Ryan and McCormack inspire Borris-Ileigh to county glory

GAA: FBD Insurance County Under 19 ‘B’ Hurling Final

Borris-Ileigh 2-17

Cappawhite Gaels 1-12

Report: Liam Hogan in Templederry

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Eddie Ryan (Borris-Ileigh)

SCORERS - Borris-Ileigh: Eddie Ryan 0-12 (7 frees, 1 65, 1 s-cut); Paddy McCormack 2-1; Razuk Atik, Tom Delaney, Eoin Boyle, Paddy Brett 0-1 each.

Cappawhite Gaels: James Quinlan 0-6 frees; Triston Stokes 1-0; Mikey Carmody, Stephen Dee 0-2 each; Thomas O’Mahoney 0-1.

Scoring 2-4 either side of half time proved to be the difference for Borris-Ileigh as they came from behind to win their first County Under 19 ‘B’ Hurling title following an eight-point win over a game Cappawhite Gaels side in the final last Sunday.

That scoring burst wouldn’t have come about but for the brilliance of players like Colm Boyle, Tom Delaney, Eoin Boyle, Paddy Brett, Harry Gould, Paddy McCormack, and Eddie Ryan, but the latter two were the chief architects with McCormack grabbing the two goals, the second just after half time a spectacular one with his specialist overhead flick (a la the All-Ireland minor final) deceiving goalkeeper Gaels Neil Clancy. The goal put Borris-Ileigh 2-11 to 1-5 in front and from there was no way back for the West champions.

Earlier, the West champions looked the more settled side but were by far more wasteful in front of goal as they had struck five inside the opening eleven minutes. Scores were level for the second time at 0-2 each by then with full forward Sam Carmody opening the scoring for Cappawhite with Borris taking the lead through Razuk Atik and Eddie Ryan from an eighty-metre free before Mikey Carmody levelled.

Disaster struck for Cappawhite two minutes later when they lost corner forward Mark Treacy to injury as the teams went score for score with a second Eddie Ryan free giving Borris the lead before Mikey Carmody and Tom Delaney traded scores to give Borris the lead, 0-4 to 0-3.

At this stage, the game was played in a downpour, but Cappawhite held their own as Daire Duggan was in command at centre back well assisted by Stephen Dee and James Quinlan at midfield and after Dee found Triston Stokes, the right corner forward easily rounded his marker before heading for goal to give Devaney no chance making, 1-3 to 0-4.

Borris-Ileigh’s immediate puckout was quick and long where the outstretched hand of Paddy McCormack won the ball in the air before firing the ball over the bar. However, Cappawhite hit back to see James Quinlan reply with a free in the eighteenth minute. Two minutes later, Cappawhite had two chances of a goal with Caoimhin Doody spurning the second one and when Borris recovered, they trekked down field to see Paddy Brett score a point from play, with Eddie Ryan adding a score from a free as the driving rain had just about cleared up with the scores level, 0-7 to 1-4 as half time was fast approaching.

Another Cappawhite attack created danger close to the Borris goal, but they won a close range free for Quinlan to give them the lead. The response was critical. With the breeze assisting the Borris side, another Archie Devaney puckout dropped in the Cappawhite half where Sam Patton won possession on the right before his cross-field ball found Paddy McCormack, who beat off one defender to score a great goal.

Borris seemed to gain great confidence from the goal because now they were in another sphere as Eddie Ryan added three quick points, two from play to see his team take a 1-10 to 1-5 half time lead.

The second half was just two minutes old when Borris-Ileigh struck again for goal. This time Eddie Ryan’s high delivery from the wing landed on the edge of the square where goalkeeper Neil Clancy advanced but Paddy McCormack got there before him to steer the ball to the net. Eddie Ryan added a free from the left and with a nine-point lead Borris were looking good.

Yet, Cappawhite refused to give up and quick points from Quinlan (free) and Stephen Dee from play kept the umpires focussed as the sides swapped scores through Eddie Ryan with an eighty-metre free with James Quinlan responding from over halfway before the same players continued the trend this time Eddie Ryan from play before Quinlan hit back with another free in the 43rd minute.

Four minutes later, another Quinlan free left six points separating the teams but another Ryan masterpiece this time a side-line ball from forty metres quickly followed by an Eoin Boyle score from play kept Cappa at arm’s length.

The free-takers continued to hold centre stage and approaching the closing stages another Quinlan free was matched by an Eddie Ryan 65 leaving Thomas O’Mahoney to reply for Cappawhite leaving the final score to who else, player of the match Eddie Ryan.

TEAMS - Borris-Ileigh: Archie Devaney; Conor Murray, Colm Boyle, Aaron Ryan; Cian Murphy, Mikey Kennedy, Eamon Groome; Tom Delaney, Eoin Boyle; Sam Patton, Eddie Ryan, Paddy Brett; Razuk Atik, Harry Gould, Paddy McCormack.

Cappawhite Gaels (Solohead unless stated): Neil Clancy; Tommy Costello, Ben White, Conor Gantley; Michael English, Daire Duggan (Capt), Cian O’Carroll; Stephen Dee (Solohead), James Quinlan; Thomas O’Mahoney (Solohead), Mikey Carmody, Sean Cleary; Triston Stokes (Solohead), Sam Carmody, Mark Treacy.

Subs: Caoimhin Doody for Walsh (13 inj); Brian Gerard Buckley for English (18)

Referee: Tom McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney).