Lismore and Ahascragh Fohenagh do battle for Croke Park spot

Lismore and Ahascragh Fohenagh travel to O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Sunday next for the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Semi Final, where the prize on offer to the winner is an All-Ireland Final date at G.A.A. Headquarters at Croke Park in the middle of next month.

The Galway Club is a relatively new one, only formed fifteen years ago, when neighbouring clubs Ahascragh-Fohenagh came together as junior clubs and amalgamated due to the drop off of numbers available to both as the 90’s went on.

Since coming together first as a Juvenile Club in 1999 they have proven to be a very successful outfit, winning titles at under 10, 12 and 14 levels.

At adult level they have also proved successful winning Junior and Under 21 titles, losing the Galway Intermediate final against Killimordaly and again in 2014 against Cappataggle before winning a first intermediate title in 2016.

For Lismore, it has been a roller coaster 16 months for Lismore.

They lost their senior status which they held from the late 1960’s towards the end of 2015, but regrouped well at intermediate level with Tony Browne as coach and proved too strong for all in the county and province capturing, West Waterford, County and Provincial Crowns.

Along the way, especially in the west they had a few close calls, and were pushed all the way in what is a very competitive competition.

To many, the Shanahan Brothers, Dan and Maurice are the sides standout players, but those that would think they are their only big guns they would be mistaken as over the course of the past 12 months they have had big performances from the likes of former inter county goalkeeper Brendan Landers, the Barry Brothers as well as John and Paudie Prendergast.

Another player that has stood out is Jack Prendergast, a cousin of the already mentioned Prendergast duo and nephew of former Waterford hurler Sean (Growler) Daly.

This young lad has a big future in the game and while he has not had a chance to show Derek McGrath and his selectors what he can do in the white and blue of Waterford in recent weeks, he no doubt is a player that will come into the reckoning for a place in the final Waterford panel when it is announced in a few weeks’ time.

This is a game that could well go right to the wire, where the team that shows the most hunger comes out on top.

The Heritage Town side have what it takes to win, and having seen and matched the successes of neighbouring clubs, Ballysaggart, Cappoquin and Modeligo in the recent years, they will want to go further than they did but first they have to ensure that they win here.