Silvermines take chances in seeing off Newport

Silvermines ability to take their chances proved to be the difference in getting the better of Newport to progress to a first North Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling final on Saturday evening.

GAA: Savvy Kitchens North Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Silvermines 2-20

Newport 1-16

Report: Shane Brophy at St Michael’s Park, Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Conor McKelvey (Silvermines)

SCORERS – Silvermines: Jason Forde 0-11 (6 frees); Conor McKelvey 1-2; Andy Hayden 1-1; Oisin Murphy, Cathal Treacy 0-2 each; Luke O’Brien, Darragh Treacy 0-1 each.

Newport: Colin Floyd 0-8 (6 frees); Jack Delahunty 1-0; Cian Flanagan 0-2; Brendan Coffey, Shane Flanagan, Jack Ryan, Oran Connors, Thomas Floyd, Diarmuid O’Riordan 0-1 each.

The ‘Mines were deserving winners, scoring 2-14 from play but they will feel they can play a lot better but for the first game of the championship will be happy to get the win.

Under the guidance of club stalwart Declan Corcoran for the first time this year, and enlisting Nenagh Eire Og’s Noel Maloney as coach, the ‘Mines certainly played to a system with Michael Corcoran ensconced as the sweeper in front of a full back line where Ronan Sherlock was again to the fore alongside Darragh Nolan.

It was in midfield where Silvermines gained the edge with Darragh & Cathal Treacy to the fore in getting on the ball, scoring two points each from play. Cathal, in particular, was effective in linking the play to the likes of Jason Forde who does what he does for the ‘Mines with an eleven point haul, five from play.

The most encouraging aspect for Silvermines will be their spread of scorers as Oisin Murphy and Andy Hayden were effective in a two-man full forward line, not only in terms of contributing 1-3 between them, but also effective ball-winners.

Former Tipp under 20 Conor McKelvey is a player with huge potential and his 1-2 contribution from wing-forward, edging his battle with Newport’s Cian Flanagan was crucial in determining the outcome.

Newport stayed competitive throughout but with only six players surviving from the side that lost to Silvermines in the county championship last August, it highlighted the transition period they are facing into.

Shorn the services of Conor O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Sullivan, Odran Floyd, and Pa Ryan alongst others, they also lost the influential Conor Floyd to injury in recent weeks, but manager Tim Floyd will be happy with their effort and will rue what might have been in shooting twelve first half wides which undermined their chances of victory.

This was despite getting off to a strong start with points from Brendan Coffey and Colin Floyd (free) inside two minutes. The ‘Mines quickly levelled with two points from Jason Forde, but the game struggled for fluency as the sides managed just a point each by the quarter mark, Floyd and Forde adding to their tallies.

From here, Silvermines took over, rattling off five points in a row from Forde (2 frees), Cathal Treacy, Oisin Murphy and Andy Hayden before Newport ended a fifteen minute dry spell through the always willing Shane Flanagan.

The Mulcair men suffered a big blow on 24 minutes when a drilled delivery from Michael Corcoran was collected by Andy Hayden who shook off the challenge of Cathal Floyd to fire to the corner of the net. Conor McKelvey followed with a point and leading 1-9 to 0-4, it looked like one-way traffic.

However, Newport ended the half strongly, helped by a Jack Delahunty goal on 29 minutes, played in by Shane Flanagan. Cian Flanagan and Colin Floyd (free) reduced the arrears to three at the break. After Conor McKelvey opened the scoring after the restart, Newport had a goal chance denied by Conor Murphy from Oran Connors, but Jack Ryan did manage to point from the rebound.

Jason Forde added two more to his growing tally, but Newport were hanging on their coat-tails with Colin Floyd (free) and Connors bringing them back within three on 39 minutes.

However, the ‘Mines were hurling with the greater fluency and despite shooting seven second half wides, kept the scoreboard ticking over from Darragh & Cathal Treacy.

Newport keeper Paul Hogan came to his sides rescue with a fine double-save from Jason Forde and Andy Hayden, and with Newport clearing, Colin Floyd pointed at the other end, and it felt like a seminal moment.

Cian Flanagan followed up with his second from play and approaching the three quarter mark, the game was very much in the melting pot. Jason Forde converted a free before the key score came in the 43rd minute when Andy Hayden deftly flicked a high ball into the path of Conor McKelvey who drilled a shot from 21-yards to the corner of the net, 2-15 to 1-11.

From there to the end, they comfortably maintained their lead with Oisin Murphy, Luke O’Brien and three more from Jason Forde keeping the scoreboard ticking over and holding Newport’s at arm’s length despite four more points from Colin Floyd and another from Thomas Floyd.

TEAMS – Silvermines: Conor Murphy (7); Michael Hogan (6), Ronan Sherlock (8), Darragh Nolan (7); Michael Corcoran (8); Luke O’Brien (7), Darragh McKelvey (7), Eddie Ryan (6); Darragh Treacy (7), Cathal Treacy (8); Conor McKelvey (8), Jason Forde (8), Mark Daniels (6); Andy Hayden (8), Oisin Murphy (7).

Subs: Orrie Quirke (6) for Daniels (40); Noel Quirke (7) for Hogan (48); Sean Nolan (6) for Hayden (53); Danny Quinn (NR) for C McKelvey (60+3).

Newport: Paul Hogan (7); Conor Hickey (6), Thomas Floyd (6), Cathal Floyd (6); Diarmuid O’Riordan (8), Aidan Moloney (6), Cian Flanagan (7); Brendan Coffey (7), Michael Quigley (6); Colin Floyd (7), Kealan Floyd (6), Jack Ryan (6); Shane Flanagan (7), Oran Connors (6), Jack Delahunty (6).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess).