Newport rally to secure Intermediate status

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Relegation Semi-Final

Newport 1-24

Drom & Inch 1-19

(After Extra Time)

Report: Liam Hogan at Sean Treacy Park, Kilcommon

Newport’s status in intermediate hurling is safe for the time-being following their dramatic extra time win over Drom & Inch on Saturday.

Drom controlled the opening ten minutes with Mikey Connors scoring the first point followed by two from Aidan O’Meara. Colin Floyd had Newport’s opener in the fifth minute but Drom continued to press as Newport goalkeeper Paul Hogan denied TJ Kinnane before Liam Ryan made it 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Newport gradually found their feet and by the 22nd minute they had the deficit down to one as Aaron O’Neill, Conor Floyd, Cian Flanagan and Thomas Floyd found the target.

The next five minutes saw wasted opportunities at both ends before Drom goalkeeper Sean Dempsey was called into action in the 26th minute, and with defence turned into attack his team increased their lead thanks to a long range effort by Paul Bergin.

A quick response from Thomas Floyd had the margin back to the minimum as Newport began to rise through the gears, levelling through Oran Connors before Cian Flanagan gave them the lead for the first time on the half hour.

Aidan O’Meara levelled but Oran Connors second point gave Newport a 0-10 to 0-9 half time lead.

Paul Bergin’s long range free had teams’ level twenty-five seconds into the second half, but Newport responded as Colin Floyd scored two quick points. Another Bergin long range free had Drom followed before Colin Floyd forced Sean Dempsey to make a great save.

The game had increased in tempo and Pa Ryan, who had come from the subs bench, found the target on forty minutes. However, the lead didn’t last very long as Drom pressed; substitute Brian Moore was fouled close to goal, but his quick-thinking saw him switch play to Jamie Ryan who first timed to the net.

Mikey Connor’s free in the 50th minute pushed Drom two clear, but they would be unable to maintain the challenge and losing Paul Bergin to a red card for an off-the-ball incident didn’t help either as the North men took advantage per Conor Floyd and the hard working Cian Flanagan, each scoring a point to bring parity at the end of normal time, 1-12 to 0-15.

Extra time brought the best of the gam, starting with Newport taking a two point lead through Cian Flanagan and Oran Connors. However, Newport received a setback when Aaron O’Neill was red carded in the 63rd minute.

Drom were able to take advantage and Mikey Connors added a brace. Meanwhile, Newport corner back Damien O’Brien stole up field and picked off a valuable point, but substitute Enda Walsh replied to level.

It was still anybody’s game and approaching the change of ends Newport won a penalty when Colin Floyd was hauled down by full back Michael Purcell. Colin Floyd stepped up and fired low past Dempsey. Newport were in front 1-19 to 1-15 at the final changeover.

Colin Floyds point had Newport five in front, but Diarmuid Brennan replied with a free. Oran Connors and Brennan traded frees before Brennan scored his third placed ball to leave his team three in arrears.

Newport had just lost Conor Floyd to a second yellow card but they were the hungrier and they took over with Oran Connors converting a free, Pa Ryan’s point from play and Paul Hogan’s long range monster pushed Newport six clear and safe, despite conceding a last minute point to Mikey Connors, the Mulcaire were happy to have avoided back-to-back relegations. It would have been disastrous.

Drom & Inch will face Ballybacon/Grange in the relegation final.

Player of the Match: Cian Flanagan (Newport).

Newport: Paul Hogan (0-1, 7); Rob Houlihan (7), Sean O’Brien (7), Damien O’Brien (0-1, 7); Cian Flanagan (0-4, 8), Shane Flanagan (7), Aaron O’Neill (0-1, 6); Aidan Moloney (0-1, 6), Callum Poole (6); Oran Connors (0-3, 7), Conor Floyd (0-2, 6), Thomas Floyd (0-2, 6); Cillian Collins (0-2f, 6), Brian Tobin (6), Colin Floyd (1-4, 1-0 pen, 8).

Subs: Pa Ryan (0-2, 1’65, 7) for Collins (38); Lee Ryan (0-1, 6) for Tobin (46); Luke Kennedy (6) for S O’Brien (49 inj); Cillian Collins for Connors (HT ET); Callum Poole (6) for Moloney (7 ET).

Drom & Inch: Sean Dempsey (8); Conor O’Meara (6), Michael Purcell (7), Jim Bob Kennedy (7); Jack Ryan (7), Paul Bergin (0-3, 1f, 6), Diarmuid Brennan (0-3f, 6); Jamie Ryan (0-1, 6), Jamie Shanahan (6); Aidan O’Meara (0-3, 7), Oliver Barry (0-1, 6), Mikey Connors (0-6, 3f, 7); Liam Ryan (0-1, 6), Jack Costello (6), TJ Kinnane (6).

Subs: Brian Moore (6) for Barry (39), Enda Walsh (0-1, 6) for Shanahan (39), Colm Kinnane (6) for Costello (39); Jack Johnson (6) for A O’Meara (49); Jack Costello (6) for Kinnane (60); Jamie Shanahan (6) for Costello (ET).

Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers).