Classy Condon and Newcastle downs Borrisokane

GAA: Tipperary Coiste na nOg Under 15 ‘C’ Hurling – Division 1 Final

Newcastle 3-15

Borrisokane 2-8

Report: Mark Dunne at Kickham Park, Dundrum

A commanding second half performance from Newcastle propelled them to County honours in the Under 15 ‘C’ Hurling Division 1 final on Sunday.

Played in idyllic conditions for hurling, this final provided Gaels with plenty to cheer about over the sixty minutes. The South side were quickest out of the traps and raced into a two point lead with scores courtesy of Dáithí Goonan and joint captain Conall Condon.

Borrisokane did settle with Fionn Brennan pointing to reduce the gap. A further two points from Newcastle edged the contest in their favour again Goonan & Condon the providers.

The score of the half though came in the tenth minute, a dangerous ball into the Borrisokane attack saw Conor Meagher control the ball beautifully on the hurley and pointed. Joint-captain Hugo Massey scored a big free to reduce the gap to one moments later.

There good work though was quickly undone, a long ball into the Newcastle attack saw Cathán Fitzgerald dispossess the Borrisokane goalkeeper and tap to the net for a big score.

They followed this up with a Goonan free to put five points between the sides. Fionn Brennan clawed one back for the North side before Newcastle once again took control.

Three unanswered points once again from Goonan and Condon (2) pushed the black & amber further in front in the 30th minute.

There was still time though for one more play and it came the way of Borrisokane. Johnny Quinn picked the ball on the 45 and took on the Newcastle defence, rifling a shot past Hackett to reduce the gap to four at the break. A much needed score for Borrisokane.

The restart saw Newcastle start similar to the first. Condon pointed directly from the throw in before Borrisokane had a wonderful chance of a second goal but half time substitute Sabelo Mavuso put his shot narrowly wide.

This though was rubberstamped as Dáithí Goonan saw his lineball travel all the way to the Borrisokane net. Goonan pointed moments later to change the complexion of the game. Adrian Egan pointed for the green and white on 36 minutes to leave the score 2-10 to 1-5 in favour of Newcastle.

The sides traded scores over the next eight minutes before Borrisokane were dealt a massive blow to their title contentions when Aaron Slevin saw red on the 47th minute.

Goonan pointed from the resultant free to put ten points between the teams. The game began to heat up on all fronts over the remaining minutes. Johnny Quinn did pull one back for his side with his free going all the way to the back of the Newcastle net, 2-8 to 2-15.

There was still time though for one last attack and Elliot Dalton found himself in the best position to put the ball into the back of the net for Newcastle to seal a deserved victory.

Player of the Match: Conall Condon (Newcastle).

Newcastle: Callum Hackett; Ethan Collins, Dara O’Loughlin, Faolán Fitzgerald, Sam Cullinan, James Williams, Joshua Kiely, Dáithí Goonan (1-6, 0-4f), Sam McDonnell, Oisín Harris, Conall Condon (0-9), Rua O’Dwyer, Adam Prendergast, Cathán Fitzgerald (1-0), Elliot Dalton (1-0).

Borrisokane: Liam Blake; Conor Meagher (0-1), Hugo Massey (0-1f), Luke Donnelly; Maitiú O’Gara, Bill Torpey, Aaron Slevin; Adrian Egan (0-1), Eanna Larkin (0-1); Paraic Meagher, Johnny Quinn (2-1), Oisín Scanlon; Fionn Brennan (0-3, 2f), Evan Connolly, Eoghan Donnelly.

Subs: Rian Kelly, Sabelo Mavuso, Eamon O’Brien, Adam O’Dwyer, Robert Platt.

Referee: David Grogan (Aherlow).