Shane Tarrant overjoyed as Aghabullogue win first Intermediate hurling title in 113 years

AS Patrick O’Mahony blew the whistle for one last time in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the players, coaches and fans from Aghabullogue erupted with joy.

With the quality they’ve shown in both codes over the last number of years, it was certainly coming, but you could see just how much it meant to the team as they celebrated. Their first Intermediate title since 1910, the Muskerry were deserving of their one-point victory over Midleton.

It was fine margins, and Matthew Bradley’s excellent display was what stood out, but John Corkery and Shane Tarrant were also outstanding for Aghabullogue and were ruthless in front of goal.

Captain of the side, Shane Tarrant was left speechless at the relief to finally win the Intermediate A HC.

“We were there two years ago in 2021, and that one really hurt us against Éire Óg,” Shane begins. “It's just pure relief today to get over the line.

“Midleton, they pushed us all the way. As I said before the game two weeks ago, there's only ever one score between us, and it was the exact same today.

“We just knuckled down at the start of the year. We were inside in the gym; I think it was January 4. All of us, I think the first night we had 55 players inside in the gym.

“That bond that we have together, even outside of here, we’re all best buddies,” he explains. “We do everything together. We live in each other's pockets, and it was just kind of a matter of time over the years, when we [would] get over the line and it's just great to be there now today.” 

While they marginally made it over the line, it didn’t come easy, but Aghabullogue were well braced for the challenge that Midleton would provide.

“We knew at half time, we'd been studying Midleton. They’ve been behind in every game this year at half time, and we knew they were going to have a kick. We had the two goals, but that still didn't matter.

“We knew that they were going to have their purple patch in the second half. So, we just prepared for that. We knew that that was going to come, and it was just weathering that, and we talked about that all last week and the week before, weathering that storm.

“You just need a bit luck on these days as well, Tarrant says. 

"We haven't got it the last couple of years, but we got it today, and it’s just brilliant."

Speaking on the benefits of having the team perform so well in both codes, Tarrant remarks; “Momentum is huge in this, especially in the group format.

“Our management teams get on like a house on fire, both just rowing together. Just having that flow between both managements and no animosity between both codes or whatever, it's brilliant.

“We've really got that right over the last couple of years, and you can see we've been at the latter stages, and we've knocking on the door for in both codes so it's just brilliant.

We’ll enjoy it tonight, maybe tomorrow, and then it'll be knuckling down after that.

“We have a big game here in two weeks’ time, and we really want to get Ringer [Paul Ring] up those steps again and have this feeling again. So, we’ll enjoy today and have a party all night. After that, we’ll be back training Tuesday night.” Is there any fear of a hangover leading into the football final?

“No, we've a lot of fellas in there now, very, very young fellas inside there, and sure it’s water off a duck’s back to those lads!”