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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Fr Manning Gaels manager Niall Sheridan Photo: Syl Healy
On Saturday, the beaten finalists of the last two Hennessy Cup Finals meet for the right to be crowned Intermediate football champions for 2024. Sean Connolly’s, who lost to Kenagh last year, and Fr Manning Gaels who were beaten by Ballymahon in the 2022 decider, clash at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Former Longford inter-county star and Abbeylara clubman Niall Sheridan is in charge of the Gaels and ahead of the county final he gave his thoughts on the big day, acknowledging that the club want to make up for that disappointment of 2022.
“It was obviously a tough loss to accept for everyone in the parish, especially as it was the concession of a goal deep into injury time that gave Ballymahon a one-point victory.
“I was not involved back then but the players are very motivated by that defeat and they are very eager to make sure that they taste victory this time around.”
Sean Connolly’s won all six of their group matches including a win over Fr Manning Gaels, so in most people’s eyes, the Ballinalee outfit are favourites for the title on Saturday, and Sheridan acknowledges that it will be difficult to beat them.
“We know we are the underdogs going into the contest, especially with the talent at their disposal. They have five players who are part of the senior county squad and they are backed by a great management team, but we are confident in our ability to pull off a victory, but it will be a very difficult hurdle to cross.
“We recovered well from our opening round championship loss to Killashee to reach the final, and that result proved that every team in this grade is capable of beating each other. Our lads have knuckled down brilliantly since that loss and have come back stronger to deservedly reach the final.”
Niall has managed clubs like St Mary’s Granard and Dromard at senior level, but he also reached the Intermediate final before as a manager with Ardagh Moydow who lost the 2020 decider against St Brigid’s Killashee, and he is hoping to enjoy the opposite winning feeling on Saturday instead.
“Yes, that was a strange county final as the original final was called off the day before due to Covid. It was not played until 2021 and the momentum we had built up before the match was completely lost by the long delay.
“When the final was eventually played the following year, we were missing several key players. Having said that, Killashee were deserving winners on the day.
Hopefully, I will avoid that dreaded losing feeling on Saturday.”
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