When Lisbellaw won the Ulster Intermediate Championship in 2012, beating Cloughmills 3-14 to 2-10 in the final, a 16-year-old Ciaran Corrigan was a live wire at corner forward as he made his first year in the Senior team look easy.
Corrigan must have thought that this was going to be the first of many successes for Lisbellaw, but unbelievably he has had to wait until this year for the club to even win a championship game again.
That win moved Lisbellaw up to Senior level, and rules at that time meant that they had to stay at that level for five years.
As the side regressed over the five years, they took some heavy defeats and with no Fermanagh club championship to compete in, it was a case of one championship game a year for the ’Law. Corrigan admits that he did not really appreciate that last win at the time.
“It was my first year of Senior hurling and I was playing corner forward alongside Sean [Corrigan] and Decky McGarry, and it was enjoyable but because I was so young I probably didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have,” he said.
“I felt that five-year rule really hampered us, especially towards the end of it as we weren’t at the level we are currently at, and as a result we were just getting hammerings.
“We had the likes of Barrie Duffy and Conor McShea coming through, but it was tough on them to be playing at that level.
“Also, with no county championship, it was difficult for us making that step up,” said Corrigan.
Back at Intermediate level though, Lisbellaw are showing what they are capable of.
They secured a first championship win since that victory over Cloughmills when they defeated Newry Shamrocks in the quarter final, and they followed that up with a win over Carrickmore in the semi-finals.
And now, Corrigan is looking forward to this Saturday’s final against Banagher.
‘Great’
“Because you get so little championship hurling, it is really good when it comes around. I found in recent years we were playing one championship match and then you were having to wait another 12 months to play again, so this year has been great.
“We never looked past the first game; it was our first game out while Newry had played five or six games in their championship – and nothing beats championship hurling – but we got through that and then we beat Carrickmore.
“It is nice to be back now in another final, and as an older player now I appreciate it much more,” said Corrigan.
Corrigan is one of a number of players who remain from that 2012 team, with his brother Sean, John Duffy and Andrew Breslin among those who are still going.
It is the injection of youth though that has impressed Corrigan.
“That experience that we have is definitely good and there is a really nice blend. For us, it has been unbelievable to see the kick that the young boys have had.
“For me, who hasn’t been involved with Fermanagh hurlers, to see the standard that the likes of Aidan Flanagan, Tom Keenan, Caolan Duffy are playing at is outrageous, and then combine the experience of Sean, John Duffy, Andrew Breslin and Rory Porteous – it is a really nice blend at the minute and it is going really well.”
However, he is expecting a huge test against Banagher in Omagh.
“It is a massive challenge, but every game we go out I have full confidence that if we perform to the level we are capable of, then we won’t be far away.
‘A serious level’
“Banagher have been at a serious level of hurling over this last four or five years and they have played a lot higher level than we have played in their club league and that, so it is going to be a huge challenge.
“But if we bring a performance like we did against Carrickmore in the second half, then we know that we have every chance,” he commented.
A member of the Fermanagh football squad, this has been a busy time for Corrigan as he tries to combine the two with the footballers getting ready for their season which also starts this weekend.
A win for Lisbellaw on Saturday would see those duel commitments extended for another couple of weeks.
The player himself though is hoping that is the case as he goes in search of a second Ulster title with Lisbellaw.
“It is a good problem to have, and in fairness to Fermanagh they have been good with me and have let me crack on with the hurling. Hopefully, it will be another problem to have after Saturday and I’m torn another bit for another few weeks,” he said.
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