Roscrea rally sends Lorrha into last chance saloon

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Relegation Semi-Final

Roscrea 1-21

Lorrha 1-18

Report: Liam Hogan at MacDonagh Park, Cloughjordan

Five unanswered points between the 50th & 57th minutes were key to Roscrea’s come from behind victory over Lorrha in an exciting County Senior Hurling Relegation semi-final on Saturday.

The frantic finish completed an improved second half performance for the winners who trailed by four points at half time but were boosted by an Alan Tynan goal nine seconds into the second half.

As the half continued the comeback materialised bit by bit as they reeled in Lorrha by picking off points from various angles and distances with the Tipp All-Ireland winner finishing top scorer on 1-5 by hours end.

In fairness, Lorrha never stopped trying. They played well in the first half but the second was a disappointment in that they failed to score from play, depending on free-taker Colm Fogarty to score all of their six points from placed balls.

As well as in scoring, Alan Tynan was Roscrea’s chief man as he popped up in all areas of the field. His brother Darragh was a free ranging centre back and had more to offer as he scored two points from play. Conor Sheedy added a point from a free but he played a key role as sweeper while wing back Michael Campion also scored on a half backline that grew in confidence in curtailing the Lorrha half forward line of Niall McIntyre, Cian Hogan and Colm Fogarty.

Dan Ryan led the way at midfield with a prominent display giving plenty supply to a full forward line of Evan Fitzpatrick, Conor Dooley and Jason Gilmartin who combined to score six points from play.

Lorrha will have to do it all over again as they face Mullinahone in the relegation final in two weeks time.

Nobody couldn’t ask any more of their defence where Ciaran Haugh rolled back the years at wing back with a great display while Lee Hogan, Tom Duggan, and Michael Dolan did not go missing in front of goalkeeper Michael Kennedy who produced one very good save early in the first half.

Play ebbed and flowed from end to end in the opening sixteen minutes as scores were level four times. Points by Donnacha Meara and Cian Hogan had Lorrha in front but Roscrea were level by the ninth after Jason Gilmartin and wing back Michael Campion were each on target.

Over the next five minutes, Lorrha would twice take the lead through Niall McIntyre and Fogarty (free) only to see Jason Gilmartin and Conor Dooley take turns in grabbing an equaliser.

Evan Fitzpatrick gave Roscrea the lead for the first time on the quarter hour but Colm Fogarty quickly equalised seconds before Lorrha finally found a gap in the Roscrea defence to see Conor Kennedy find the back of the net after good build-up play by Patrick Maher and Eoin McIntyre.

The next ten minutes saw nine scores shared by the teams each taking every second turn in moving the umpires into action with Roscrea claiming the lion’s share thanks to the stick work of Shane Fletcher two (1 free) along with Darragh Tynan, Alan Tynan, and Evan Fitzpatrick while Niall McIntyre, Ciaran Haugh and Conor Kennedy each from play with Michael Dolan adding a long range free which had Lorrha leading by two.

The fast scoring rate continued at pace as Evan Fitzpatrick and Eoin McIntyre swapped points before Lorrha lead increased to four after Colm Fogarty landed an eighty metre free on the half hour.

It didn’t finish there as Alan Tynan’s response was from half-way, his second such score but an equally brilliant point by Donnacha O’Meara had the lead back out to four as the teams went to the dressing room on a Lorrha lead of 1-12 to 0-11.

Roscrea won possession from the throw in with Dan Ryan going on a surging run and having cut the Lorrha defence in two, Alan Tynan’s off the shoulder run earned him the chance to bury the ball in Michael Kennedy’s net. It took all of nine seconds to complete the move.

However, two Colm Fogarty’s frees within three minutes had Lorrha three in front before Roscrea had the margin back to one after Kenny Lee replied from play ably assisted by a ninety metre free by Conor Sheedy in the 35th minute.

After Colm Fogarty had extended the Lorrha lead to two, the quick score for score pattern began to dry up as it was the 43rd minute before Shane Fletcher had the game’s next, a converted free, leaving Alan Tynan to level four minutes later.

The game remained in the balance as Colm Fogarty’s next free had Lorrha in front but Roscrea were back level thanks to a brilliant point by Darragh Tynan from half way, under the covered the stand.

Another Lorrha attack was quelled by a close marking Roscrea defence and turning defence to attack, they raced down field with Dan Ryan’s great run ending in a well-taken point by the midfielder.

The score inspired Roscrea and over the next eight minutes they hit a run of four more unanswered points through Shane Fletcher (2, 1 free), Alan Tynan, and Conor Dooley who caught a long Enda Moloney delivery to see Roscrea five in front as the game entered the closing three minutes.

Roscrea still faced a determined Lorrha attack once more and injury time pointed frees by Colm Fogarty brought them within three but after 64 minutes of action referee Ciaran O’Donovan blew full time and Roscrea could look forward to action in senior hurling next year while Lorrha have one last chance to do so.

Player of the Match: Alan Tynan (Roscrea)

Roscrea: Enda Moloney (7); Aidan Booth (7), Shane Davis (7), Luke Seacy (6); Michael Campion 0-1 (7), Darragh Tynan (0-2, 8), Conor Sheedy (0-1f, 8); Alan Tynan (1-4, 8); Dan Ryan (0-1, 8); Leigh Loughnane (6), Shane Fletcher (0-5, 4f, 7), Kenny Lee (0-1, 7); Evan Fitzpatrick (0-2, 7), Conor Dooley (0-2, 7), Jason Gilmartin (0-2, 7).

Subs: Conor Phelan (6) for Loughnane (HT); Conor Booth (6) for Seacy (33); Luke Cashin (6) for Gilmartin (45); Sam Dooley (6) for Lee (55).

Lorrha: Michael Kennedy (7); Lee Hogan (7), Conor Hogan (7), Tom Duggan (7); Ciaran Haugh 0-1 (8), Michael Dolan (0-1f, 7), Brendan Fogarty (7); Eoin McIntyre (0-1, 7), Colm Fogarty (0-9f, 8); Niall McIntyre (0-2, 7), Cian Hogan (0-1, 6), Christopher Fogarty (6); Donnacha O’Meara (0-2, 7), Patrick Maher (6), Conor Kennedy (1-1, 6).

Subs: Alan O’Meara (6) for O’Meara (49); David Fogarty (6) for Cian Hogan (52); Oisin Guinan (6) for N McIntyre (53).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess).