Portroe stun toomevara to reach north senior semifinal

GAA: Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

 

Portroe          1-16

Toomevara   0-16

 

By James Hayden in MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

 

Portroe pulled off one of the biggest surprises of this year’s North Championship with a stunning victory over Toomevara in this evenings quarter final.

The underdogs tag sat favorably once again on Portroe’s shoulders as they took the game to Toomevara right from the throw-in and kept pace with their illustrious opponents throughout before putting in a tremendous effort in the closing stages to secure a hard-earned victory.

Toomevara started the brighter though with early points from Francis Devaney and Ken Dunne (free) setting the tone for this absorbing contest.

Playing with the aid of a sight summer breeze Portroe were quickly into their stride also with John Sheedy and James Ryan both raising white flags as the game settled down.

Both sides also registered two early goal chances with Frances Devaney coming agonisingly close to connecting with Ken Dunne’s cross-field ball while county minor Ruadhan Mulrooney almost rattled the Toome’ net.

Toome’ were also gifted an early opportunity to forge a meaningful lead after Dermot O’Halloran was adjudged to have pulled Mark McCarthy to the ground in front of goal. Ken Dunne stepped up to take the resulting penalty but a fantastic double save from Darren Gleeson ensured the Portroe net remained intact.

With both sides deploying an extra man in defence it quickly became evident that Toome’ were struggling in attack while Portroe appeared to fare that little bit better. Points from the impressive Mark Gennery and Ruadhan Mulrooney fired Portroe two clear in the eleventh minute before Ken Dunne (free) and Francis Devaney quickly restored parity with a timely brace.

Portroe kept getting the better of the breaks though and when they were awarded a 17^th minute penalty after Kevin O’Halloran gathered possession and was fouled there was only one thing on John Sheedy’s mind as he duly dispatched a rocket to the back of the Toome’ net to put Port’ firmly in the driving seat.

Kevin O’Halloran extended the gap to four with a 20^th minute effort before successive points from Francis Devaney and Jason Ryan brought Toome’s back to within two. Portroe rallied again though with a fantastic brace from Mark Gennery and a 26^th minute John Sheedy free to lead by six, 1-9 to 0-6.

Toomevara pulled a point back as the break approached with a third Ken Dunne free but Anthony Freeman’s side went into the dressing rooms the happier with a deserved 1-9 to 0-7 interval lead.

The Greyhounds emerged determined to peg back the deficit and with three minutes were back to within three with a back to back frees from the accurate Ken Dunne. Toomevara’s resurgence continued with David Young flaking over a snapshot from range in the 37^th minute.

Portroe stemmed the tide with a difficult John Sheedy free before Joey McLoughney flighted over a sublime effort following neat interchange play with Jason Ryan and David Young before. Ken Dunne quickly added another free with 43 minutes elapsed before Portroe were awarded a close-range free after Kevin O’Halloran appeared to have been pushed in the back. John Sheedy duly obliged once more before Port’ decided to freshen up their side with the introduction of Shane O’Brien for Conor Leo.

Toome’ kept coming in waves though and although Portroe had come to terms with Toome’s tactical approach it wasn’t long before Donach O’Donnell’s charges were back on terms. Efforts from David Young and Ken Dunne (free) brought Toome’ level by the 48^th minute but Port’s response was to fire over an instant riposte with Kevin O’Halloran setting up John Sheedy for a well-taken effort from close to the sideline.

Toome’ retaliated with a booming Conor O’Meara effort from all of 65 metres and with just seven minutes remaining the game appeared destined for extra-time.

Both sides dug deep in a bid to seize the initiative but it was the Port’ men who found that little bit more. With Simon Kelly and Noel O’Halloran dominating in defence, John Sheedy fired over a fine point from a placed ball and another from play in the 57^th minute to heap pressure upon the Greyhounds before Ken Dunne (free) cut the gap to just a solitary point. Conor O’Meara was then presented with the chance to level but his long-range effort just tailed at the last moment.

Toomevara threw everything at Port’ in the closing stages but with desperation setting in it was Portroe who picked off the necessary scores. Shane O’Brien set up John Sheedy right on the stroke of full-time and Port’s scorer-in-chief duly obliged before Sheedy turned provider for O’Brien and the substitute well and truly rammed the final nail into Toome’s coffin with a sublime effort from range.

Toomevara went in desperate search of a leveling goal with Ken Dunne’s 20 metre deep in injury time failing to find the net before a goalmouth scramble and a resulting melee saw Portroe emerge with the sliotar. Toome’ were dealt a further blow when Benny Dunne was red-carded following a tug at a Portroe defender’s faceguard but it mattered little as Portroe held out for a fully deserved three-point victory.

 

MATCH DIGEST 

Man of the Match: John Sheedy (Portroe)

Portroe: Darren Gleeson (8); Michael Creamer (7), Noel O’Halloran (8), Dermot O’Halloran (7); Colm Gleeson (8), Simon Kelly (9), Justin Conroy (8); Jimmy Creamer (8), Niall Gleeson (7); Conor Leo (7), Mark Gennery (0-3, 8), Ruadhan Mulrooney (0-1, 7); Kevin O’Halloran (0-1, 8), John Sheedy (1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-4f) 9), James Ryan (0-1, 8).

Subs: Shane O’Brien (0-1, 7) for Leo (45); Christopher O’Riordan (NR) for D. O’Halloran (53); Dermot O’Halloran for Conroy (60 inj); Robert Byrne (NR) for Ryan (60+3).

Toomevara: Aidan Cahill (7); Liam Ryan (7), Andrew Ryan (7), Colin Hall (7); Paddy Tuohy (7), Benny Dunne (8), Darren Delaney (7); Jason Ryan (0-1, 8), Franny Devaney (0-2, 8); David Young (0-2, 8); John O’Brien (7), Joey McLoughney (0-2, 7); Paul Ryan (7), Ken Dunne (0-8 (7f) 8), Mark McCarthy (7).

Subs: Conor O’Meara (0-1, 7) for Ryan (46); Jack Delaney (NR) for McCarthy (52); David Nolan (NR) for O’Brien (58).

  

Referee: John Cleary (Knockshegowna).