Ryan inspires Templederry revival

GAA: Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Round 1

Templederry Kenyons 3-23

Roscrea 3-22 (AET)

Report: Enda Treacy in Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Sean Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)

SCORERS - Templederry Kenyons: Sean Ryan 2-8, Eanna Murray 0-8 (7 frees), Tom Ryan 1-1; Odhran Murphy, Gearoid Ryan 0-2 each, Matthew Hogan, Brian Stapleton 0-1 each.

Roscrea: Luke Cashin 0-8 (3 frees, 1 65), Alan Tynan 1-5; Shane Fletcher 2-1; Sam Conlon 0-3; Conor Booth 0-2, Darragh Tynan, Conor Sheedy, Evan Fitzpatrick 0-1 each.

A Sean Ryan masterclass proved to be decisive for Templederry as they battled back from a poor first-half display to take a scalp in the form of Roscrea in the North Senior Hurling Championship round 1 clash last Thursday.

Deep into the second period of extra time, Ryan popped up with an absolute beauty of a point out near the side-line, after latching onto a pop handpass on the loop, to secure the win for his side as he proved to be a massive thorn for the Roscrea defence, finishing with 2-8 from play.

Indeed, the win looked most unlikely early on as Roscrea dominated the opening half and with their direct running game, led by the impressive Alan Tynan, they had Templederry at sixes and sevens as the Rossie’s led 2-13 to 1-9 at half time. However, the game turned on the introduction of Brian Stapleton from the bench, who presumably had a knock coming into the game, helped shore up the spine of the Kenyons defence which then launched attack after attack and swung the game in their favour, as they outbattled Roscrea for large spells of the second half, and only a Luke Cashin free a minute from time ensured extra time for his side.

In the end, the decisive man in the outcome was Sean Ryan who went to town at full-forward and it was particularly perplexing as Roscrea left Shane Davis all at sea on the Templederry man for most of the game, despite the lopsided nature of the contest.

Roscrea started the game with real purpose, and they have developed a group of players really tailored to the modern-day running game, with Alan Tynan, Sam Conlon, and Shane Fletcher causing mayhem as they raced into a three-point lead in as many minutes. Sean Ryan’s first of the day got Templederry going in the fifth minute, but they were second to every ball and the pace of Roscrea was telling, Tynan cutting through the middle of the defence to lash a low ball into the bottom corner to raise a green flag.

Eanna Murray responded with a few points soon after to steady the Templederry ship somewhat and it was quite even up to the water-break in terms of scores, but Roscrea were looking energetic and dangerous any time they got hands on ball in the midfield and points from Conlon, Tynan and Conor Booth gave them a five-point advantage.

Despite the slow start, the Kenyons men were back in the game after the restart, with Sean Ryan blitzing them for 1-1, the goal coming after he whipped on the ball after a good gather and run in on goal to make it a one-point game against the run of play.

However, Roscrea were still on top in most sectors and Alan Tynan continued to do damage with his pace and when Shane Fletcher rattled the net in the 21st minute, they went onto dominate the remainder with scores from Luke Cashin, Evan Fitzpatrick, and Darragh Tynan giving them a healthy lead.

A double substitution at half-time by Templederry was a signal of how the first half went and it proved to be inspired as Brian Stapleton came on at wing-back, with his brother Tom moving to centre-back and this breathed new life into the effort. They gradually got to grips with Roscrea in the third quarter, but it didn’t tell straight away on the scoreboard as the Rossies continued to score readily with the impressive Alan Tynan still wreaking havoc but three Eanna Murray frees and a superbly taken goal from Tom Ryan gave Templederry a big boost, although Tynan, Conlon, and Fletcher all pointed for Roscrea before the second water-break.

It was in the final quarter that Templederry made their move and the introduction of the substitutes looked to be a big factor, as Roscrea were more reluctant from the bench, as points from Sean & Tom Ryan early in the quarter reduced the arrears to two and when the former scored his second goal after being gifted the ball by Roscrea goalie Daryl Ryan, it was looking like the game was going in one direction only.

Roscrea, to their credit, didn’t panic and it took three points from Luke Cashin in the final ten minutes to force extra time as the rain started to pour down with the score finishing at 3-15 to 2-18 with more excitement to come.

Two points apiece were traded at the start of the extra time period with Adrian Ryan and Eanna Murray pointing for Templederry while Fletcher and the untiring Alan Tynan with the scores for Roscrea, but the first real big move was made by Roscrea five minutes in, as Shane Fletcher drifted in at full forward and fetching a high ball, kept his composure to goal at the second attempt, giving his team a three-point lead at the change of ends.

It looked like Roscrea had taken the brunt of the Templederry onslaught and seemed to be about to see it out, but the Kenyons, led by the two Stapleton's in the half-back line, finished extremely well and it was Sean Ryan who was decisive with the ball being delivered in as he scored three points from play in this period, lashing over a gem a minute from time, sealing a brilliant win for the Kenyon's.

TEAMS - Templederry Kenyons: Tim McCutcheon (7); Conor Looby (6), Christy Coughlan (8), Dale Donnelly (6); Michael Ryan (7), Liam McCutcheon (5), Tom Stapleton (9); Michael Ryan Pa (5), Odhran Murphy (7); Gearoid Ryan (7), Eanna Murray (7), Colm Murray (7); Tom Ryan (7), Sean Ryan (10), Adrian Ryan (7).

Subs: Padraig O’Leary (7) for Ryan Pa (19); Matthew Hogan (7) for O’Leary (23-26 blood); Matthew Hogan for C Murray (HT); Brian Stapleton (9) for L McCutcheon (HT); Tadgh McLoughlin (6) for Donnelly (53); Liam McCutcheon for T Ryan (17 ET).

Roscrea: Daryl Ryan (6); Keith McMahon (6), Shane Davis (5), James Synnott (7); Dan Ryan (7), Darragh Tynan (7), Conor Phelan (7); Evan Fitzpatrick (7), Conor Sheedy (8); Conor Booth (7), Alan Tynan (8), Joe Carroll (6); Shane Fletcher (8), Sam Conlon (6), Luke Cashin (8).

Subs: Fergus Hannon (6) for Ryan (50); Aidan Booth (6) for Carroll (58); Luke Seacy (6) for Conlon (9 ET).

Referee: Kieran Delaney (Toomevara).