Injury time Burgess salvo leaves Silvermines shell-shocked

Burgess looked set for bitter disappointment in a North Premier Intermediate Hurling final for the second year in a row but they summoned an injury time revival which left Silvermines shell-shocked in an absorbing decider on Sunday.

GAA: Savvy Kitchens North Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

Burgess 0-21

Silvermines 0-19

Report: Shane Brophy at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jason Forde (Silvermines)

SCORERS – Burgess: Stephen Murray 0-12 (8 frees, 1 65); Stephen Kirwan 0-3; Danny Ryan, Kieran Grace, Micheal Ryan 0-2 each.

Silvermines: Jason Forde 0-14 (6 frees, 1 65, 1 s-cut); Conor McKelvey 0-4; Danny Quinn 0-1.

When Jason Forde cut over the best of his massive fourteen point haul from 55-yards in the final minute of normal time, it had the flavour of being the key score of a titanic battle, particularly with Conor McKelvey following up with his fourth point for a two point advantage.

However, five minutes of added time were signalled, and it proved to be plenty of time for Burgess to not only recover but also to win the game. Big players come to the fore in pressurised situations and here it was Stephen Kirwan who stood tallest when it mattered.

From the puckout after going two points behind, the wing-forward won possession to play in Micheal Ryan who brought the deficit back to one. Kirwan was then unlucky to see a shot come back off the post before, in the 62nd minute, his third point from play brought the sides level before two minutes later he turned provider once again for Ryan to edge his side in front, with Danny Ryan’s superb point from the wing seconds later sealing victory.

After giving up a winning position in the final twelve months ago to Lorrha, getting over the line in these circumstances is huge for this Burgess team where spirit and courage are key commodities for teams aiming to win a county title and they know they have that, added to by coming from behind in similar circumstances in the semi-final against Ballina. It was a win for sheer persistence, despite not playing to their best, particularly after half time where they played second fiddle as Silvermines brought increased intensity which stifled Burgess’ ability in attack until the closing stages.

It was a high scoring game but just eight players contributed between both sides with Stephen Murray again with a big haul of twelve points for Burgess, three from play, in a midfield role until moving to the full forward line late on. Danny Ryan and Kieran Grace continued their strong starts to the campaign while in defence Bryan Quinn and sub Aidan O’Dwyer were to the fore.

With fourteen points, six from play plus another from a sideline cut, Jason Forde’s performance will go down as one of the best in any North Final. This was despite having the teak-tough Johnny Mulqueen marking him throughout, but the Tipp star showed his class and couldn’t have done more from his side.

He got good scoring support from Conor McKelvey who drifted from wing to full forward to great effect with four points from play and had a hand in a number of others.

However, apart from Danny Quinn’s point, the first of the game, they were the only others to impact the scoreboard for a youthful Silvermines side that should benefit greatly from this experience, and they only have to look at Burgess for how to use a tough loss to come back stronger.

Defensively, they will be happy with how they set up with Darragh Nolan keeping tabs on Donagh Maher, as did Ronan Sherlock on Eoin Hogan before he was replaced with Jack O’Flaherty again coming onto great effect in the second half.

However, one wonders as to the impact of Michael Corcoran’s injury late on in terms of playing a part in falling short. He aggravated what appeared to be an ankle injury and limped off. However, Noel Quirke wasn’t ready for play as the game restarted and by the time they got him in, two plays had gone by with Burgess scoring in one of them. Corcoran had limped off in noticeable discomfort, so it was a surprise to see him strapped up and sent back in shortly after, with the hard-working Luke O’Brien making way.

WELL CONTESTED

The closing stages were as dramatic as you would want from a well-contested final with both sides enjoying periods of dominance. The first two points were shared before Silvermines made the first initial burst with Conor McKelvey opening his account as did Jason Forde from a 65 and added a free before opening his first from play after eight minutes for a 0-5 to 0-2 lead with Burgess’ replies coming from Kirwan and the first Murray free. He added a second on nine minutes before Eoin Grace pointed superbly from play with Danny Ryan doing likewise on eleven minutes to tie the game up a five points apiece after a lively opening salvo.

Forde and Murray traded scores before Burgess took a stranglehold with a Murray (free) and another from Grace edged them two ahead as the scoring rate slowed with the ‘Mines going eighteen minutes without a score until Jason Forde’s third from play in the first minute of added time at the end of the half.

He was on target again to cancel out a Stephen Murray point from play before Silvermines had strong claims for a penalty waved away when Conor McKelvey won a high ball in the square but was unable to get ash to the ball and eventually kicked wide with referee Christy McLoughlin ruling Burgess had defended well with Stephen Murray converting a 65 right on half time for a 0-10 to 0-8 advantage.

Silvermines came out a more determined side in the second half and rattled off five points without reply to turn a two point deficit into a three point lead by the 41st minute. Jason Forde landed four with McKelvey the other, but the turnaround was inspired by an increasingly dominant half-back line with Luke O’Brien and Darragh McKelvey to the fore.

Burgess needed to change the momentum and Tony Dunne was sent into the fray while Donagh Maher won a much needed free which Stephen Murray converted and he added another to cancel out a third Conor McKelvey point.

Murray was Burgess only attacking weapon as he was his sides lone scorer until Stephen Kirwan’s second point brought the sides level at 0-16 apiece on 54 minutes when the game enjoyed his frantic finale.

TEAMS – Burgess: Ronan Tucker (6); Kieran Ryan (6), Bryan Quinn (7); Keith Nealon (7); Willie Ryan (7), Johnny Mulqueen (6), Daire Hogan (6); Stephen Murray (8), Kieran Grace (7); Micheal Ryan (6), Danny Ryan (7), Stephen Kirwan (8); Eoin Hogan (6), Donagh Maher (6), Eoin Grace (6).

Subs: Tony Dunne for D Ryan (22-24 blood); Aidan O’Dwyer (7) for K Ryan (30 inj); Tony Dunne (6) for E Hogan (40); Jack O’Flaherty (7) for E Grace (47).

Silvermines: Conor Murphy (7); Eddie Ryan (6), Darragh Nolan (6) Ronan Sherlock (7); Michael Corcoran (7); Michael Hogan (6), Darragh McKelvey (7), Luke O’Brien (7); Cathal Treacy (7), Darragh Treacy (6); Conor McKelvey (8), Jason Forde (9), Oisin Murphy (6); Andy Hayden (6), Danny Treacy (6).

Subs: Orrie Quirke (6) for Danny Treacy (51); Noel Quirke (6) for Corcoran (57); Michael Corcoran for O’Brien (58); Sean Nolan (NR) for Hayden (60); Mark Daniels (NR) for O Murphy (60+2).

Referee: Christy McLoughlin (Nenagh Eire Og).