O'Loughlin Gaels manager Brian Hogan. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
Eanna Burke’s remarkable, last gasp point decided a gripping AIB All-Ireland Club SHC Final as St Thomas’ edged out O’Loughlin Gaels.
A thrilling encounter unfolded at Croke Park with O’Loughlin Gaels manager Brian Hogan praising the determination of his players, who secured Kilkenny and Leinster glory during an eventful campaign.
“I'm so proud of them all year, the way they've applied themselves,” Hogan reflected. “Obviously, we are all hurting today, it is the pinnacle of club hurling. To come so close, I've nothing, but the height of respect for the lads, the way they've approached it.
“We've had a phenomenal year, it is one of the best years I've put in with the club. Just to come up short at the last hurdle, in the last couple of minutes, that is tough, but that is sport.”
Burke’s beautiful intervention in the dying embers decided a thrilling match. “It was a wonder score, I don't even know if he looked at the posts, if he did, fair play,” Hogan remarked.
“He was under so much pressure. We still had a chance at the end, Mark (Bergin), in fairness to him, had the bravery to stand up to take a difficult free under the Cusack Stand in these conditions.
“Unfortunately, it didn't go over, but that wasn't the winning or losing of the match by any stretch of the imagination. I think it was the way we used the ball in the second half, we didn't really tack on enough scores, particularly with the extra man in the conditions.”
Hogan praised O’Loughlin’s drive and desire as they chalked up plenty of hooks, blocks, and tackles during an absorbing tussle. “We've prided ourselves all year on winning that battle,” Hogan stated.
“We knew the way they set up that the middle third of the field was going to be very attritional. We knew it was going to require a high work rate because there was going to be space in both full back lines to get that delivery in.
“Again, immediately after the match, the sending off, we probably stopped using the ball as well as we had been doing all year. We probably started to go too direct, and we needed to work the ball out to the channels, out to the wings, we went up the centre too much, which suited them.
“It was a tight game. Obviously, there is huge disappointment on our side, we knew there wasn't going to be much in it, looking at Thomas', and the way they play.
“That is the way it transpired, it ebbed and flowed. We felt at half-time going in two points up, that we were in a good position.
“Unfortunately, we didn't stay hurling in the second half, we deviated from our game. Credit to Thomas', they got a couple of wonderful scores to get them over the line.”
