Moneygall brush Borrisokane aside to claim seventh North Intermediate title

GAA: Kelly’s of Fantane North Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

Moneygall 3-15

Borrisokane 0-11

Report: James Hayden in Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Seán Kenneally (Moneygall)

SCORERS – Moneygall: Sean Kenneally 2-3; Joe Fogarty 0-7 (6 frees); Paddy Fogarty 1-1; Conor Ryan 0-2; Aodhan Ryan, Liam Carroll 0-1 each.

Borrisokane: Oisin Larkin 0-9 (8 frees); Mike Heenan 0-2.

Moneygall impressed over a disappointing Borrisokane side to capture the North Tipperary Intermediate Hurling title following a decidedly one-sided final on Sunday afternoon.

Gunning for their seventh title at this grade, Moneygall bossed this final from start to finish as Borrisokane’s attacking threat failed to materialise on what was a day to forget for the Lower Ormond side.

In essence this tie was decided in the opening quarter after Moneygall blitzed Borrisokane with a 2-5 salvo without even a hint of a reply from Seamus Gleeson’s charges.

Goals in the third & tenth minutes from Seán Kenneally and Paddy Fogarty, coupled with a brace of points from the evergreen Conor Ryan and another fine point from Fogarty fired Moneygall into a lead they would never relinquish.

Kenneally tore through the heart of the Borrisokane defence and batted the sliotar past the advancing Colm Larkin to set down an early marker for Paul O’Brien’s side while Paddy Fogarty’s major was in a similar vein after he finished neatly following a slaloming run through a porous Borrisokane defence.

With a diagonal breeze in their favour Moneygall dominated in all areas in the opening quarter with Conor Ryan and Aodhán Ryan providing the platform for numerous attacks while Brendan Toohey and Phil Fanning marshalled their respective defensive lines. Andy Hoolan put the shackles on Borrisokane’s scorer-in-chief Oisín Larkin from the very get-go and restricted the dangerous forward to just a solitary point from play in the entire game.

Heavy morning rain had abated to misting conditions by throw-in and with underfoot conditions slippery for both sides it was Moneygall who coped the better.

Borrisokane finally got off the mark with a 19th minute Oisín Larkin point before he knifed over 23rd minute free as they eventually mustered a response to Moneygall’s opening quarter blitz. Captain, Mike Heenan added a third on 24 minutes before Moneygall’s Seán Kenneally arrowed over his side’s only point of second quarter.

Four minutes from the break, Oisín Larkin added a free for the men in green, but it was to be their final score of the half as Moneygall took a 2-6 to 0-4 cushion to the dressing room.

Borrisokane introduced Gary Ryan into their attack at the break while Dylan Power was tasked with a man-marking job on the dangerous Seán Kenneally. Surprisingly, Borrisokane elected to persist with a sweeper system which had allowed Moneygall’s captain and free man Adam Hogan to mop up a lot of ball in the opening half.

Borris’ required a good start to the second half in order to get themselves into contention but the necessary scores failed to materialise. The impressive Joe Fogarty knifed over two quick-fire frees before Seán Kenneally fired over a sublime effort from range.

Another Fogarty free added to Moneygall’s tally as Borrisokane’s challenge began to wane. Borris’ converted four Oisín Larkin frees in the third quarter and even with a quarter of an hour to go the writing was well and truly on the wall for Borrisokane.

If any semblance of a doubt did exist with regard to the eventual outcome this was quickly dissipated by a third Moneygall goal on 46 minutes. Seán Kenneally was on hand again to rattle the Borris’ net after Joe Fogarty’s low goal-bound drive ricocheted off the post and back into the path of the inrushing Kenneally who finished with aplomb to fire his side 3-10 to 0-8 clear.

Joe Fogarty, who was outstanding in the second half, crafted a sublime point from the stand sideline to add further to Moneygall’s lead. Borrisokane battled on in the face of adversity though with Conor Ryan and Mike Heenan moving their side’s points tally into double figures as the game trundled towards its inevitable conclusion.

Moneygall capped off a fine performance with three further frees from Joe Fogarty before Liam Carroll surged up from the corner-back position to copper-fasten a thoroughly deserved thirteen-point victory.

The nature of Moneygall’s victory was surprising as many had predicted a closer final considering how both semi-final victories had transpired. Moneygall matched Borrisokane’s decision to enforce a sweeper but it was a decision that didn’t work on the day for Seamus Gleeson's side. Considering Moneygall were without the services of a number of players who had campaigned in last year’s run to the county intermediate final it was a fantastic victory for the Paul O’Brien managed side.

In defence Cathal Greene, Phil Fanning and Liam Carroll were touch tight throughout while Brendan Toohey, Adam Hogan and Andy Hoolan snuffed out the efforts of a potent-looking Borrisokane half-forward line. Conor Ryan and Aodhán Ryan dominated in midfield while in attack Seán Kenneally, Joe Fogarty, Paddy Fogarty were the scorers-in-chief but were ably assisted by Seán Fogarty, Bob Kenny, and Cathal Hogan.

Borrisokane will rue a very disappointing opening quarter, but the truth is they played second fiddle throughout on the day as they failed to reach the pitch of the game.

Roan Murphy, Brian Dooley, Peter Collins, and Colm Larkin in goals caught the eye in defence but Borrisokane’s attacking threat failed to fire and they were held well in midfield also as the slumped to a disappointing final defeat.

TEAMS - Moneygall: Ciaran Quinlan (7), Cathal Greene (7), Phil Fanning (8), Liam Carroll (7); Adam Hogan (Capt, 7), Brendan Toohey (8), Andy Hoolan (8); Conor Ryan (0-2,8), Aodhán Ryan (8); Paddy Fogarty (8), Seán Fogarty (7), Bob Kenny (7); Joe Fogarty (8); Seán Kenneally (8), Cathal Hogan (7).

Sub: Mark Fanning (6) for Hogan (50).

Borrisokane: Colm Larkin (7), Brian Dooley (7), Stephen Gavin (6), Shane Nevin (6); Jimmy Hough (6); Roan Murphy (7), Peter Collins (7); Liam Cleary (6), Jack Larkin (6); Conor Ryan (0-1, 6); Dylan Power (6), Oisín Larkin (7); Philip Austin (6), Mike Heenan (7), Kevin Cleary (6).

Subs: Gary Ryan (6) for Austin (HT); Seosamh Cleary (6) for Cleary (39); Liam Dooley (NR) for O. Larkin (60+3).

Referee: Christy McLoughlin (Nenagh Éire Óg).