West and Heffernan inspire Nenagh past Drom
GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Nenagh Eire Og 1-20
Drom & Inch 1-12
Report: Noel Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Eire Og)
SCORERS - Nenagh Eire Og: Sam O’Farrell 0-9 (8 frees); Ben West 1-3; Jake Morris, Tommy Heffernan 0-2 each; Philip Hickey, James Mackey, Barry Heffernan, Mason Cawley
Drom & Inch: Seamus Callanan 0-6 frees; Paudie Kinane 1-0; Johnny Ryan 0-3; John Campion, Fintan Purcell, Podge Campion 0-1 each.
Nenagh Eire Og will renew acquaintances with defending champions Loughmore/Castleiney in the County Senior Hurling final on Sunday week following a comprehensive win over Drom & Inch in the last four clash on Sunday
The absence of Mikey Heffernan from the Nenagh attack with a shoulder problem was a major talking point beforehand – his loss would be felt when the ball was thrown in not just in terms of his scoring exploits but also his influence.
Sam O’Farrell stepped into the free-taking role and the Tipperary attacker had five from placed balls by the half-way mark as Nenagh Eire Og opened up a 0-12 to 0-5 interval lead. Eire Og had five names on the scoresheet by this point whereas Drom & Inch had just one score from play and that came from centre back Podge Campion – all of their other scores came from Seamie Callanan placed balls.
Nenagh certainly had the lions’ share of the possession in a first half they dominated. They opened with a Ben West (who started in place of the injured Michael Heffernan) score after just thirty seconds, and he was to go on to hit two more in the half as well to go along with the fine scores taken by Barry Heffernan, Mason Cawley, Sam O’Farrell and Philip Hickey.
The Nenagh lads showed real energy about the field and were seeing off the Drom attack with relative ease. From the defensive launchpad then, they were picking out their target men up-front and though Jake Morris failed to raise a flag in that half, he was showing flashes of danger – Drom were taking extra special care of him and this perhaps reduced the focus on others who were benefitting.
By the half-way mark, Nenagh were comfortable and probably of the view that sticking with the process would see them progress to the final. However, they also knew that Drom would come with a strong flurry in the second half as they had done throughout the campaign and being ready for that onslaught would be key to Nenagh’s victory.
Drom & Inch were also aware that their first half showing would not do, and they needed to up the ante if they were to get back into the game and make a shape for the final. In attack they were being snuffed out, and it was obvious that Nenagh were simply able to come by scores much easier.
The trend did not alter in the second half and once again it was Nenagh who dictated the tempo of the play. Jake Morris and James Hickey pointed for them to extend their advantage and though sub Johnny Ryan chipped in with one for Drom, Sam O’Farrell responded for Nenagh before the game-sealing score materialised.
The Nenagh Eire Og goal from Best West in the 40th minute came off a centre from Jake Morris and it ended the game as a contest – Drom had a twelve-point mountain to climb and despite they being regarded as a second half team, this was just too big a gap for them to overcome.
Mind you they had three scores in succession from Johnny Ryan, John Campion, and Seamie Callanan and could easily have had a goal in the 46th minute had a Lorcan Campion effort not blazed wide after a Seamie Callanan free had been beaten away. That would have reduced the lead to six and would have given them serious momentum.
But Nenagh instead saw a brace of fine scores from sub Tommy Heffernan with Morris, and Sam O’Farrell hitting two more from placed balls before the final whistle.
Credit Drom & Inch for their commitment to the cause, they fought bravely to the end and having managed points from Fintan Purcell, Callanan and Johnny Ryan, they had a 59th minute goal from sub Paudie Kinane to serve as some form of consolation on a day in which they were playing second fiddle at all times.
See full report and reaction in this Wednesday's Nenagh Guardian.
TEAMS - Nenagh Eire Og: Dermot McTiernan; Conor Hennessy, Mark Carey, Jake Donelan-Houlihan; Paddy Murphy, Barry Heffernan, Mason Cawley; Conor Ryan, James Mackey; Josh Keller, Jake Morris, Sam O’Farrell; Ben West, Philip Hickey, Adam Carey.
Subs: Tommy Heffernan for A Carey (37); Adam Healy for West (54); Adam Grattan for Donelan-Houlihan (60); Sean Phelan for Mackey (60).
Drom & Inch: Eoin Collins; Robbie Long, Fintan Purcell, Kevin Hassett, Mark Conroy, Podge Campion, Michael Campion, Lorcan Campion, Cormac Cahill, Eoghan Kennedy, David Collins, John Campion, Seamus Callanan, John Ryan, Cormac Fitzpatrick.
Subs: David Butler for Ryan (HT); Johnny Ryan for Cahill (HT); Paudie Kinnane for M Campion (41); Jamie Bergin for Fitzpatrick (59); Jack Lillis for Conroy (59).
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Newcastle).