North Tipperary Under 13 Hurling Finals

By Liam Hogan

‘A’ FINAL -

Kilruane MacDonaghs ..........2-8

Newport.......................................... 1-9

Extra time was needed before Kilruane MacDonaghs overcome Newport in an epic North Under 13 ‘A’ Hurling final in Kilcolman last Tuesday.

The game started at a frantic pace and Kilruane were first to score with the impressive Dara Gaynor pointing a free after two minutes. Two minutes later, Colm Ryan had Gaynor beaten the goal allowed Newport take control as Ryan, Oisin Kennedy, and Ollie Roche began to win the exchanges in the middle third and as result they led 1-3 to 0-2 after nine minutes.

However, Kilruane struck back with Tom Campbell grabbing a goal a minute later. Oisin Kennedy extended Newport’s lead with a free and a 65 but Gerard Looney fired home Kilruane’s second goal to bring the sides level 2-2 to 1-5 after nineteen minutes.

Both sides added two points each before the teams’ changed ends, but Kilruane took an early second half lead through Hugo Healy and Gerard O’Looney from a free.

Both defences held sway but in the closing stages Newport finally broke the deadlock with Ollie Roche and Oisin Kennedy grabbing a point each and at the end of normal time it stood Kilruane 2-6 Newport 1-9.

It took just two minutes into extra time before Hugo Healy gave Kilruane the lead. With both defences on top that score was precious to Kilruane and with both sides giving little away it was left to Tom Campbell to settle the game in the second half of extra time and thus victory.

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Dara Gaynor (0-1f); Kalen Grace, James Gould; Mark Cleary, Tommy Gaynor, Lukan Williams; Karl Ryan (0-1 65), Jack O’Meara; Senan O’Leary, Hugo Healy (0-2), Tarla Doris; Gerard O’Looney (1-2), Tom Campbell (1-2).

Newport: Andrew Coffey; Stephen O’Brien, Tom McCabe; Ronan Gaffney, Aaron Lane, Darragh Leahy; Colm Ryan (1-0), Ollie Roche (0-4, 1f); Sean Carrig, Oisin Kennedy (0-4, 2f, 1’65), Ryan Byrne (0-1); Tom O’Gorman, Cian Donohue.

Subs: Eamon Berkery for O’Gorman; Jack landers for Byrne; Ronan O’Mahoney for Donohue; Ryan Byrne for Berkery.

Referee: Pat Murray (Moneygall).

‘B’ FINAL

Kiladangan 4-10 Burgess 3-5

An impressive Kiladangan side defeated Burgess to win their first North Under 13 ‘B’ hurling title in Cloughjordan last Tuesday.

The winners were quick out of the starting blocks with Rian McGrath finding the net after four minutes to put them 1-2 to 0-1 in front. However, the Burgess defence settled while up front they depended on Oisin Hogan on frees and his third brought them within three after nineteen minutes. Rory Hackett increased his team’s lead to four from half-way, but Burgess hit back when Michael Grace’s point from under the stand deceived Josh O’Shea in the Kiladangan goal and by half time it was Kiladangan 1-6 Burgess 1-4.

On resumption, Kiladangan’s lead increased to five after Rory Hackett’s long-range effort caught Burgess keeper Odhran Ryan off guard. Ten minutes later, Hackett repeated the dose, this time from a free on halfway, to make it 3-7 to 1-5.

Kiladangan continued to play with style and six minutes from time they had goal number four thanks to James O’Dwyer who jinked past the Burgess cover. Burgess never gave up though but missed opportunities made their task more difficult. Their persistence paid off eventually as Jamie Dorris and Oisin Hogan (free) each found the net only it was too little too late.

Kiladangan: Josh O’Shea; Jack Fogarty, Cian Kinsella; Dan Connolly, Rory Hackett (2-1, 1-0f), Daniel Boland; Jack Ryan, Donagh Carmody (0-1); Dillon O’Dwyer, James O’Dwyer (1-2), Simon Cleary (0-1); Tadhg O’Brien, Rian McGrath (1-5, 0-4f).

Sub: Sean Finch for Carmody.

