Tag Archives: Robbie Hogan

It’s unusual to be beginning a Munster Senior Club Final preview on such a sombre note but Ballyea Manager Robbie Hogan is more than willing to go down the cathartic route of embracing last year’s nadir. Indeed, after winning what could be argued as their greatest county title, 17 points subsequently separated Ballygunner and the Clare champions in their quarter-final bout in Cusack Park almost twelve months to the day. “It’s a long time since we took a beating like that,” admitted Hogan in the safe confines of the Ballyea GAA Club dressing rooms. “I’d say Cuala were the last side to give us a trimming and they were back-to-back All-Ireland champions. Signs on Ballygunner ended up being All-Ireland champions last year but regardless it still doesn’t make up for the size of the defeat. “If you look across their results, they scored 3-20 against us and put up the exact same score against Kilmallock in the Munster Final and …

There’s a turning point in every season that ultimately defines whether a team converges or diverges. In Ballyea’s storied season of 2016, it was arguably their rousing Round 3 fightback to pip a goal hungry Clooney-Quin to the post which placed them on an unforgettable journey of momentum that included historic breakthroughs at county, provincial and almost national level to boot. Upon his return to the helm for the first time since that momentous year, Robbie Hogan didn’t have to wait long for their defining juncture of the championship as it came with an opening dogfight with relative newcomers Broadford that Ballyea were extremely fortunate to survive by the minimum. It was a sobering scare that has kept Ballyea firmly on their toes ever since according to Hogan. “I still have a sliotar in the door of my van with the Broadford crest on it and that’s a reminder of how fine the margins are in the Clare Championship. You …