Borrisokane bow out to slick Boherlahan
GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Final
Boherlahan-Dualla 0-22
Borrisokane 0-16
Borrisokane 0-16
Report: Liam Hogan at The Ragg
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: James Kirby (Boherlahan-Dualla)
SCORERS – Boherlahan-Dualla: Tomas Ryan 0-8 (6 frees); James Kirby 0-5; James O’Sullivan 0-3; Colm O’Dwyer, Aidan Maher, Darragh Hickey, John Ryan, Mark Downey, William Hickey 0-1 each.
Borrisokane: Jack Larkin 0-9 frees; Philip Austin 0-2; Conor Ryan, Liam Cleary, Michael Heenan, Colm Larkin, Roan Murphy 0-1 each.
Player of the Match: James Kirby (Boherlahan-Dualla)
SCORERS – Boherlahan-Dualla: Tomas Ryan 0-8 (6 frees); James Kirby 0-5; James O’Sullivan 0-3; Colm O’Dwyer, Aidan Maher, Darragh Hickey, John Ryan, Mark Downey, William Hickey 0-1 each.
Borrisokane: Jack Larkin 0-9 frees; Philip Austin 0-2; Conor Ryan, Liam Cleary, Michael Heenan, Colm Larkin, Roan Murphy 0-1 each.
Borrisokane’s high hopes of advancing to the County Intermediate Hurling Championship semi finals came unstuck last Saturday when they were well beaten by a well-drilled Boherlahan-Dualla side.
Unbeaten in their group, Borrisokane’s form looked good. Afterall they had the ingredients of a good team based on the recent success at underage level in minor and under 21 levels. Except for a brief period in the second quarter, when Borrisokane managed to overturn a slow start by cutting a five-point deficit back to one. They trailed by three at half time but scoring just two points from play in the second half the North men played second fiddle as Boherlahan’s pace, strength and use of the ball was the difference.
Nine Boherlahan players scored and chief among them was centre forward James Kirby who scored five points from play and produced much more besides in a man of the match performance. He scored three as Boherlahan raced into a five-point lead after eight minutes with free-taker Thomas Ryan adding two more.
Already the dye was cast. Boherlahan were winning most of the breaking ball at half back where John Ryan stood out at centre back as did Euan Ryan as sweeper. Occasional runs by Andy Austin forced Boherlahan to foul and Jack Larkin opened Borrisokane’s account with a free after nine minutes. Midfielder James O’Sullivan was another thorn in the Borrisokane side, and he renewed Boherlahan’s five-point lead but a Larkin free followed by a Conor Ryan point the margin was halved by the 13th minute.
By the first water break it was 0-8 to 0-5 before Aidan Maher moved Boherlahan four in front. Bringing Gary Ryan out field in a switch with Philip Austin seemed to work as Austin produced two points to leave his side trailing by two after 22 minutes.
Another O’Sullivan score moved Boherlahan three in front but Michael Heenan’s point plus a Jack Larkin free cut the margin to one after 30 minutes before two injury time frees by Tomas Ryan, had Boherlahan three in front at the interval, 0-12 to 0-9.
Boherlahan returned for the second half playing man for man and went four in front after Kirby and O’Sullivan pointed within two minutes. Two Jack Larkin frees brought Borrisokane back within three but Boherlahan’s crisp and forceful hurling moved them seven clear thanks a four-minute scoring spree as Darragh Hickey, O’Sullivan (2) and Ryan (free) were on target between the 40th and 44th minutes.
Substitute Colm Larkin pointed in the 45th minute which brought an end to Borrisokane’s twenty-minute spell without a point from play. The workrate of the Boherlahan defence made sure of that as Tomas Burke, Niall O’Dwyer, Martin Paul O’Dwyer plus John Ryan made sure of that.
After the final water break, two Jack Larkin frees cut the margin to four but points from Tomas Ryan (free) along with one each from John Ryan and Mark Downey eased the Mid men seven clear with three minutes remaining and there was no looking back.
Yes, Borrisokane tried to respond as Jack Larkin’s free and Roan Murphy’s point from play whizzed inches over the bar either side of a point by Boherlahan substitute Willie Hickey. Colm Larkin hit the side netting leaving Boherlahan goalkeeper James Ryan very happy as he has yet to concede a goal in the championship.
TEAMS – Boherlahan-Dualla: Joe Ryan (7); Niall O’Dwyer (7), Tomas Burke (8), Edmund O’Dwyer (7); Martin Paul O’Dwyer (8), John Ryan (8), Fionn McCullagh (7); Euan O’Dwyer (7), James O’Sullivan (8); Colm O’Dwyer (7), James Kirby (9), Aidan Maher (6); Mark Downey (6), Darragh Hickey (6), Tomas Ryan (7).
Subs: James Murphy (7) for Maher (HT); Andrew Downey (NR) for O’Sullivan (51-53 blood); Willie Hickey (7) for E Ryan (57); John Hayes (NR) for Murphy (60+3).
Borrisokane: Luke Gleeson (7); Shane Nevin (6), Eddie O’Dwyer (7), Brian Davis (6); Shane Stapleton (7), Stephen Gavin (6), Roan Murphy (7); Andy Austin (7), Liam Cleary (6); Michael Heenan (7), Philip Austin (7), Conor Ryan (6); Oisin Larkin (6), Gary Ryan (6), Jack Larkin (6).
Subs: Colm Larkin (7) for O Larkin (43); Michael Kelly (6) for G Ryan (55).
Referee: Seamus Delaney (JK Brackens)
Subs: James Murphy (7) for Maher (HT); Andrew Downey (NR) for O’Sullivan (51-53 blood); Willie Hickey (7) for E Ryan (57); John Hayes (NR) for Murphy (60+3).
Borrisokane: Luke Gleeson (7); Shane Nevin (6), Eddie O’Dwyer (7), Brian Davis (6); Shane Stapleton (7), Stephen Gavin (6), Roan Murphy (7); Andy Austin (7), Liam Cleary (6); Michael Heenan (7), Philip Austin (7), Conor Ryan (6); Oisin Larkin (6), Gary Ryan (6), Jack Larkin (6).
Subs: Colm Larkin (7) for O Larkin (43); Michael Kelly (6) for G Ryan (55).
Referee: Seamus Delaney (JK Brackens)