Borris-Ileigh rally stuns Ballina in ‘B’ Final

GAA: North Tipperary Coiste na nOg Under 15 'B' Hurling Final

Borris-Ileigh 3-11

Ballina 3-10

Report: Joe Scully in Dolla

Borris-Ileigh were crowned North Tipperary Under 15 ‘B’ Hurling champions on Saturday after a remarkable comeback from seven points behind with just six and a half minutes left of play to leave Ballina stunned.

In what was a highly entertaining game, both sides deserve huge credit for the fare that was served up with some of the skill on display by both sides of the highest quality, and the high fielding and the hooking and blocking on display throughout.

Ballina were first off the mark as early as 21 seconds when Sam Collins pointed from play, but Borris were level a minute later when the impressive Shane Ryan pointed from a sideline, and followed up shortly after with a fine individual score from play.

Ballina would then hit a rich vein of form, scoring four unanswered points through Eoin Russell, Josh Moroney who impressed throughout, Gearoid Morgan and Ger McWey in the tenth minute. Shane Ryan responded with a fine point from play for Borris after ten minutes, before Josh Moroney had the gap back to three with a free in the 15th minute.

Less than a minute later, Borris-Ileigh were back on level terms when Tadgh Kelly had the ball in the net after being set-up by Paul Kinane. Moroney had the blues back ahead two minutes later, with another free.

Borris-Ileigh were ahead by the 20th minute thanks to scores from Kelly and Ryan, but Ballina would finish the half the stronger and three points from Moroney a free, a 65 and from play, which would be their final point of the game, saw them lead by 0-10 to 1-5 at the break.

Borris-Ileigh were level four minutes after the restart, firstly through a Shane Ryan 65, then a Daniel Groome effort following a fine team move. Half a minute later and Ballina were three ahead again when a long ball was played into Darragh Mullane who turned his marker smartly and finished to the back of the net.

Luke Ryan had the gap back to two in the 40th minute, following a superb score on the run after a fine catch. Josh Moroney hit Ballina’s second goal in the 43rd minute following a fine finish after being set-up by Eoin Russell to put Ballina 3-10 to 1-9 up.

The game changed dramatically in the space of a minute in the 53rd minute, when firstly Tadgh Kelly goaled for Borris flicking to the net, and fifty seconds later, Eoin Anderson who moved from full-back to the forwards, hit his sides third goal with a neat finish to leave just one point in it.

The sides were level just over a minute later when Shane Ryan pointed from a free. Both sides would push for a winner, but it would be Borris-Ileigh who would get it in the 62nd minute when Shane Ryan would step up to the plate from a dead-ball to give his side victory.

Player of the Match: Shane Ryan (Borris-Ileigh).

Borris-Ileigh: Jack Treacy; Derek Butler, Eoin Anderson (1-0), Daniel Ryan Begley; Sean O’Hanlon, Daniel Groome (0-1), Danny Corcoran; James Maher, Liam Kinane; Shane Ryan (0-8, 4f), Luke Ryan, Hugo Carty; Tadgh Kelly (2-1), Jack Groome, Paul Kinane (0-1).

Subs: Paddy Ryan for Carty (HT), Gearoid Ryan for P Kinane (50), Paul Kinane for Butler (60+1).

Ballina: Danny Hammond; Cian Angley, James O’Malley, Paddy Ryan; Fionn Coonan, Ollie Shanahan, Ruairi O’Callaghan; Stephen Bisette, Josh Moroney (2-6, 0-5f); Gearoid O’Shaughnessy, Sam Collins (0-1), Ger McWey (0-1); Eoin Russell (0-1), Darragh Mullane (1-0), Gearoid Morgan (0-1).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).