Toome defy odds to ease to County Under 15 ‘A’ Hurling title

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

Toomevara 5-14

Moycarkey/Borris 0-8

Report: Mark Dunne at Pairc Shilean, Templemore

North champions Toomevara proved too strong for their Mid counterparts in the County Under 15 ‘A’ Hurling Final on Saturday.

Both sides came to the final on merit, Moycarkey/Borris seeing off South champions Mullinahone on route while Toome got the better of Cashel King Cormacs in their semi-final.

Played in typical October conditions, Toome played with the aid of a strong breeze and were first on the board inside thirty seconds, Evan Grace the provider. Moycarkey danger man Adam Rice got his first score on the contest, a placed ball inside three minutes.

Rice doubled the advantage moments later before Toomevara were dealt a massive blow. Referee Declan Hickey showing a straight red card to Matthew Bergin in the tenth minute.

This, as we have seen so many times in the past, spurred on the greyhounds with Delaney pointing a free before the games opening goal. A serious run from KJ Dunne saw him shoot passed Rogers and send his side three to the good.

Dunne continued to be a thorn in the Moycarkey side, and he extended the lead with a good score from distance. Delaney was accurate from frees also and notched another on eighteen minutes.

Moycarkey, a man to the good looked to get a foothold in the encounter, Adam Rice the danger target inside the 21. The aforementioned Rice did pull one back for the Mid champions but Toomevara were finding their scores much easier the next three all going their way with two from Dunne and another placed ball for Delaney with five left in the half.

Moycarkey, to their credit, battled hard and that danger man Rice found himself on the back of three wonderful goal chances, the best just before the break but Toome with Donnacha Kelly in the net stood firm. Dunne and Rice traded scores to send Toome in at the break 1-8 to 0-4 in the lead.

With the breeze now at the Mid champions backs, many thought they would kick and narrow the gap but it was Toome who started the brightest. Two quick scores from Delaney in as many minutes pushed out their lead.

They greyhounds looked hungrier all across the field and this made any challenge from the Moycarkey contingent difficult. Rice and Sheehan to their credit knocked over two fine scores to reduce the gap to seven.

Charlie Cummins got in on the scoring action with a fine point on forty minutes before decisive two-minute spell for the Greyhounds ended the game as a contest. KJ Dunne with his trademark run from 45, cut through the Moycarkey defence and rattled the net with a great goal.

This was followed moments later with another green flag, this time corner forward Colm O’Brien taking on the Moycarkey rearguard and a little flick over Rodgers put fourteen points between the sides.

Adam Rice once again was accurate from placed balls and pulled one back before Charlie Cummins rattled the net once more. Delaney was the provider to Cummins who snapped the ball from the air and put the ball once again in the Moycarkey net.

With eight minutes remaining the game as a contest fizzled out. Both sides traded scores, Delaney and Duff for Toome with Eoin Clancy from Moycarkey also raising a white flag.

Referee Declan Hickey had to reach for his second red card moments before the end with Moycarkey/Borris’ MJ O’Mahoney receiving his marching orders.

Toomevara though weren’t finished with the scoring and Colm O’Brien rattled the net for the fifth time on the 60th minute. Grace knocked over the final score of the contest with Toomevara getting their hands back on the U15 ‘A’ trophy their first since 2002.

While the game as a contest did fizzle out in the second half credit to both sides on some brilliant passages off play. Toomevara proved a well-rounded and balanced outfit with KJ Dunne, Jayden Delaney and captain James Mounsey all putting in big shifts.

For Moycarkey/Borris, while they will be disappointed with the manner of the defeat, they can be extremely proud of their efforts. Reaching a county final is no mean feat and they can take serious positives from the year as a whole. The early red card for Toomevara as we have seen at all grades did inject a new lease into the North Tipp side and they made the most advantage of it.

Player of the Match: KJ Dunne (Toomevara)

Toomevara: Donnacha Kelly, Robert Powell, James Mounsey, Micheal Fitzpatrick, Dara Wyles, Callum Ryan, Matthew Bergin, KJ Dunne (2-4), Oliver Duff (0-1), Dan Daly, Jayden Delaney (0-6, 4f), Evan Grace (0-2), Colm O’Brien (2-0), Aidan O’Gorman, Charlie Cummins (1-1).

Sub: Theo Dunne for Mounsey.

Moycarkey/Borris: Jayden Rogers, Sam Coughlan, Ruairi King, James Patterson, Dylan Butler, Evan O’Dwyer, Jack Butler, Evan Ned Commins, Aidan Russell, Michael Russell, MJ O’Mahoney, Eoin Clancy (0-1), Adam Rice (0-6, 4f), Tommy Rice, Sean Sheehan (0-1).

Subs: Jack Flanagan for Russell, Kieran Maher for Coughlan, Conn O’Dwyer for T Rice, Ciaran Darmody for King.

Referee: Declan Hickey (Skeheenarinky).