Late goals key to Kilruane's North U21 success success

GAA: North Tipperary Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling Final

Kilruane MacDonaghs 3-13

Burgess 2-11

Report: Liam Hogan at the University of Limerick

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Michael Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs).

SCORERS – Kilruane MacDonaghs: Michael Cleary 0-8 (5 frees); Tommy O’Meara 1-1; Brian O’Meara 0-3; Cillian Healy, Cian Moyles 1-0 each; Shane Cleary 0-1.

Burgess: David Nealon 1-8 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘65); Joe O’Dwyer 1-1; Paul Cahalan 0-2.

Kilruane MacDonaghs won their second North Tipperary Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling title when defeating holders Burgess in an entertaining if error-strewn contest played on the all-weather pitch at the University of Limerick North Campus on Sunday evening.

Played in a slight mist all through, which made control difficult as both teams tried playing the short passing game which is difficult enough in warmer climes not to mind a wet winters night.

Tommy O’Meara’s sixtieth-minute goal sealed the win after Kilruane had regained the lead thanks to a splendid Cian Moyles goal eight minutes earlier.

Kilruane needed both three pointers as Burgess had dominated the middle third of the game, holding Kilruane scoreless between the 27th & 45th minutes while scoring 1-4 to take a two point lead, 2-8 to 1-9.

Kilruane’s success was their first since winning their 12th North U21 ‘A’ title in 2013 while bridging a gap of 32 years when they won one and only U21 ‘B’ title.

They entered the game as favourites and the opening bouts saw Kilruane, helped by the breeze, find the target with ease as Michael Cleary scored four points, three from play, as the left wing forward looked a class apart after centre forward Brian O’Meara had the opening point.

David Nealon had scored the opening point for Burgess in the fifth minute and their next came six minutes later through Paul Cahalan before Cleary restored Kilruane’s four point lead for the second time.

Then the tempo increased significantly. Helped by the increased workrate of Johnny Grace at six and Kieran Grace at eight, Burgess came more into the game and turning defence into attack it was David Nealon who turned his defender on the twenty-metre line before firing a low ball past Tom Austin in the Kilruane goal. Nealon added a free to level by the 16th minute.

Kilruane regained the lead with points by Tommy O’Meara and Michael Cleary but Joe O’Dwyer narrowed the gap with a well-taken point in the 24th minute.

Another Brian O’Meara point doubled Kilruane’s lead and they enjoyed a stroke of luck as their lead increased to five when Cillian Healy’s effort for a point from halfway dropped short and the bounce deceived Oisin Tucker in the Burgess goal.

However, Burgess were not for going away and as play had entered additional time, Joe O’Dwyer scored their second goal, quickly followed by a Nealon 65 with the teams heading towards the dressing rooms with Kilruane leading 1-9 to 2-5.

On the restart, Burgess were level after David Nealon’s free bisected the posts. Kilruane responded only to see Brian O’Meara’s low shot screamed inches past the post before two more Nealon frees had Burgess two in front, the second after he was fouled on route to goal, with a goal very much likely if unchecked.

Sensing trouble, Kilruane made two substitutions with Michael Hennelly and Fiachradh Ahearne Woods entering the fray, while also switching Tommy O’Meara from left wing back to the attack. From there, Kilruane regained parity thanks to points by Michael Cleary (free) and Brian O’Meara from play.

Paul Cahalan responded with his second point to give Burges the lead once more in the 45th minute. Burgess might have further ahead had the usually accurate David Nealon failed with two scorable frees with the swirling breeze proving difficult.

Fiachradh Ahearne Woods was just off target at the other end before Michael Cleary levelled with a free in the 48th minute, 2-9 to 1-12, but Burgess were back in front after Nealon made no mistake with another free.

Then the game turned. Cian Moyles, also moved from wing back to the attack, found himself unmarked and produced a thundering shot from 35 metres past Oisin Tucker for a Kilruane goal.

Another Michael Cleary free moved Kilruane three in front with his eighth point with four minutes remaining. David Nealon replied in similar fashion.

Cleary was just off target with his next attempt before the game was finally settled when Tommy O’Meara escaped the Burgess cover to score Kilruane’s third goal.

Three minutes of added time followed but Burgess were unable to cut the deficit as Kilruane MacDonaghs were champions and march onto a county semi-final against Fethard next Saturday.

Best for Kilruane MacDonaghs were Shane Cleary at centre back, in front of an improving Kilruane defence with Cormac Kennedy, Eamon Coonan, and Paul Molloy taking time to close down a threatening Burgess attack. Michael Cleary was the pick of the forward line closely followed by Brian O’Meara and the hard working Jack Mulcahy.

Aidan O’Dwyer and Johnny Grace were best in the spine of a hard working defence for Burgess with Liam Grace catching the eye at corner back. Conor Cooney and Kieran Grace won the midfield battle while much depended on David Nealon and Joe O’Dwyer to lead the charge up front but the attack seemed to have run out of ideas in the second half.

TEAMS - Kilruane MacDonaghs: Tom Austin (6); Cormac Kennedy (7), Eamon Coonan (7), Paul Molloy (7); Cian Molloy (6), Shane Cleary (7), Tommy O’Meara (7); Cathal England (6), Cillian Healy (6); Eoin Carroll (Capt 6), Brian O’Meara (7), Michael Cleary (7); Charlie Kennedy (6), Jack Mulcahy (7), Sean Hayes (6).

Subs: Michael Hennelly (7) for Healy (39); Fiachradh Ahearne Woods (7) for Hayes (39).

Burgess: Oisin Tucker (J-Capt 6); Conor Grace (7), Aidan O’Dwyer (J-Capt 7), Liam Grace (7); Diarmuid O’Donoghue (6), Johnny Grace (7), Thomas Ryan (6); Kieran Grace (7), Conor Cooney (7); Keith O’Donoghue (6), Michael Ryan (6), Jack Sullivan (6); David Nealon (7), Paul Cahalan (6), Joe O’Dwyer (6).

Sub: Luke Power (NR) for M Ryan (58).

Referee: Mark Gennery (Portroe).