5-star Harps end wait for Premier title

SOCCER: North Tipperary & District League Premier Division Title Playoff

BT Harps 5

Borrisokane 0

Report: Gary Culbert at Borrisokane Sportsground

Photos: Odhran Ducie

It was a long time coming but it was worth the wait as on Saturday evening at a sunny Borrisokane, an utterly dominant display saw BT Harps bridge a 23-year gap to win the North Tipperary & District League premier division title in emphatic fashion, steamrolling rivals Moneygall in the playoff.

All the hurt and anguish from those barren years was bottled up by the Templemore side and was released in an explosive opening to the game, as Eanna McBride led the way in ruthlessly but professionally dismantling Moneygall.

In truth, there could have been any opposition on the field against Harps on Saturday and the outcome would have been the same. Having come so close last season to Killavilla United, this was simply their time and nobody was going to stand in their way.

Once they struck the first goal inside twelve minutes, the large crowd in attendance knew that it was going to be a long day for Moneygall.

After some creative link-up play by young Cormac Foy, Brian Mitchell was released down the left side of the area before crossing for Ben Stapleton, who arrived like a train to emphatically get the onslaught started with a fine headed goal from close range.

Having had his fair share of injuries to deal with over the years, Stapleton could not believe his bad luck when he landed awkwardly after scoring. As he reeled around in audible agony, his father, Larry, who was part of the last Blackcastle United team to lift the NT&DL Premier Division title, was called away from his post as club cameraman to tend to the aid of his son.

Huge credit must go to David Longe, who was in attendance as a Moneygall supporter to cheer on his son Conor. An advanced paramedic, he ran the length of the field to help the ailing Stapleton in his time of need and was ultimately replaced by young Ryan Loughnane.

Eanna McBride was untouchable during Harps’ rampant start, a purple period of total football which lasted for the opening quarter of an hour. Moneygall manager Billy Hayes responded by moving the tenacious Dylan Maher into midfield, a change which brought with it a period of stability for the Offaly men, albeit without producing a meaningful shot on goal for the newly promoted side.

Bill Collier, Cormac Foy, and Sean Purcell impressed for Harps in an all-round excellent team performance in the first half. The halftime whistle was a welcome relief for Moneygall; delighted to get in only a goal down.

The second half started in the worst possible way for Moneygall as Cormac Foy won a penalty following a corner kick. Eanna McBride rifled it high into the net to effectively put the game beyond reach.

It was 3-0 on 75 minutes when sub Ryan Loughnane released fellow substitute Jack Johnson with a fine ball over the top. The finish the tricky attacking midfielder produced was symbolic of the Harps performance as a whole – confident; effortlessly dinking the ball over the onrushing keeper to hammer home the fact that Harps are back.

Substitute Cain Russell made it 4-0 when he converted a cross from substitute Jamie Bergin with ten minutes remaining. The provider turned scorer to put an exclamation mark on the result just before the final whistle, Bergin making no mistake with Harps’ second penalty.

The difference in the depth of squad between a town and village team must not be understated. Moneygall made just two subs, whilst Harps made five - four of which were directly involved in goals.

Furthermore, the period of inactivity from Moneygall in the lead-up to the game did not help their prospects, especially considering the fact that Harps were playing tough games week-in week-out.

But take nothing away from BT Harps. Due to circumstances that are now be forgotten to history, they were made to win this title the hard way, deservedly defeating both of their nearest rivals in their final two games.

This title is about many individuals who came together to create something special. Henry Newman and Mark Fennell will step away from the team following three transformative years in charge. Whilst it is only the beginning for impressive young coach Johnny Coleman, who has been instrumental in both signing new players and improving the current crop in this deep and impressive Harps squad.

However, the influence of skipper Sean Paddy Guerins cannot be highlighted enough. Henry Newman rightly says that Guerins “could be playing at any junior club in the country”, this writer would go a step further and say that the 31-year-old would not look one bit out of place if he were to make a return to the League of Ireland.

In his trophy acceptance speech, Guerins made reference to three people who are likely looking down, “proud as punch”, on this current crop of BT Harps history makers: Michael Fennell, William Fennell, and David Coleman.

Michael ‘Migger’ Fennell is the late brother of assistant manager Mark Fennell. Before his death in 2009, aged 37, he was the driving force of schoolboy’s soccer in Templemore and a proponent of the amalgamation between Blackcastle United and Templemore FC. BT Harps’ ground in Templemore is named Michael Fennell Park in his honour. It was Mark & Michael’s father, the late William ‘Billy’ Fennell, that drove the amalgamation forward after his son passed away.

David ‘Ginny’ Coleman is the late brother of current head coach, Johnny Coleman. David played junior football for Blackcastle all his career, and, in later years was involved with the management of the Blackcastle men’s team. Less than a month shy of the one-year anniversary of his brother’s death, Johnny Coleman had a massive part to play in Blackcastle/Templemore Harps finally ending a 23-year wait to bring the Premier home, and potentially signalling the start of a period of unprecedented dominance from BT Harps in the NT&DL.

Player of the Match: Sean Paddy Guerins (BT Harps)

BT Harps: Kuba Beben; Lyndon Fairbrother, Jack Kennedy, Sean Paddy Guerins (Capt), Sean Purcell; Dean Lawlor, Bill Collier, Cormac Foy; Brian Mitchell, Eanna McBride, Ben Stapleton.

Subs: Ryan Loughnane for Stapleton (12 inj); Rhys Loughnane for Fairbrother (60); Jack Johnson for Mitchell (70); Cain Russell for Purcell (70); Jamie Bergin for McBride (80).

Moneygall: Julian Bentancourt; Cameron Fleming, Dylan Hogan, Cian McLoughlin, Dylan McCormack; Dylan Maher, Paul Costello (Capt), Jack O’Brien; Sean Moroney, Niall Maher, Conor Longe.

Subs: Gearoid Larkin for Moroney (45); Tom Sheedy for Longe (55).

Referee: TP Sullivan.