Majestic Shannon Rovers flow to tenth North Intermediate title

GAA: Kelly’s of Fantane North Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

Shannon Rovers 3-15

Borrisokane 1-16

Report: James Hayden at MacDonagh Park, Cloughjordan

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Austin Tierney (Shannon Rovers)

TEAMS – Shannon Rovers: Conal Moran 1-7 (0-3 frees); Austin Tierney 2-1; Eamonn Hough, Andy Byrne 0-3 each; Michael Tierney 0-1.

Borrisokane: Oisin Larkin 0-6 frees; Mike Heenan 0-5; Conor Ryan 1-1; Ciaran Foley, Michael Kelly, Gary Ryan, Jack Larkin 0-1 each.

A ravenous Shannon Rovers displayed true hunger and desire to overcome great rivals Borrisokane in an absorbing North Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship final on Saturday evening.

With the mercury hitting 28 degrees on the hottest day of the year so far, both sides went into this clash determined to bring the Fr. Hewitt Cup back to their respective parishes.

Borrisokane were vying for their ninth title having last landed the spoils in 2018 while Shannon Rovers were seeking to bridge a fifteen-year gap since their ninth and last title in 2010, that at the expense of Borris.

This final embodied the "style versus steel" narrative, and on this occasion, it was Shannon Rovers who brought the steel element to a greater extent. Rovers' greater experience, defensive nous, and ability to rattle the Borrisokane net at opportune times proved to be one of the defining factors.

Throughout this Lower Ormond battle, Borrisokane were always chasing the game. In a tie which saw them hold the lead for just a little over a minute in the early stages, they played catch-up for the remainder, threatening at times but just couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard, not helped by a double-digit wides tally.

Goals at opportune times served to provide timely fillips to a Shannon Rovers side who were pushed hard by their neighbours to the east, but realistically Borrisokane will rue a total of eleven first-half wides, a number of which were from scorable positions.

Their inability to convert these opportunities ensured they trailed by two at half-time, whilst the Rovers maintained the lead thanks in the main to a thirteenth minute Austin Tierney goal after he seized upon a mis-directed puckout before unleashing an unstoppable drive past the advancing Luke Gleeson in the Borrisokane goal.

Borrisokane upped the tempo in the second-half but a second Austin Tierney goal on 38 minutes served to rock them back on their heels before a third goal just prior to the water break, consigned Borrisokane to an uphill battle they couldn’t scale.

Borris’ could have netted just after the water break, but Vincent Mulvihill denied Gary Ryan a certain goal in what proved to be a pivotal moment in the game. However, Borris’ did finally find the back of the net on 54 minutes as Conor Ryan finished with aplomb.

The 48th minute introduction of the experienced Seosamh Cleary added to Borrisokane’s ability to deliver ball to their forward line but it was in the closing stages where the Rovers really displayed their true mettle as Borrisokane went in search of goals.

Borris’ trailed by three following a 55th minute Oisin Larkin free, his sixth from placed balls, before the Rovers hit back with two hugely influential points, the first from Michael Tierney on 57 minutes and the second a sublimely hit long-range Conal Moran free, two minutes later.

Now down by five, Borrisokane had no other option but to find the back of the Shannon Rovers net. Substitute Josh Chadwick almost flicked Conor Ryan’s cross-field ball to the net only for the sliotar to ricochet off the frame of the goal and away to safety. Had the sliotar nestled in back of the net, it would certainly have made matters very interesting in time added on.

CLOSE FIRST HALF

Such is the nature of clashes between these two near neighbours and fierce rivals, regardless of how either side plays in the end it nearly always comes down to a puck or two of a ball between the sides.

The opening half bore testament to this with the impressive Mike Heenan and Conal Moran trading early points before a second Moran point from close to the sideline on eight minutes edged the Rovers in front.

Mike Heenan replied with a second for Borris’ as both sides battled for supremacy in a tight, tense opening ten-minute period.

Borris’, playing with a breeze, were struggling to find their range in front of goal with two wides on the bounce before Rovers full-forward Eamonn Hough edged his side into a lead they would never relinquish.

Less than sixty seconds later, Austin Tierney had the sliotar in the back of the Borris’ net before Conal Moran flighted over his first free of the day on fourteen minutes.

