Penalty shoot-out heartbreak for Shannon Rovers

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship Preliminary Quarter-Final

Arravale Rovers 0-33

Shannon Rovers 4-21

(After Extra Time, Arravale win 11-10 on penalties)

Report: James Hayden at St. Michael’s Park, Holycross

Arravale Rovers ousted North champions Shannon Rovers following a dramatic extra-time and penalty shoot-out victory in a drama-filled County Intermediate Hurling Championship preliminary quarter-final on Sunday.

Shannon Rovers bowed out following a game that ebbed and flowed throughout with both sides serving up over almost two hours of thoroughly entertaining fare.

The West side came into this clash off the back of a decent group stage campaign which saw them register victories over Carrick Davins and Newport.

Meanwhile Shannon Rovers, having suffered defeats to Golden-Kilfeacle and Kilsheelan-Kilcash in the group stages, ended up in third place but their North title victory affording them a second chance at progressing to the quarter-finals proper.

With a stiff cross-field breeze affording little assistance to either side, both teams started brightly with Eoghan Lonergan and Conal Moran opening their respective sides’ accounts.

Arravale pushed on and hit five without reply inside the opening six minutes with two from David Ryan and one apiece from Niall Sharpe, Sean O’Mahony and Orrie Jones (free).

Shannon Rovers eventually came to terms with Arravale’s nifty attack and responded with a well-struck Austin Tierney point in the eighth minute.

Full forward Eamonn Hough added another before midfielder Johnny Ryan replied for Arravale with a sweet long-range effort.

Shannon Rovers were causing problems for the Arravale rearguard though and it wasn’t long before Austin Tierney rattled the net with a cracking eleventh minute strike, the first of four cracking goals from the in-form corner-forward.

Conal Moran followed up with a levelling point to bring Shannon Rovers back upsides as the rip-roaring nature of the opening half continued unabated.

Successive points from Arravale corner-forward Cormac Maher mid-way through the half before efforts from Sean O’Mahoney (sideline) and Adam Ryan put four between the sides.

Shannon Rovers retorted with a well-flighted Conal Moran free before a searching Jack O’Sullivan delivery found Eamonn Hough who battled tigerishly to win possession before setting Austin Tierney up for Shannon Rovers’ second goal on 25 minutes.

Arravale almost responded with a goal after Johnny Ryan’s looping effort caught the top of the upright and dropped at the feet of the inrushing Ciaran Kelly who first-timed his effort but Vincent Mulvihill got down low to his left to deny him.

Both sides traded points before the break with Orrin Jones and Conal Moran arrowing over efforts from placed balls to ensure it remained all square at the break, 2-6 to 0-12.

Austin Tierney almost netted his third goal as Shannon Rovers raided early in the second half, but his effort blazed right and wide.

Sean O’Mahoney edged Arravale in front with his second sideline cut of the game before Shane Quigley and Cormac Maher exchanged points as the tit-for-tat nature of the game continued.

Conal Moran and Orrin Jones fired over three points each for placed balls as both sides battled ferociously for supremacy before Austin Tierney pounced again in the 38th minute for his hat-trick after George Hannigan’s low delivery skewed off Matthew Moroney’s hurley and straight into the path of the lurking Tierney, 3-9 to 0-18.

The final quarter proved just as dramatic with Arravale substitute Shane Leahy straight red-carded minutes after coming on following an altercation close to the stand sideline.

Both sides continued to pick off some fine scores with Sean O’Mahoney flighting over his third sideline cut of the game with five minutes remaining.

Orrin Jones looked to have secured a winner for the West side with a 61st minute close-range free but Shannon Rovers responded with a late last gasp Conal Moran free after George Hannigan was pulled to the ground to send the tie to extra-time, 3-15 to 0-24.

The first period of extra-time failed to separate the sides with Arravale racing three clear before Austin Tierney netted his fourth goal to bring Shannon Rovers level once more. Jones and Moran exchanged frees late on to see the sides all square at the change of ends, 4-14 to 0-28.

Arravale edged two clear again in the second period only for John Tierney’s charges to peg them back once more with a free and 65’ from the captain, Conal Moran sending the tie to penalties.

Both sides were still level after two rounds of penalties having missed just two penalties each before the unlucky John O’Meara saw his effort well saved by Paddy O’Donnell in the Arravale goal to ensure the West men progressed, 11-10, to a quarter final meeting with Golden-Kilfeacle.

Impressive for Shannon Rovers were Austin Tierney, Alan Hannigan, Eamonn Hough, George Hannigan, Conal Moran and Marcus Esmonde while Orrin Jones, Cormac Maher, Sean O’Mahoney, Johnny Ryan, David Ryan and Adam Ryan were very much to the for Arravale Rovers.

Player of the Match: Orrin Jones (Arravale Rovers)

Arravale Rovers: Paddy O’Donnell (7); Raymond Kelly (7), Matthew Moroney (7), Peter Ryan (7); David Ryan (0-3, 8), Darren Lowry (7), John Paul Lohan (7); Johnny Ryan (0-2, 7), Niall Sharpe (0-1, 7); Orrin Jones (0-17, 14f, 1 65’, 8), Eoghan Lonergan (7); Sean O’Mahoney (0-4, 3 s-cuts, 8); Cormac Maher (0-3, 7), Adam Ryan (0-3, 8), Ciaran Kelly (7).

Subs: Shane Leahy (NR) for C Kelly (49); Donough Leahy (6) for Lowry (57); Tommy Lowry (6) for R Kelly (60+1); Shane Maher (6) for O’Mahoney (60+3); Sean O’Mahoney for C Maher (ET); Eoin Doocey (NR) for Lohan (ET).

Shannon Rovers: Vincent Mulvihill (7); Oisin McMahon (7), Alan Hannigan (7), Jack O’Sullivan (7); Derek Horan (7), George Hannigan (8), Matt Tierney (7); Marcus Esmonde (0-2, 7), Cathal Hogan (7); John O’Meara (7), Conal Moran (0-14, 9f, 2 65’s, 8), Michael Tierney (0-1, 7); Austin Tierney (4-1, 8), Eamonn Hough (0-1, 7), Andy Byrne (0-1, 7).

Subs: Emmet Moran (0-1, 7) for Michael Tierney (30); Michael Tierney for Horan (42); Sean Haugh (7) for Byrne (49); Andy Byrne for Haugh (ET).

Referee: John Butler (Upperchurch/Drombane).