Burgess suffer first set-back to St Mary’s

St Mary’s upset the form book with a thrilling three-point win over Burgess in the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4 game.

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4

St Mary's 1-18

Burgess 2-12

Report: Michael Heverin in Dundrum

St Mary’s hopes of claiming their second win looked tenuous as early as the second minute when Michael Ryan burst through the cover for a super goal. Stephen Murray’s first pointed free less than a minute later put Burgess into an early 1-1 to no score lead.

Sean Kennedy opened St Mary’s account in the fourth minute following a foul on Sammy Ryan, and then Josh Ryan set Kennedy up for their second. Murray had his second point from a free before Michael Murphy and Peter McGarry replied for St Mary’s after eleven minutes.

St Mary’s then suffered another sucker punch, with Donagh Maher picking up a loose ball to shoot a second Burgess goal.

Sean Kennedy (free) and Michael Ryan swapped points before St Mary’s showed the form that would lead them to a victory. Niall Hoctor shot a great point, and even though Johnny Mulqueen replied for Burgess, St Mary’s came back strongly with three points in a row, Darragh O’Connor set up James Power; then Conor Deely hit a monster point from long range; and Sean Kennedy followed up with another great score.

Burgess hit back when Eoin Grace provided the assist for a Stephen Murray point but St Mary’s hit back immediately with another Kennedy free. Two minutes from the break, Michael Ryan gave the north side a 2-6 to 0-10 half-time lead.

Ross Peters replaced Gearoid Buckley for the second half and he wasted little time in making his presence felt, scoring with his first touch inside fifteen seconds. Stephen Murray from a free replied for Burgess, but again the Clonmel side showed signs of their intent with three-in-a-row. Sammy Ryan never stopped working and hit a fine score; Conor Deely won a free in his own half that Enda Dunphy slotted over; and then another Dunphy free found Ross Peters, who hit his second to put St Mary’s ahead for the first time, 0-14 to 2-7, after 38 minutes.

Murray from a free tied the scores, but again St Mary’s came back with another three without reply – James Power, a Kennedy free, Conor Deely and Ross Peters; and then another from Deely to make it a two-point game.

The crucial score followed with Michael Murphy’s flick to the net from Enda Dunphy’s long range free. A five-point deficit with just four minutes to play was a big ask for Burgess but they never gave.

Their cause wasn’t helped with a straight red card for Johnny Mulqueen following a nasty bust-up on the touchline, but they fought to the end. Stephen Murray was happy to tap over two frees rather than look for a goal, believing that there would be a considerable amount of injury time.

Sean Kennedy hit back from a free for St Mary’s, but despite over six minutes of added time, but Burgess couldn’t muster an equaliser.

Player of the Match: Enda Dunphy (St Mary’s)

St Mary’s: Enda Dunphy (0-1f, 8); Tadhg Condon (8), Liam Ryan (8), Josh Ryan (7); Darragh O’Connor (7), Tadhg Sheehan (8), Sammy Ryan (0-1, 7); Conor Deely (0-2, 8); Richie Gunne (6), Gearoid Buckley (6), Sean Kennedy (0-7, 5f, 7); Michael Murphy (1-1, 7); Peter McGarry (0-1, 7), Niall Hoctor (0-1, 7), James Power (0-2, 7).

Subs: Ross Peters (0-2, 7) for Buckley (HT); Dean Cagney (6) for Hoctor, Shane Ryan (6) for Power.

Burgess: Ronan Tucker (7); Kieran Ryan (6), Bryan Quinn (7), Daire Hogan (7); Willie Ryan (6), Keith Nealon (6), Johnny Mulqueen (0-2, 6); Danny Ryan (6), Kieran Grace (7); Michael Ryan (1-2, 7); Donagh Maher (1-0, 7); Stephen Kirwan (6), Stephen Murray (0-8, 7f, 7); Eoin Hogan (6), Eoin Grace (6).

Subs: Tony Dunne (6) for D Ryan, Bill O’Flaherty (6) for Nealon.

Referee: Donie Horan (Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill).