Shannon Rovers GAA Notes (14 February 2026)
By Liam Hogan, Shannon Rovers GAA PRO
By Liam Hogan, Shannon Rovers GAA PRO
Rovers Celebrate 40 Year Win
Shannon Rovers Banquet Dinner
Shannon Rovers GAA club is holding a Banquet Dinner in the Ashley Park House, Ardcroney on Friday 13th of February.
It will be a double celebration as players from the North Final winning team which defeated Borrisokane last July will receive their North medals. That win coincided with the fortieth anniversary when Rovers won the first of back to back North finals in 1985 and 1986 before the club added a county Intermediate title in November 1986.
1985 Campaign
With poor performance in the 1984 campaign, things didn’t show much of an improvement come championship when we won one of the three group games as the results show.
April 28th Shannon Rovers 2-8 Burgess 0-2
May 19th Shannon Rovers 2-5 Templederry 2-12
July 13th Shannon Rovers lost to Portroe
Having reached third place we made the quarter-final stage. Around that time, Kilruane’s Len Gaynor had become coach to the side and the team prepared for the clash with Ballina on July 28. Not an easy task against the 1984 County Junior champions and after an improved second half display we won 1-12 to 2-2 at Nenagh.
On August 24th the semi-final win meeting with Newport at Nenagh showed a huge improvement as the 2-14 to 3-5 win showed.
The North Final
The North final was played on October 5th at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh and victory bridged a ten year gap after Joe Hannigan received the Fr Hewitt Cup. Hannigan’s first half goal kept Rovers in the game as they trailed 0-6 to 1-2 at the break. Patrick McLoughney produced a string of great saves. Early second half goals saw the game open up as Pat Hogan and Gerry O’Meara found the net and Rovers 3-4 to 0-6 clear and despite a fightback by Port a fitter Rovers side rallied to score five unanswered points to win out seventh title 3-9 to 1-7.
The North final was played on October 5th at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh and victory bridged a ten year gap after Joe Hannigan received the Fr Hewitt Cup. Hannigan’s first half goal kept Rovers in the game as they trailed 0-6 to 1-2 at the break. Patrick McLoughney produced a string of great saves. Early second half goals saw the game open up as Pat Hogan and Gerry O’Meara found the net and Rovers 3-4 to 0-6 clear and despite a fightback by Port a fitter Rovers side rallied to score five unanswered points to win out seventh title 3-9 to 1-7.
Shannon Rovers: Patrick McLoughney; Ger Leenane, Tom Burke, Sean Darcy; Liam Hogan, Jim McLoughney 0-1, Seamus O’Sullivan; James Burke, Joe Hannigan 1-0 Capt; Sean O’Meara 0-4, Timmy Carroll 0-2, Martin Hogan 0-1; Pat Hogan 1-0, Timmy Tierney, Gerry O’Meara 1-1. Subs: Mike Burke, Paddy Burke, Donal Corbett, Ger Fox, Tom Fox, Tom Heenan, Willie Hourigan, Brendan Tierney, Anselm Walsh.
Selectors: Frank Moran, Tom Slattery, John Tierney, Pat McLoughney, Jim McLoughney and Joe Hannigan. Coach, Len Gaynor.
Two weeks later Rovers travelled south to Borrisoleigh to meet Moycarkey Borris in the county semi final but a slicker Moycarkey side held out to 1-9 to 1-6.
Intermediate Hurling Championship 1986
While defending the title Rovers went unbeaten in their group starting with a 0-13 to 3-3 win over Burgess on May 25th at Nenagh. Round 2 was played on the 15th of June against Portroe with Rovers winning 2-12 to 1-12 at Nenagh. Their third round clash against Ballina on July 19th saw us win 4-5 to 0-3.
