Burgess are North U21 'B' Hurling champs in dramatic finale with Newport

GAA: North Tipperary Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling Final

Burgess 3-15

Newport 3-14

Report: Liam Hogan in Dolla

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Eoin Grace (Burgess).

SCORERS - Burgess: David Nealon 0-10 (9 frees); Joe O’Dwyer 2-0; Eoin Grace 0-5; Luke Conneally 1-0.

Newport: Killian Collins 0-9 frees; Brian Tobin 1-2; Shane Flanagan, Stephen Coffey 1-0 each; Callum Poole 0-2; Dan Ryan 0-1.

Joe O’Dwyer’s 63rd minute goal earned Burgess a fifth North Tipperary Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling title following a highly exciting final win over Newport on Sunday.

Two minutes earlier, it looked as if Newport had the title in their hands when Brian Tobin’s great goal, against the run of play, moved the Mulcair men two points to the good and in a winning position.

But such is sport, and in a see-saw battle, Newport had the better of the exchanges in the first half for a 2-8 to 1-9 half time lead. Burgess had the breeze in the second half, and they took the game to Newport, but it took them until the 49th minute before Joe O’Dwyer’s goal put them in front. They should have been more in front but for twelve wides over the hour as opposed to six for the vanquished.

This was a very entertaining game despite the intermittent rain that fell for much of the first half and the opening six of the second which made underfoot conditions on the slippery side.

The 33 players deserve much praise for the entertainment provided with Burgess well served by a full backline led by Conor Grace and Diarmuid O’Donoghue, who were prominent in the corners, keeping a close eye on Aidan O’Dwyer at full back as the trio conceded just one goal from play.

After a shaky start, Michael Ryan really led the way at centre-back in the company of Liam Grace and Tomas Ryan on the wings. Kieran Grace was excellent at midfield and was well supported by Conor Cooney who came more into the game in the second half.

The Burgess attack was led by man of the match Eoin Grace who helped himself with five points from play and their second top-scorer behind the speedy David Nealon who scored ten points, all bar one from placed balls.

Michael Ryan, Jack O’Sullivan, and Luke Conneally had their moments with Conneally’s goal starting the Burgess fight-back in the first half and along with Joe O’Dwyer and David Nealon the full forward line scored 3-10 in total. A good day’s work.

Shane Flanagan was Newport’s best player and very close to man of the match also. Callum Poole and Brian Tobin stood out in attack while Killian Collins did well from frees but was not as prominent in general play as he was in the semi-final win over Kilruane. Meanwhile, Damien Brien, John Lee and Cathal Hannan did a lot of hurling in defence.

The Game

Newport won the toss and decided to play with the strong breeze in the first half. The game began in fast moving pace before Newport taking a commanding 1-3 to 0-1 lead after Stephen Coffey scored a goal from close range after Brian Tobin and Shane Flanagan had cut the Burges defence in two.

In the eleventh minute, Burgess were back in the game when full forward Luke Connelly got the vital overhead touch to David Nealon’s free from distance.

A Killian Collins free had Newport two in front but Burgess were soon level at 1-4 each after David Nealon pointed twice, the first from play. Newport replied with a Callum Poole point from play, and it was enhanced by a Shane Flanagan goal after Brian Tobin initiated the move in the nineteenth minute.

The remaining period of the half became a battle of the free-takers as Burgess outscored Newport 0-5 to 0-3 thanks to four Nealon frees aided by an Eoin Grace point from play. Calum Poole was the Newport scorer from play as Newport led by two at half time.

The second half was five minutes old before Newport had their lead stretched after Killian Collins pointed his fifth free, and the first of five in the second half. However, Burgess responded and two Eoin Grace points inside sixty seconds.

As the rain cleared, both sides toiled with each other with Kieran Grace and Shane Flanagan leading their respective teams.

It was in the 40th minute when Eoin Grace broke the deadlock with his fifth point bringing parity for the third time in the game. But both defences were on top, and scores were limited until Killian Collins and David Nealon traded frees to see parity restored with sixteen minutes remaining.

The excitement levels were increasing with Burgess slowly gaining the upper hand, but their tally of wides would prevent them from taking an outright lead until Joe O’Dwyer took advantage of a poorly executed puck-out with the corner forward finding the net and the lead for only the second time in the game.

The concession of frees by the Burgess defence allowed Killian Collins score back-to-back but Nealon did likewise in the 56th & 58th minutes giving Burgess a two-point lead.

Play passed the hour mark and it was Newport’s turn to attack in the 61st minute when substitute Dan Ryan set up Brian Tobin for a goal which gave the Newport supporters a taste of victory.

However, their joy lasted but thirty second when a Burgess delivery dropped outside the Newport goal area and Joe O’Dwyer won possession before finding courage and calm to find the net.

It was Newport’s turn to try and save the game again, and in the 63rd minute a close range free by Dan Ryan was sent over the bar in the hope his side had enough time to find and equaliser.

They had another ninety seconds to do so but they were unable to break down the Burgess defence who held on to add this success to a great year for the club with a North Premier Intermediate Hurling and North & County Junior ‘B’ Football titles already safely secured.

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

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

Newport: Ryan Shinners (6); Damien O’Brien (7), Luke Kennedy (6), Tom Allen (6); Adam Power (6), John Lee (6), Cathal Hannan (7); Shane Flanagan (8), Niall Duffy (6); Callum Poole (7), Diarmuid O’Riordan (Capt 6), Brian Tobin (8); Stephen Coffey (6), Jack Ryan (6), Killian Collins (7).

Subs: Dan Ryan (7) for Duffy (39); James Moloney (6) for Power (52).

Referee: John Cleary (Knockshegowna).