Mike Heenan, who was Borrisokane’s stand-out player in the opening half, cut the deficit to four before Conal Moran volleyed the sliotar one-handed over the bar with a forehand Novak Djokovic would have been proud off to see the Rovers lead 1-5 to 0-3 at the first-half water break.

It served to break the momentum for the Rovers as Borrisokane edged closer thanks to successive Oisin Larkin frees. A third free on the bounce in the 21st minute narrowed the gap to two before Conal Moran (free) and Eamonn Hough retaliated for the Rovers.

The ebb and flow of the contest continued with Mike Kelly and Gary Ryan flighting over impressive points for Borrisokane before Jack Larkin added a third on the trot for the men in green and white right on the 30-minute mark.

In time added on, Andy Byrne popped up with a sweet point to ensure the Rovers a deserved 1-8 to 0-9 lead going to the dressing room.

Borrisokane narrowed the gap to just a point straight from the re-start thanks to another Oisin Larkin free.

Then came the key moment in the 38th minute, a George Hannigan clearance ricocheted off a Borrisokane defenders hurley and into the grateful clutches of the lurking Austin Tierney who turned and rattled the back of the net for his second goal.

Oisin Larkin (free) responded for Borris’, but Eamonn Hough popped up again to keep the scoreboard ticking over for Rovers.

Borrisokane can feel hard done by less than a minute later when they hit the post, not once but twice in the space of sixty seconds, after efforts from Gary Ryan and Jack Larkin failed to bisect the uprights.

Two minutes later, Mike Heenan made no mistake with a 42nd minute effort before Conal Moran and Ciaran Foley both found their range for their respective sides.

Shannon Rovers struck for their third goal just before the second-half water break following impressive approach play from Matt Tierney. Conal Moran gathered well along the stand sideline and tore through on goal, flicking the sliotar to the back of the net for a hugely influential third Rovers goal, 3-12 to 0-15.

The final quarter proved a fiercely hard-fought affair with Conor Ryan’s 54th minute goal affording Borrisokane the opportunity to reel in a resilient Rovers side but try as they might they just couldn’t bridge the gap despite cutting the deficit to just three by the 55th minute.

Shannon Rovers finished the stronger in the closing minutes and determinedly held off a late Borrisokane surge to be deservedly crowned North Tipperary Intermediate hurling champions for the tenth time.

Shannon Rovers were worthy champions with the Hannigan brothers, George & Alan, providing a fulcrum around which their defence revolved.

Wing-back Matt Tierney played a captain’s role to perfection while Marcus Esmonde and Cathal Hogan battled hard in the middle of the field.

In attack Conal Moran was scorer-in-chief with 1-4 from play while Austin Tierney fired 2-1. Eamonn Hough, Michael Tierney and Andy Byrne all chipped in too with vital points in an attack which saw five of the six forwards score from play.

For Borrisokane Mike Heenan was their stand-out man while Ciaran Foley, Mike Kelly, Brian Davis, Peter Collins, Conor Ryan, and Gary Ryan also caught the eye.

TEAMS - Shannon Rovers: Vincent Mulvihill (7), Oisin McMahon (8), Alan Hannigan (7), Jack O’Sullivan (7); George Hannigan (7), Conor Ryan (7), Matt Tierney (Capt 8); Marcus Esmonde (7), Cathal Hogan (7); John O’Meara (7), Conal Moran (9), Michael Tierney (7); Austin Tierney (8), Eamonn Hough (8), Andy Byrne (7).

Subs: Sean Hough (6) for O’Meara (55); Aaron Hogan (NR) for Byrne (60+2).

Borrisokane: Luke Gleeson (7); Luke Quigley (7), Shane Nevin (7), James Hough (7); Liam Cleary (7), Brian Davis (7), Peter Collins (7); Ciaran Foley (7), Michael Kelly (7); Conor Ryan (7), Mike Heenan (9), Gary Ryan (7); Oisin Larkin (7), Philip Austin (Capt 7), Jack Larkin (6).

Subs: Josh Chadwick (6) for J Larkin (46); Seosamh Cleary (7) for Quigley (48); Daire Madden (6) for Kelly (55).

Referee: Mark Gennery (Portroe).