While defending the title Rovers went unbeaten in their group starting with a 0-13 to 3-3 win over Burgess on May 25th at Nenagh. Round 2 was played on the 15th of June against Portroe with Rovers winning 2-12 to 1-12 at Nenagh. Their third round clash against Ballina on July 19th saw us win 4-5 to 0-3.
North Semi-final
With a clear path to the semi final we took on our great rivals Portroe on September 14. This was a day of days and we needed Jim McLoughney’s expertise to see him grab an equaliser from a sideline ball to earn a draw 3-11 each. The replay was certainly dramatic as Rovers had to come from behind to force extra time. Those extra twenty minutes saw Port take charge again but McLoughney’s brilliance and a third goal by Timmy Tierney saw a 3-17 to 3-14 victory come our way.
With a clear path to the semi final we took on our great rivals Portroe on September 14. This was a day of days and we needed Jim McLoughney’s expertise to see him grab an equaliser from a sideline ball to earn a draw 3-11 each. The replay was certainly dramatic as Rovers had to come from behind to force extra time. Those extra twenty minutes saw Port take charge again but McLoughney’s brilliance and a third goal by Timmy Tierney saw a 3-17 to 3-14 victory come our way.
The North Final against Newport in Nenagh on October 5th was a poor decider but Shannon Rovers did enough to win 1-12 to 0-7 with Tom Burke the winning captain. Team: Patrick McLoughney; Ger Leenane, Tom Burke (Capt), Sean Darcy; Liam Hogan, Jim McLoughney 0-2 (0-1 lineball), Seamus O’Sullivan; Joe Hannigan, Timmy Carroll 0-2; Sean O’Meara 0-7 (0-6f), Mike Burke 0-1, Ger Darcy; Pat Hogan, Timmy Tierney 1-0, Gerry O’Meara.
The County Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final was an easy assignment as we defeated Arravale Rovers 4-12 to 0-7 at Holycross.
County Final
We met a fancied Clonmore side in the county final at Thurles on November 16. They had us under pressure but Patrick McLoughney denied them twice as Rovers led 0-5 to 0-4 at half time. Rovers played against the breeze in the second half but they rallied and points by Timmy Tierney, Jim McLoughney (65), Gerry O’Meara and Pat Hogan saw the lead out to five. A Clonmore fightback ensued and they reeled off four points in the closing stages through Pat Delaney, Martin Burke (free) Delaney and John Fitzpatrick. It was a nail biting finish but the defence held firm and we won 0-9 to 0-8 to capture the county Intermediate title for the first time and their third if the 1939 and 1968 County Junior titles are included.
We met a fancied Clonmore side in the county final at Thurles on November 16. They had us under pressure but Patrick McLoughney denied them twice as Rovers led 0-5 to 0-4 at half time. Rovers played against the breeze in the second half but they rallied and points by Timmy Tierney, Jim McLoughney (65), Gerry O’Meara and Pat Hogan saw the lead out to five. A Clonmore fightback ensued and they reeled off four points in the closing stages through Pat Delaney, Martin Burke (free) Delaney and John Fitzpatrick. It was a nail biting finish but the defence held firm and we won 0-9 to 0-8 to capture the county Intermediate title for the first time and their third if the 1939 and 1968 County Junior titles are included.
Team: Patrick McLoughney; Ger Leenane, Tom Burke (Capt), Sean Darcy; Liam Hogan, Jim McLoughney 0-1 (65), Seamus O’Sullivan; Timmy Carroll, Joe Hannigan; Sean O’Meara 0-3 (0-3f), Mike Burke, Ger Darcy; Gerry O’Meara 0-1, Timmy Tierney 0-3, Noel Ducie RIP.
Subs: Pat Hogan 0-1 for G Darcy; John Joe Costello for Carroll. Other subs included Raymond Costello, Tomas Costello, Tomas Hogan and Johnny Slattery.
Selectors: Jack O’Meara, Tom Slattery, John Tierney Pat McLoughney, Joe Hannigan plus Len Gaynor as Coach.
