Roscrea hold off Portroe for Minor win

GAA: North Tipperary Minor (Under 17) ‘B’ Hurling Final

Roscrea 2-18

Portroe 3-13

Report: Liam Hogan at Gardiner Park, Borrisokane

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Oisin O'Shea (Roscrea)

SCORERS - Roscrea: Liam Dunphy 0-9 (8 frees); Oisin O’Shea 1-2; Declan Walsh 1-0; Aaron O’Donoghue, Jack Walsh 0-2 each; Calum Mitchell, Michael Dooley, Aaron O’Mahony 0-1 each.

Portroe: Mattie Madden 1-11 (0-5 frees, 0-2 s-cuts, 0-1 65); Dylan Gamble, Alex Darham 1-0 each; Adam O’Callaghan, Robert Horan 0-1 each.

Roscrea had to fight off a second half comeback from Roscrea as two injury time points sealed victory in a thrilling North Tipperary Minor ‘B’ Hurling final on Saturday.

In a game of many twists and turns, hurling was the winner and both teams could meet again if they advance to the county final with the county quarter finals coming up next weekend.

Roscrea made the best possible start when Oisin O’Shea had the ball in the Portroe net after just twenty-five seconds. Robert Horan replied for Port, the first of three unanswered points inside the next five minutes with Mattie Madden adding two more, a free followed by a superb forty-metre sideline ball.

Jack Walsh moved Roscrea in front after a Sean Nolan assist as the Reds began to create more chances and after shooting three wides in a row, they were happy to take a 1-4 to 0-4 lead after well-taken points by Aaron O’Donoghue and Calum Mitchell.

Another Madden free cut the lead to one after twenty minutes but points by Liam Dunphy (free) and Michael Dooley had Roscrea 1-6 to 0-6 clear after 22 minutes.

The Reds were moving better and four minutes later they were six points to the good when Oisin O’Shea scored their second goal after beating off a host of Portroe defenders.

However, the cheers in the crowd were barely silent when Mattie Madden had Port’s first goal after Roscrea keeper Aaron Tooher had somehow lost hold of the ball after making a good save from Horan.

Oisin O’Shea moved Roscrea four clear in the 26th minute. Mattie Madden had the margin back to three with a great score, but another Dunphy free made it 2-8 to 1-7 bang on thirty minutes.

Moving into added time, there was plenty more action beginning with a red card dismissal of Roscrea’s Calum Mitchell. It was a setback, but the decision didn’t affect them as Liam Dunphy converted two frees, the second from distance to move his team 2-10 to 1-7 in front at the break.

On the restart, Roscrea took up the running in the opening minutes when Dunphy pointed two more frees either side of an Oisin O’Shea point from play.

But Portroe had their ideas and with Mattie Madden moving to midfield and Robert Horan to full back giving Tristan Howard and Liam O’Callaghan much more freedom to carry the game to Roscrea which began to pay off with an Adam O’Callaghan’s point in the 40th minute.

Two Mattie Madden scores, the first from play, followed before Roscrea sub Aaron Moloney scored a good point in the 42nd minute. However, Portroe continued their rehab and in the 43rd minute a move involving Madden and Iarlaith Conroy saw Dylan Gamble score Port’s second goal. It was game on.

Roscrea’s response was quick when smart play by Liam Dunphy had wing back Aaron O’Donoghue clear on goal, but he blazed over the bar.

Portroe would never baulk and after Madden and Jack Walsh exchanged scores, there was another twist in the tale when a second successful line-ball by Madden bisected the posts, quickly followed by an Alex Darham goal before another Madden point had the teams level, 2-16 to 3-13, with normal time complete.

Extra time looked a possibility, but Roscrea kept their focus. Liam Dunphy converted a free seconds into the five minutes of added time signalled. True to form, Portroe came in search of an equaliser, but Aaron Tooher and the crossbar came to Roscrea’s rescue.

Play continued and in the 64th minute, Roscrea moved two clear when Liam Dunphy first timed over the bar. Another minute followed but Port were unable to find the path to goal and Roscrea prevailed.

Liam Dunphy was Roscrea’s leading marksman with nine points, all bar one from frees. Both Oisin O’Shea and Jack Walsh played their part up front while Calum Mitchell enjoyed a share of the glory in the first half until his dismissal. The Roscrea defence played a huge part in the win with Charlie Carroll, Michael Loughnane and Aaron O’Donoghue the pick of the sextet.

The Portroe defence could not be faulted either. Tristan Howard, Liam O’Callaghan, Shane Quinn, and Jack Quinn refused to bow. Robert Seymour had a good day in goal, but Mattie Madden was their best forward by far with James Seymour and Adam O’Callaghan having their moments.

TEAMS - Roscrea: Aaron Tooher; Jack Byrne, Michael Loughnane, Charlie Carroll; Aaron O’Donoghue, Matthew Moore, Luke Murphy; Jack Moloney, Calum Mitchel; Liam Dunphy, Oisin O’Shea, Sean Nolan; Michael Dooley, Declan Walsh, Jack Walsh.

Subs: Aaron Moloney for Nolan (HT); Jack Hayes for Moore (46).

Portroe: Robert Seymour; Craig McKenna, Tristan Howard, Oisin O’Driscoll; Shane Quinn, Liam O’Callaghan, Jack Quinn; Tom Kirby, Dylan Gamble; Alex Darham, Robert Horan, Adam O’Callaghan; Mattie Madden, Iarlaith Conroy, James Seymour.

Referee: Christy McLoughlin (Nenagh Éire Óg).