Fogarty expects tough test from Erin's Own

O'Loughlin Gaels manager Aidan Fogarty says Erin's Own will provide a tough test for the defending champions in Saturday's Kilkenny club hurling quarter-final at Nowlan Park.

O'Loughlin Gaels hit 13 wides in the league final against Dicksboro as they slumped to a 1-15 to 0-17 defeat on 16 September.

And Fogarty says his players cannot be so profligate against the Castlecomber side if they are to retain the club championship title they won last year by beating Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-19 to 1-12 in the final.

The Kilkenny club hurling championship quarter-final between O'Loughlin Gaels and Erin's Own on Saturday, 30 September is live on eir Sport 2 [throw in 2pm].

"We have played them quite a bit over the last number of years," Fogarty told KCLR.

"Games have always been very, very competitive, and very very tight.

"There's very little between us so it's going to be a big challenge for us at the weekend. We are under no illusions that we need to perform well if we are to defeat Comer at the weekend.

"They are always a very very difficult team to beat, they are a skilful team, they work hard, they have a good team ethic, we have always found it hard to beat them, and I don't think Saturday is going to be any different."

Erin's Own manager Eamonn Phelan acknowledges his side will be underdogs on Saturday, despite standout performances this season from Conor Fogarty and Conor Delaney at the back, and Peter Donovan, Michael Murphy, Aidan Moran and Sean Buggy further forward.

"Like every team we have to improve massively if we are to progress in this, but that's something that we are looking forward to and I think we will be ready on Saturday," Phelan told KCLR.

"I think if you look across all the grades, Junior, Intermediate and Senior, anyone can beat anyone on any given day and it's a case of who turns up with the right mentality.

"We would be going in with the same hope on Saturday that if we turn up and if we bring our 'A' game, we can get the result."

In Saturday's second quarter-final, which is also live on eir Sport 2 [throw in 3.45pm], last season's beaten finalistsBallyhale Shamrocks take on Clara at Nowlam Park.

Missing the Championship already? eir Sport will broadcast up to 30 games from the GAA Football and Hurling Club Championships in 2017. Coverage continues on Friday, 29 September on eir Sport 2 with the Dublin club football championship quarter-finals between St Vincents and St Sylvesters [throw-in 6.45pm] and Castleknock and Kilmacud Crokes [throw-in 8.15pm] from Parnell Park. On Saturday, 30 September, eir Sport 2 are showing the Kilkenny club hurling championship quarter-finals between O'Loughlin Gaels and Erin's Own [throw in 2pm] and Ballyhale Shamrocks and Clara [throw in 3.45pm] from Nowlan Park. Later on Saturday, eir Sport are showing the Donegal club football championship semi-final between Naomh Conaill and Gaoth Dobhair [throw in 7.30pm] from MacCumhaill Park. 

Image: Inpho/ Donall Farmer

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