Tipp 20's fall to Offaly in All-Ireland Final

Tipperary’s All-Ireland Under 20 Hurling dream died at a sun-drenched Nowlan Park as Offaly won it for the first time in their history with a deserved six-point victory on Saturday evening.

GAA: oneills.com All-Ireland Under 20 Hurling Championship Final

Offaly 2-20

Tipperary 2-14

Report: Shane Brophy at UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Dan Bourke (Offaly)

SCORERS – Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-12 (8 frees, 3 ‘65s); Dan Bourke 1-3; Barry Egan 0-2; Shane Rigney 1-0; Colin Spain, Cathal King, Ruairi Kelly 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-5s frees); Senan Butler 1-1; Ciaran Foley 0-3; Oisin O’Donoghue 0-2; Cathal English, Sam O’Farrell, Conor Martin 0-1 each.

The Leinster champions took went from three points down to five points up before half time which set the platform for victory and despite Tipp getting within two, they couldn’t perform a late victory like they did at the same venue in the minor final two weeks previous.

Played in front of 25,825 in Nowlan Park to mark the centenary of the passing of James Nowlan, Offaly began the brighter with Adam Screeney on target twice inside the first five minutes, the second a fine point from play.

His Tipp counterpart Darragh McCarthy didn’t take long to make his impact, fouled for a penalty two minutes later by Ter Guinan, after being played in by Oisin O’Donoghue, with McCarthy converting with aplomb.

Offaly answered through captain Dan Bourke but Tipp looked the more assured with a McCarthy free followed by two Ciaran Foley points from play to lead by three after fifteen minutes.

However, Tipp wouldn’t score again for eleven minutes by which time Offaly reeled off five unanswered points from Screeney (3 frees) and Barry Egan before Screeney converted a 65 after Eoin Horgan turned his shot around the post.

Ciaran Foley’s third point of the half ended Tipp’s scoreless run with Senan Butler adding the final score of the half but by which time Offaly had landed another three points from Screeney, Bourke and Egan to lead 0-12 to 1-5.

Cathal English pointed within seconds of the restart but Tipp struggled to regularly hit the scoreboard and ten second half wides prevented them from getting closer than two points following another McCarthy free.

Offaly really off four points in a row to open a five point lead which became eight when Shane Rigney’s long range shot went all the way to the net.

However, Tipp answered within seconds through Senan Butler and with Darragh McCarthy free were back within four before Offaly struck for a second goal on 47 minutes when man of the match Dan Bourke scored a fantastic goal from outside the 21.

Tipp kept plugging away with Oisin O’Donoghue, Darragh McCarthy, Conor Martin and Sam O’Farrell adding points but they couldn’t put sustained pressure on Offaly for whom corner back Ruairi Kelly put the tin-hat on the win with a point with the last puck of the game.

TEAMS – Offaly: Liam Hoare; Ruairi Kelly, Ben Miller, James Mahon; Ter Guinan, Brecon Kavanagh, Donal Shirley; Colin Spain, Cathal King; Shane Rigney, Dan Bourke (Capt), Conor Doyle; Leigh Kavanagh, Barry Egan, Adam Screeney.

Subs: Alex Kavanagh for Egan (49); Eoin Burke for Doyle (54); Dan Ravenhill for L Kavanagh (60+2); Daniel Hand for Rigney (60+3).

Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace); Ben Currivan (Golden Kilfeacle, Capt); Jack Collins (Ballina), Mason Cawley (Nenagh Eire Og), Ciaran Foley (Borrisokane); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Cathal English (Father Sheehys), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash).

Subs: Jack O’Callaghan (Portroe) for Cawley (49); Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris) for Foley (50 inj); Sam Rowan (Mullinahone) for Daly (60).

Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)