Burgess fall to fast finishing Boherlahan

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling Semi-Final

Boherlahan-Dualla 0-18

Burgess 0-15

Report: Liam Hogan at St Michael’s Park, Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Dylan Fogarty (Boherlahan-Dualla).

SCORERS – Boherlahan-Dualla: Ben Kirby 0-7 (4 frees); Dylan Fogarty 0-6 (5 frees, 1 ’65); Eugene O’Dwyer 0-2; David Clarke, Ryne Bargary, Charlie Ryan 0-1 each.

Burgess: David Nealon 0-6 (4 frees); Eoin Grace 0-4; Kieran Grace 0-3; Michael Ryan 0-2 frees.

Burgess were caught on the line by a stronger and more physical Boherlahan-Dualla side in a hard fought County Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling semi-final on Sunday.

The North champions looked the better side in the first half as the strong diagonal breeze helped them to a 0-10 to 0-5 half time lead, that stretched to six four minutes into the second half.

However, that lead was slowly whittled away as Burgess became defensive and lost their way with Boherlahan catching them on the hour mark as the Mid champions scored four unanswered points in the closing period, including four minutes of added time.

Indeed, Burgess might have lost by a bigger margin but for Oisin Tucker making a great save to deny Dylan Fogarty from a penalty while wing forward Jack O’Sullivan denied Tomas Breen with a certain goal in the 42nd minute.

Burgess were in front just after twenty seconds when David Nealon rounded his marker before shortening his grip and floating the ball over the bar. Kieran Grace added to the lead with back-to-back points before Ben Kirby’s point from the left wing got Boherlahan off the mark in the sixth minute.

Two minutes later, Burgess responded with an Eoin Grace point, his first of four in the opening half as the North champs looked to be on a mission following their divisional win the previous weekend. While they had the best of the possession game, the Burgess defence were caught off guard but Oisin Tucker was equal to a shot at goal by Ryan Bargary before centre forward David Clarke had Boherlahan’s second point in the eleventh minute.

A quick response by Burgess saw Eoin Grace score back-to-back points with the second coming from an error by a Boherlahan defender after a short puckout failed to work. Ben Kirby’s free had the game at double scores but Burgess were the better looking side and Michael Ryan’s accurate free from half way plus another Eoin Grace point had them 0-8 to 0-3 in front after nineteen minutes.

There was more danger in front of the Burgess goal when Ben Kirby pointed a close range free and he repeated the same in the 23rd minute before Burgess resumed their polished play by finished the half with two more points with the impressive Eoin Grace and David Nealon on target.

Scores from frees continued to dominate the opening minutes of the second half with Burgess centre back Michael Ryan landing a long range one after just thirty-three seconds. In response, Boherlahan wing back Dylan Fogarty was equally impressive with a placed ball to cut the deficit before the Burgess lead was back out to six when David Nealon scored his fourth point.

Scores from long range frees were becoming the norm, especially for Boherlahan and in the 39th minute, Dylan Fogarty landed his second. Meanwhile, David Nealon was uncharacteristic in missing a close range free and Michael Ryan was another to be off target from further out before the restart led to a quick score from Boherlahan midfielder Charlie Ryan in the 41st minute.

Boherlahan were growing stronger and in the 42nd minute they looked set to score a goal when the unmarked Tomas Breen had only the goalkeeper to beat but Jack Sullivan was brave with a timely block.

Two minutes later, Dylan Fogarty cut the deficit to three with a ninety metre free. Burgess responded when Nealon made amends in the 46th minute but Boherlahan continued to increase the tempo as two Ben Kirby scores, the second from play, had the deficit down to two approaching the final ten minutes of normal time.

The Boherlahan defence were now coming to grips with the Burgess attack as their greater physicality led to them winning most of the fifty-fifty ball. It must be said that the North champions had gone defensive with Boherlahan defenders winning possession in their half and sometimes unmarked.

The increase of the wides tally was no help to Burgess either as Michael Ryan missed another lengthy free in the 51st minute. The response from Boherlahan could have been highly significant as a lengthy clearance led to them winning a penalty in the 54th minute. Up stepped Dylan Fogarty but Burgess keeper Oisin Tucker produced a great save at the expense of a 65 which Dylan Fogarty converted, leaving the minimum between the teams.

A quick response by the excellent Kieran Grace restored life in Burgess but another Fogarty free followed. The same pattern continued with Nealon converting a free, which would prove to be Burgess’ last score, only for Ben Kirby to score a great point from the left wing after an assist from Eoin McLoughney.

The next score was going to be vital and wing back Eugene O’Dwyer made his mark, firstly with the equaliser and then the lead point going into added time.

The winds of change were certainly favouring the Mid Tipp side now and they had ease in getting the deliveries through a weakening Burgess side as Dylan Fogarty capped a great performance with two more long range frees increased their winning margin to three as the final whistle sounded.

Thanks to a very strong backline, Boherlahan-Dualla finished the better side and won. Dylan Fogarty displayed coolness with his accuracy from long range frees. The wing back did well from play as did his fellow half backs in Gerard O’Dwyer and Eugene O’Dwyer in front of a tight marking full backline of Ross Darcy, Ned Ryan, and Brian Gleeson. Up front, they had to depend on Ben Kirby at full forward with Ryan Bargary also catching the eye.

For Burgess, Kieran Grace played himself almost to a standstill at midfield. Eoin Grace was man of the match up to the half hour mark, but his presence somewhat died away in the second half. Elsewhere, Liam Grace, Tomas Ryan, Conor Cooney jack O’Sullivan plus Joe O’Dwyer and David Nealon were best.

TEAMS - Boherlahan-Dualla: Cormac Gleeson (6); Ross Darcy (7), Ned Ryan (6), Brian Gleeson (7); Eugene O’Dwyer (7), Gerard O’Dwyer (7), Dylan Fogarty (8); Jake Canny (6), Charlie Ryan (7); Patrick Gahan (6), David Clarke (6), Eoin McLoughney (6); Robbie Darcy (6), Ben Kirby (7), Ryan Bargary (7).

Subs: Tomas Breen (6) for N Ryan (28); Sean Bourke (NR) for Moloughney (58).

Burgess: Oisin Tucker (7); Conor Grace (7), Aidan O’Dwyer (7), Diarmuid O’Donoghue (6); Liam Grace (7), Michael Ryan (7), Tomas Ryan (7); Conor Cooney (7), Kieran Grace (8); Michael Ryan (6), Eoin Grace (7), Jack O’Sullivan (7); Joe O’Dwyer (6), Luke Conneally (6), David Nealon (6).

Sub: Conor Ryan (6) for L Grace (56).

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