Borris-Ileigh fall short in All Ireland final
GAA: AIB GAA Senior Club Hurling Championship Final
Shamrocks 0-18
Borris-Ileigh 0-15
Report: Shane Brophy at Croke Park
Borris-Ileigh’s dream of a second All Ireland Club title died but in brave fashion as they took Ballyhale Shamrock’s all the way in the final at Croke Park.
Borris-Ileigh showed no nerves in the early stages and it was they who opened the scoring through Jerry Kelly who scored all bar one of the maroons total in the first half.
TJ Reid, who moved into centre forward from the start, levelled things up on eight minutes but Borris were setting the terms and Kelly landed a sideline cut before two superb points from play to lead by three points after thirteen minutes.
The impressive Patrick Mullen and a TJ Reid free brought Shamrocks back within one before Tommy Ryan restored the two point lead for Borris.
Shamrocks were slowly turning the screw and forced the Borris defence into retreat with two Reid frees, added to a second Patrick Mullen point had the Kilkenny side in front after twenty minutes.
Colin Fennelly stretched the lead before Jerry Kelly landed his fourth from play on 24 minutes which proved to be Borris’ final score of the half as their forwards struggled to win possession with Shamrocks dominating the aerial battles.
Eoin Reid, Patrick Mullen and TJ Reid landed late half points for a 0-10 to 0-6 half time lead and it could have been more but for a fine save from James McCormack to deny Colin Fennelly.
The second half started with Borris-Ileigh showing more intent with Brendan Maher pushed into the half forward line in a switch with Kevin Maher but all it yielded were two frees which Brendan Maher converted while Eoin Reid and Evan Shefflin added points from play to one free for TJ Reid as Shamrocks le 0-13 to 0-8 after 40 minutes.
Brendan Maher landed a long range free, added to a fine long range point but two points in a row from Adrian Mullen moved Ballyhale six clear going into the last ten minutes but Borris were never going to die with Brendan Maher converting a free before Jerry Kelly brought his total to six from play with two fine points, and Brendan Maher added another with the help of hawk-eye to cut the margin to just two going into the dying minutes.
When Shamrocks needed a leader, TJ Reid was the man as he pointed from play before winning and then converting an injury time free to push the margin back out to four. Kevin Maher pointed from play to give Borris one last chance when Brendan Maher was fouled 30 yards out but his free was blocked as Shamrocks held on to retain the Tommy Moore Cup and an eighth All Ireland Senior Club title in the process.
MATCH DIGEST
Man of the Match: Jerry Kelly (Borris-Ileigh)
SCORERS: Shamrocks: TJ Reid 0-8 (5 frees); Patrick Mullen 0-3; Evan Shefflin, Adrian Mullen, Eoin Reid 0-2 each; Colin Fennelly 0-1.
Borris-Ileigh: Jerry Kelly 0-7 (1 s-cut); Brendan Maher 0-6 (4 frees); Tommy Ryan, Kevin Maher 0-1 each.
TEAMS – Shamrocks: Dean Mason; Darragh Corcoran, Joey Holden, Darren Mullen; Evan Shefflin, Michael Fennelly, Richie Reid; Ronan Corcoran, Patrick Mullen; Adrian Mullen; TJ Reid, Brian Cody; Eoin Reid, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Cody.
Subs: Joseph Cuddihy for R Corcoran (47); Mark Aylward for E Reid (53); Conor Walsh for P Mullen (60+1).
Borris-Ileigh: James McCormack; Seamus Burke, Paddy Stapleton, Liam Ryan; Sean McCormack (j-capt), Brendan Maher, Ray McCormack; Tommy Ryan, Dan McCormack; Conor Kenny (j-capt), Jerry Kelly, James Devaney; Kevin Maher, Niall Kenny, Kieran Maher.
Subs: Ciaran Cowan for Stapleton (2-4 blood); Jack Hogan for Kieran Maher (47); Ciaran Cowan for T Ryan (53); Matthew Stapleton for N Kenny (53);
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).