Strong second half powers Burgess to North U15 Hurling glory

GAA: North Tipperary Coiste na nOg Under 15 ‘B’ Hurling Final

Burgess 1-15

Lorrha Rovers 1-7

Report: Joe Scully at St Cronan’s Park, Roscrea

Burgess are North Tipperary Under 15 ‘B’ Hurling champions after producing a commanding second-half performance where they outscored Lorrha Rovers 1-11 to 0-3 having trailed by three points at the break in Saturday’s final.

A superb performance from corner forward Oisin Hogan who scored thirteen points, eleven from placed balls was the basis for the victory.

Lorrha Rovers will rue the fact that they only led by three points at the break, having played with the advantage of a strong breeze in the opening half, and struggled to contain a free-flowing Burgess outfit in the second half.

Both teams deserve massive credit for the effort put in over the hour, and the fight and commitment shown throughout was of the highest order, with every score hard to come by, and the work-rate of both sides was tremendous.

In a low-scoring first half, it was Lorrha Rovers who opened the scoring in the third minute through a fine effort from Conor O’Donghue, and they added to their lead a minute later when Cathal Lambe pointed.

Burgess started to slowly come into the game and were level by the 11th minute through two frees from Oisin Hogan.

A minute later and Lorrha Rovers had the ball in the back of the Burgess net when a long ball in by James Duggan was doubled on in the air by Darragh Kennedy ahead of the onrushing David Mulcahy in goal.

Oisin Hogan responded with another free for Burgess in the 16th minute, and the same player pointed again ten minutes later to reduce the gap to just a point.

Lorrha Rovers finished the half the stronger and a hit the last two scores, first from Conor O’Donoghue with a fine finish and then a free from Michael Quinn as they led at the break, 1-4 to 0-4.

Oisin Hogan had the gap reduced after just 28 seconds of the second half with another free, before corner forward Tommy Ryan had Burgess ahead in the 33rd minute with a ground strike to the back of the net from close range, following a ball in from Kaden Fogarty.

Hogan added another from a placed ball a before Lorrha Rovers opened their account in the second half in the eighth minute through a 65 from Darragh Kennedy.

Oisin Hogan added another, this time from play, before Lorrha’s Mchael Quinn responded with a free in the 42nd minute to leave the score 1-7 to 1-6 to Burgess.

Burgess would then up the tempo and started to open up a lead by hitting five scores in a row, with Hogan converting two frees, before a superb score from Ben Madden, and then another fine score from Tom Cahalan, before Hogan added another from play not long after Lorrha had seen a penalty from Michael Donoghue saved brilliantly by David Mulcahy in the Burgess goal.

Michael Quinn added a free for Lorrha, but Burgess saw out the game comfortably with three more frees from Oisin Hogan to be crowned champions to add to the football title won earlier in the season.

Player of the Match: Oisin Hogan (Burgess),

Burgess: David Mulcahy, Sean Purcell, Eoin Hogan, Tom Cahalan (0-1), Harry Hoare, Luke Slattery, Michael Grey, Kaden Fogarty, Girvan Mooney, Dillon Darcy, Jack Comerford, Shane O’Donoghue, Tommy Ryan (1-0), Ben Madden (0-1), Oisin Hogan (0-13, 11f).

Subs: Tony Seymour for O’Donoghue (HT), Aaron Philpott for Darcy (60+2).

Lorrha Rovers: John Kelly, Paddy Hogan, Nathan Young, Oscar Morin Gradwell, David Kennedy, Michael Donoghue (0-1 65), Colin Coughlan, Cathal Lambe (0-1), Lee Mannion, Conall Gantley, Darragh Kennedy (1-0), Michael O’Meara, James Duggan, Conor O’Donoghue (0-2), Michael Quinn (0-3f).

Subs: Gwilym Tooher for Coughlan (45); Eddie Quinn for Duggan (51); Jack Cahalan for Gantley (57), Odhran Madden Crowe for M Quinn (57); Marty Guest for O’Meara (60).

Referee: Alan Graham (Roscrea).