LOHAN RANGER DOWNED BY TRIBE
The last time Boden played in Portlaoise they had to dig so deep to see off Clonmel Commercials in the 2016 All-ireland club semi-finals.
The eventual champions were two points down, two minutes into stoppage time, but pinched a point and then Darragh Nelson hit the equaliser – forcing extra-time that Boden dominated.
The thing is, Nelson clearly over-carried before taking his score, a giant stroke of look that the Dubliners took full advantage of.
Wing-forward
O’reilly smiled: “The infamous point with the few extra steps! C’mere, the video still pops up every so often online and he gets tagged on it.”
All the indicators are that it’ll be just as tight today and that it could be another classic.
The bookies give Carlow champions Eire Og no chance yet when the sides met in a challenge in August it finished 3-8 apiece.
And ‘Boden showed they were ready for battle on that occasion too by securing the stalemate with two late goals.
O’reilly said: “It’s just good to know that if it is a tight game we’ll be there fighting all the way. We were four points down against Na Fianna in the Dublin quarter-finals with a few minutes to go and clawed that
A STELLAR performance from Sean Bleahene gave Shane O’neill victory in his first outing as Galway hurling manager, while Clare’s new boss Brian Lohan launched his tenure with an ever improving display in Ballinderreen.
Bleahene (right) fired two firsthalf goals and laid on another from Tadhg Haran, while substitute back. We were six or seven points down against St Judes at half-time in the semi-final and won that one. “We’ve definitely gone deep into the well at times this year and we’re going to have to do that again. I don’t think it’s going to be a walkover for either team, both teams have shown they’re going to embrace the challenge.” Eire Og have mastered a counter attacking strategy and held Portlaoise scoreless from play in the second-half of their semifinal. But the immovable obstruction will meet an irresistible attacking force in Ballyboden who hit Garrycastle for 3-14 last time out. O’reilly said: “We kind of let the shackles off a little bit more against Garrycastle. And I think
Brian Concannon made sure of the win for the Tribesmen with their fourth goal 12 minutes into the second-half.
Clare trailed by 3-9 to 0-10 at half-time, although the fired good points from Gary Cooney, Aron Shanagher and Domhnall Mcmahon, while Niall Deasy’s frees kept them in touch.
After the break Colin Guilfoyle was handed the free-taking duties they, I won’t say played into our hands, but they went for it as well which is kind of what we’re looking for teams to do.
“I don’t think Eire Og are going to do that, they’re going to be slightly more defensive and that’s up to them.
“We’ve come through games in Dublin where teams have sat back, the St Judes game in particular, and against Thomas Davis too, so we’re kind of used to those teams that try to get numbers back and break. It’s just up to us to try to counteract that and to try to be a bit more patient on the ball.”
They’ll look to the Basquel brothers, Colm (left) and Ryan, to lead the line up front. But evergreen dual star Conal Keaney will be available from the bench again if they need him.
O’reilly, 29, said: “He’s a different animal, 37 years of age and still doing what he’s doing, in both codes. It’s something else.” and he added ten points to thier tally, but Lohan’s (left) side were bettered on the day with Kevin Hussey, Haran and Bleahene shining bright for their hosts. S Bleahene (2-4), T Haran (1-4, 1’sl), B Concannon (1-1), J Flynn (0-3,3f), S Linnane (0-2), R O’meara (0-1), J Mannion (0-1). C Guilfoyle (0-10, 10f), N Deasy (0-4, 3f), G Cooney (0-2), O Donnellan (0-1), R Taylor (0-1), A Shanagher (0-1), D Mcmahon (0-1), A Mccarthy (0-1).
Galway 4-16 Clare 0-21