Loughrea seeking to claim old ground

The official Galway website, www.galwaygaa.ie, explains how the GAA might have been founded in Loughrea rather than Thurles. Michael Cusack was principal of the national school at Lough Cutra and initially invited Dr Patrick Duggan, Bishop of Clonfert, to be patron of the fledgling association.

Believing that a younger man might be a better candidate, the bishop referred Cusack to Dr Thomas Croke, Archbishop of Cashel, and so it came to pass that the famous meeting in November 1884 was held in Thurles and not Loughrea.

So the local club that contests tomorrow's All-Ireland club hurling final might have been on its way to Duggan Park instead of the Croke Park stadium that annually hosts the climax of the club year.

Loughrea are no strangers to the big stage and last year contested the All-Ireland junior football final, losing to Kerry's Ardfert - who were also back again this year, in last weekend's intermediate football final - and seven of that team also played on the side that won the club's first Galway senior hurling title in 45 years.

Among those dual performers was Johnny O'Loughlin, full forward for the hurlers, and recipient of the Connacht award for provincial player of the championship recently presented by AIB.

His was a vital contribution to the controversial county final victory over defending All-Ireland champions Portumna. As well as scoring three points, one of them a memorable sweep from the right wing, O'Loughlin popped in the high ball from which Enda Coen scored the goal that revived the match as a contest.

According to his manager Pat O'Connor, the award was well deserved, an accurate reflection of what the player has brought to the team all season.

"He's been the main threat in the forwards, excellent all year. Fast and skilful, he's great pace and is extremely brave. He takes on everyone and fights for every ball. He epitomises the spirit of Loughrea. They'll put in everything and leave the pitch with no regrets. Johnny has that."

He'll need it because again in tomorrow's final the Galway club will be outsiders against a starry Ballyhale Shamrocks team, a reality that doesn't concern O'Loughlin.

"I think we've a good chance - we know we're underdogs," he says.

Although their county championship is one of the hardest to win, Loughrea progressed incrementally in recent years before achieving last October's breakthrough. But they haven't been greatly tested in the meantime.

On the weekend that Ballyhale were surviving a spectacular high-wire act against Tipperary's Toomevara, Loughrea plodded a bit in their win over Cushendall. O'Loughlin accepts that the lack of top-notch opposition since the autumn is an issue.

"It's a small factor. We didn't hurl that well against Cushendall until the last 10 or 15 minutes. We didn't know what to expect from them and were lucky that it turned out okay at the end of the day."

While Loughrea were making history in Galway, the county team was welcoming a new manager. Ger Loughnane trawled widely on his arrival and from the new champions asked O'Connor on board as a selector. O'Loughlin was also invited to be part of the initial panel but declined.

"I was invited in with three or four Loughrea players but was working in Donegal at the time and couldn't give the full commitment."

His credentials as a dual player are impressive as he prepares for a second club final in successive years but O'Loughlin was also involved in trying to make his name at another sport, horse racing.

"I've done a small bit of work in the local stables and was a conditional jockey for two or three years.

"I got a couple of seconds and thirds in festivals and rode for various local trainers - David Ryan, Paul Gilligan and Pat Kelly."

n Loughrea won't select for the final until tomorrow. Brian Mahony has a hamstring problem that will be given as long as possible to recover with a fitness test just before the match.

Corner back Tom Regan had been suffering from flu but has recovered and was expected to return to training last night.