Portroe oust Loughmore for county title
County Under 15 'C' Hurling Final
Portroe 1-15
Loughmore/Castleiney 1-11
Report: Thomas Conway in Kilcommon
Not since the days of Jason Forde has this writer witnessed an underage hurler deliver as dominant a performance as the one produced by Portroe’s Matt Madden last Saturday in Kilcommon.
With his haul of 1-13, the talismanic centre-forward guided Port to the County Under-15 ‘C’ hurling title, eclipsing a Loughmore-Castleiney side which ultimately ran out of time following a second-half surge.
It appeared as if Port were about to coast their way to this county title. They entered the half-time dressing-room with a nine-point advantage, leading 1-10 to 0-4 and looking like a far superior force.
But Loughmore-Castleiney is famed for its ability to produce teams with a natural spark. Whatever the level, whatever the code, Loughmore know how to play Gaelic games. Their under 15 hurlers demonstrated that in the second-half, clawing their way back into the game through a combination of slick point-taking and implacable spirit.
On balance, however, Portroe were the better side. Madden served as the architect and indeed the finisher of nearly every attacking move, but the powerful centre-forward had plenty of help from those around him. Centre-back Liam O'Callaghan was a rock of stability and assuredness. The midfield pairing of Jack Quinn and Dylan Gamble were similarly influential, helping to engineer wave after wave attack in a brilliant first-half display from the North side.
But it was Madden who stole the show. He opened with a free, before slotting the best of his three points from open play - brushing off a tackle, feinting right, and firing over from fifty metres. A succession of placed-balls followed, two 65s among them. His pinpoint accuracy was impressive. His striking range - for an under 15 hurler - was perhaps most eye-catching.
There was a sense of inevitability to his fourteenth minute goal, which pushed Port 1-6 to 0-0 in front and left Loughmore dazed and drained of all enthusiasm. Standing over a twenty-metre free on the right-hand side, Madden looked to be preparing to add to his collection of points. Instead, his unexpectedly fizzed a low effort straight past the wall of Loughmore bodies on the goal-line. It was an ambitious strike, but the execution was perfect.
Loughmore did begin to find their groove as the half wore on, but by the time the interval finally arrived, they resembled a tired and weary group of hurlers. Which is exactly what their second-half revival so impressive.
Suddenly Richard Morris and Daniel McCahey started to control affairs in the middle third, with Oran Breen making forward bursts from left-half back. The trio contributed eleven points in total, the best of which was a long-range pile-driver from McCahey in the 38th minute.
For a brief period, it looked as if the chase was really on, but the North side found something extra in the dying minutes. They knew they had to withstand the surge and ultimately they did so. Of course, they would eventually concede a late goal, but Cathal Ryan's strike was literally the last puck of the game. Port had the county title firmly secured.
Player of the Match: Matt Madden (Portroe)
Portroe: Robert Seymour; Conor Raedler Shinnors, Tristan Howard, Robert Horan, Oisin O’Driscoll, Liam O’Callaghan, Shane Quinn, Jack Quinn, Dylan Gamble (0-1), Dave Maloney (0-1), Matt Madden (1-13, 1-8f, 0-2 65s), Alex Dharam, Adam O’Callaghan, Cillian Lewis, Iarlaith Conroy.
Sub: Sam Gallahue for Maloney (46).
Loughmore-Castleiney: Kevin Kelly; Thomas Bohan, Henry Meade, Daniel McDonnell, Philip Connolly, Colm Hickey, Oran Breen (0-2), Richard Morris (0-5, 3f), Daniel McCahey (0-4, 1f), Danny Egan, Cathal Ryan (1-0), Richard Bourke Morris, Ernest Bruzga, Cathal Breen, Brannoc Hickey.
Referee: Donie Horan (Eire Og Annacarty).