Classy Roscrea crowned North Under 19 ‘A’ Hurling champions

GAA: Ger Gavin North Tipperary Under 19 ‘A’ Hurling Final

Roscrea 3-13

Ballina 0-13

Report: James Hayden in Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Conor Dooley (Roscrea)

SCORERS – Roscrea: Conor Dooley 1-4; Jamie Ryan 1-3 (0-1 free); Leigh Loughnane 1-1; Conor Phelan 0-3 (1 free); Oisin Moloney, Diarmuid McLoughlin 0-1 each.

Ballina: Jack Collins, Cathal O’Donnell 0-4 (3 frees) each; Charlie King, Kian Donnelly 0-2 each; Brian Burke 0-1.

A CLASSY and assured Roscrea claimed their inaugural North Under-19 ‘A’ hurling title with an impressive victory over Ballina last Wednesday.

This decider pitted a fancied Roscrea side against a Ballina outfit hopeful of overcoming the odds. Roscrea, however, had too much in the tank for Ballina throughout, both in the physical stakes and the hurling stakes whilst the lakesiders rued a raft of missed scoring opportunities, particularly in the opening half.

The old-adage that goals win games rang through clearly in this encounter too, with Roscrea goals in the 10th, 31st and 35th minutes proving the difference between the sides.

Ballina were not without their goal chances either and could have netted two in the opening half but unfortunately Lady Luck wasn’t shining kindly upon the boys in blue.

Having won the toss, Ros’ elected to play with a slight breeze. However, it was Ballina who were first to register thanks to a well-executed Charlie King point. Roscrea were dominating the majority of the exchanges though and replied with three points on the bounce, two coming from the impressive Conor Dooley at full-forward and the third from the free-running Jamie Ryan.

Dooley caused consternation in the Ballina defence in the opening quarter and the big full-forward laid the foundations for Roscrea’s eventual victory with a cracking tenth minute goal. Dooley seized upon Kenny Lee’s first-time delivery and tore towards goal before unleashing a rocket of a shot high into the roof of the Ballina goal, 1-3 to 0-1.

Ballina were clearly rocked by Roscrea’s excellent start but their attempts to build up a head of steam were thwarted by poor shooting in front of goal. Missed frees coupled with poor shot selection choices hampered their progress as Roscrea kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Roscrea’s hugely impressive captain Conor Phelan abandoned his defensive duties in the sixteenth minute to fire over a thunderous long-range point while Conor Dooley quickly added another to open up a six-point gap between the sides.

Ballina were not without their incisive attacks either though with centre-back Jack Collins providing tantalising ball for Kian Donnelly at full forward and Cathal O’Donnell at centre-forward. Ballina were guilty of being over-elaborate in their approach play though and this, coupled with the excellent net-minding skills of Harry Loughnane in the Roscrea goal, served to frustrate Ballina further.

Diarmuid McLoughlin fired over a long-range point for Ros’ in the nineteenth minute to heap more misery on Ballina before Jack Collins’s 20th minute long-range free sailed clear over the Roscrea defence and ricocheted off the butt of the upright and away to safety. An inch to the left and Ballina would have been gifted an avenue back into the game.

Conor Dooley, although being double marked at this stage, added a third point from play in the 26th minute after linking up well with Kenny Lee but credit to Ballina they mounted a semblance of a revival as the interval approached. Cathal O’Donnell flighted over a 29th minute free before a subsequent attack almost culminated in a Ballina goal, but O’Donnell’s low shot flashed inches to the wrong side of the post.

Kian Donnelly added a fourth point for Ballina on the stroke of half-time but Roscrea responded in time added on with Conor Phelan surging up field to flight over a sublime point and ensure Ros’ took an 1-8 to 0-4 lead to the dressing room.

Ballina emerged determined to peg back Roscrea but any aspirations the large crowd in attendance had of a Ballina resurgence were quickly quelled by two quick-fire Roscrea goals inside five minutes.

Kian Donnelly did afford Ballina a chink of light with a 31st minute point but a re-jigged Roscrea attack soon rattled the Ballina net after Diarmuid McLoughlin’s high delivery broke kindly for substitute, Leigh Loughnane, and he netted with aplomb.

Cathal O’Donnell responded with a Ballina free but a second scorable free went abegging less than a minute later, a miss that sent Ballina’s wides tally into double figures. Jack Collins sent over a 40th minute free from range to reduce the deficit but Roscrea all but killed off Ballina’s hopes with their third goal on 41 minutes after Jamie Ryan found the back of the Ballina net after reacting quickly to a breaking ball following Oisin Moloney’s looping delivery. Moloney then surged up from wing-back minutes later to fire Ros’ eleven points clear.

Ballina responded with a well-struck Jack Collins 65’ and re-jigged their side in the final quarter in a bid to poach a few badly needed goals with Collins moving into a more forward role. In fairness to Ballina, they battled on gamely in the final quarter and took the game to Roscrea.

Ros’ were engaged in a rear-guard action at this stage in a bid to stave off the prospect of any three-pointers and were content to allow Ballina pick off their points and respond in kind. Frees from Conor Phelan and Jamie Ryan added to Roscrea’s tally late in the half served only to copper-fasten victory for Roscrea as they ran out deserving nine-point winners to be crowned worthy North champions and progress to the county semi-final next month.

TEAMS - Roscrea: Harry Loughnane, Aaron Delahunty, Conor Phelan, Jake Thompson; Oisín Moloney, Lee Doran, Brian O’Rourke; Kenny Lee, Robbie Tynan; Josh McMahon, Jamie Ryan, Diarmuid McLoughlin; Michael Fitzgerald, Conor Dooley, John Donovan.

Subs: Eoin Larkin for McMahon (HT); Leigh Loughnane for Donovan (33); Sean Synott for Thompson (36), Sam Dooley for McLoughlin (48).

Ballina: Simon Grace, Shane Kelly, Zach Egan, Jack Quinn; David Coughlan, Jack Collins, Braoin Cleary; JP Mbokha, Daniel Tighe; Cillian Ryan, Cathal O’Donnell, Brian Burke; Charlie King, Kian Donnelly, Ian Larkin.

Subs: Tristan Giorudiere for Quinn (44), Jack Grace for Larkin (49), Charlie Grace for Tighe (53), James Frahill for Ryan (60).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).