Burgess: Odhran Ryan; Girvan Mooney, Lucas Slattery; David Mulcahy, Conor O’Brien, Tomas Duffy; Michael Grace (1-0), Charlie Cairns; Kadan Fogarty, Jack Comerford, Oisin Hogan (1-5, 1-4f); Tomas Cahalan, Jamie Dorris (1-0).

Sub: Tony Seymour for Cahalan.

Referee: Christy McLoughlin (Nenagh Eire Og)

‘C’ FINAL

Shannon Rovers Gaels 4-3 Ballinahinch 0-11

Three second half goals helped Shannon Rovers Gaels to defeat Ballinahinch to claim their first ever North Under 13 ‘C’ title in a very exciting final played in Portroe last Wednesday.

The winners, who lost last year’s decider, appeared to be in trouble in the opening half as a well-tuned Ballinahinch side had little bother in finding the goalposts as Liam Crosse, Aaron McGrath and Michael Healy did most of the scoring and they deservedly led 0-8 to 1-2 at half time. Ger Bourke was the Rovers goal scorer in the fourteenth minute, which put the Reds in front, but the lead was short-lived as Ballinahinch regained control in terms of scores while their defence lines in Oran Kelly and Kevin Grace had their work cut out for them in tracking Alan Bourke who is a proven goal-scorer.

After the restart, Healy increased Ballinahinch’s lead with a free, but Rovers defensive work was on the increase as Adam Guest, Michael Gorman and Jack Hourigan came to the fore and when Jack Tierney fired home Rovers second goal the game was in the melting pot.

Both Healy and the excellent Paddy Houlihan swapped frees with fifteen minutes remaining before Alan Burke scored two goals in five minutes leaving the Reds in a five-point advantage. Yet Ballinahinch continued the fight but in the end they had to settle for a late score by the impressive Liam Crosse who finished with five points.

Shannon Rovers Gaels: John Kelly; Michael Gorman, David Gantly; Adam Guest, Jack Hourigan; Paddy Houlihan (0-2, 1f), Michael O’Meara; Alan Burke (3-1), Darragh Kelly O’Brien; David Kennedy, Jack Tierney (1-0).

Subs: Eddie Flynn for Gantly; Michael Quinn for O’Brien.

Ballinahinch: Seamus Bridgeman; Michael Lyons, Michael Lynch; Oran Kelly, Kevin Grace; Conor Ryan, Michael Healy (0-4, 2f, 1’65); Diarmuid Lynch, Luke Ryan; Aaron McGrath (0-2), Liam Crosse (0-5).

Referee: Jim Lees (Newport)

‘D’ FINAL

Kilruane MacDonaghs 4-6 Roscrea 1-5

Kilruane MacDonagh were too good for Roscrea in the North Under 13 ‘D’ Hurling final in Toomevara last Wednesday.

Ciaran Foote’s goal in the sixth minute put the winners 1-2 to 0-1 in front and by half time the lead had stretched to six, 1-5 to 0-2.

After Dara Hogan reduced the deficit with a point Kilruane took control with Oisin Carroll pointing before Ciaran Foote grabbed his second goal to put MacDonaghs in a commanding lead of nine points with over a quarter of an hour remaining.

However, Roscrea showed they could dominate also and with the help of a Sean McLoughney they scored 1-2 without reply to come within four with eight minutes remaining.

But in a game of swings and roundabouts Kilruane regained lost ground and were the masters when it came to scoring goals with Oisin Carroll and sub Odhran Goulding providing two more green flags and thus put the game beyond Roscrea’s reach.

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Colin Gaynor; Ronan Hayes, Tadgh Teefey; Sean Whelan, Conor McGrath; Oisin Carroll (1-4, 0-2f); Emmet Dwyer (0-1), Arman Khan Wahid; Shane O’Meara, Ciaran Foote (2-1, 0-1f).

Sub: Odhran Goulding (1-0)

Roscrea: John Guidera; Donagh Graham, Oran Mulrooney; Dillon England, Conor Fogarty; Bobby Hayes (0-1); Phelim Moloney, Dara Hogan (0-4); Corey Lee, Sean McLoughlin (1-0).

Referee: Martin Ryan (Ballina).