into a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage, a lead they would not surrender for the remainder of the contest. They would continue to dominate the exchanges, winning the majority, if not all, of the one-on-one battles throughout the park.

For their part, Portumna looked a pale shadow of the side that has thrilled their supporters – and, indeed, hurling enthusiasts – over the last eight years or so. Their performance was flat, devoid of creativity, imagination, and, most of all, intensity. A number of times, they endeavoured to rouse themselves, but there just seemed nothing left in the tank.