Morris double blast inspires Nenagh past Toome

GAA: Munster Solar North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Nenagh Éire Óg 2-23

Toomevara 2-18

Report: James Hayden at Dolla

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og)

SCORERS – Nenagh Eire Og: Sam O’Farrell 0-8 (4 frees); Jake Morris 2-2; Conor Ryan, Tommy Heffernan, Josh Keller 0-3 each; Filip McIntyre 0-2; Ben West, Billy O’Brien 0-1 each

Toomevara: Darragh McCarthy 1-9 (0-8 frees); Kevin McCarthy 0-5; Adam Hall 1-1; Jack Ryan, Robbie Quirke, Patrick Hackett 0-1 each.

Nenagh Eire Og had all the answers to see off rivals Toomevara to book their spot in the North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals following an absorbing quarter-final on a sun-soaked Sunday’s summers evening.

Toomevara, with manager Liam O’Kelly and coach Damen O’Halloran now at the helm, went into this encounter following a disappointing league campaign while Nenagh’s form was arguably the better.

The 'Greyhounds' were forced to plan without the services of Jake Ryan and Joshua Powell who have gone travelling this year but county U-20 players Austin Duff and Jake & Patrick Hackett have stepped into the breach.

Nenagh, embarking on a quest for their twelfth North crown, fielded a side bristling with a potent blend of youth and experience with the introduction of substitute, Billy O’Brien after a long lay-off with injury providing a huge boost to the ‘Blues’ late on.

There was little to separate the sides throughout with Nenagh left rueing nine first half wides, a number of which were from decent scorable positions. Toome’ were not without their wides either and had they taken these the opportunities they could have been far closer to High Maloney’s charges at the finish.

With the mercury hitting the mid-20’s, ‘hydration breaks’ effectively cut the game into four quarters and served to break up the flow and momentum, particularly in the opening half when Toomevara had just built up a head of steam after a slightly sluggish start.

Éire Óg hit the ground running and led 0-3 to 0-1 after five minutes with Filip McIntyre, Jake Morris, and Sam O’Farrell on target while Darragh McCarthy opened Toome’s account with a second minute free. A second free from the 2025 'Young Hurler of the Year' after Barry Heffernan was pinged for a thrown hand-pass narrowed the deficit before Toomevara goalkeeper Rory Brislane pulled off a point-blank save from Tommy Heffernan.

Ben West and Adam Hall traded points before Darragh McCarthy and Nenagh midfielder Conor Ryan added further points to their respective side’s tallies.

Toome’ were growing in confidence and despite Nenagh dominating in the possession stakes, a scintillating Adam Hall strike on fifteen minutes served to propel the ‘Greyhounds’ into a 1-4 to 0-5 lead before the first-half water break.

Within seconds of the re-start, Nenagh had a goal, a sublime one-handed strike from captain Jake Morris. Less than a minute later, Morris again raided and arrowed over a sweetly struck point.

Darragh McCarthy retorted with a well-struck free but two points from Sam O’Farrell and Tommy Heffernan put three between the sides on twenty minutes.

Nenagh continued to work the ball around well while Toome’ were focused on getting the ball quickly into their inside-forward line. Conor Ryan fired over his second point on 24 minutes before Jack Ryan responded with a booming effort from way the field.

Éire Óg worked hard to keep Toome’ at bay and a further Tommy Heffernan point deep in time added on ensured last year’s county runners-up led by four at the break, 1-12 to 1-8.

Toome’ ntroduced Patrick Hackett for Austin Duff at the break in a bid to strengthen matters at midfield while the introduction of the experienced duo Barry O’Connell and Colm Canning mid-way through the second period served to provide stability to the side.

Josh Keller had an outstanding second half for the ‘Blues’ and his strong running culminated in a well-taken 35th minute point to stretch his side’s advantage to five.

Robbie Quirke responded for Toome’ before two wides on the bounce from placed balls served to hamper their ambitions. A 39th minute Sam O’Farrell point opened the gap to five once more before Kevin McCarthy replied with his third of five from play.

Nenagh were very much in the ascendancy and an O’Farrell brace extended their lead to six but Toome’ responded well with back-to back efforts from Kevin McCarthy and a Darragh McCarthy (free) bringing the men in green & gold back to within three.

Toome’ were hit with a sucker punch just before the second water-break when Jake Morris seized upon Conor Ryan’s long delivery and rifled the sliotar into the roof of net.

Toome' responded in kind straight after the break with Darragh McCarthy gathering Barry O’Connell’s insightful delivery and rattling the back of the net with aplomb.

They narrowed the gap to two on three occasions in the closing ten minutes but Nenagh managed to keep them at bay before Josh Keller eeked out the gap to three with a fabulous effort. Tommy Heffernan quickly added the insurance point and although Billy O’Brien and Darragh McCarthy (free) traded points deep in added time, the final score fittingly fell to the hugely impressive Josh Keller to put the final nail in Toomevara’s coffin with his third point from play.

TEAMS - Nenagh Éire Óg: Dermot McTiernan (7); Conor Hennessy (7), Mark Carey (6), Philip Hickey (7); Jake Donellan Houlihan (7), Barry Heffernan (8), Mason Cawley (8); Conor Ryan (8), James Mackey (7); Tommy Heffernan (7), Josh Keller (8), Filip McIntyre (7); Sam O’Farrell (7), Jake Morris (Capt 8), Ben West (7).

Subs: Paddy Murphy (7) for Carey (38); Billy O’Brien (6) for West (53).

Toomevara: Rory Brislane (7); Liam Ryan (7), Andrew Ryan (7), Cathal Frend (7); Josh McCarthy (7), Conor O’Farrell (7), Jack Ryan (0-1, 7); Austin Duff (6), Eoin Grace (6); Robbie Quirke (0-1, 6), Paul Ryan (7), Jack Delaney (7); Darragh McCarthy (7), Kevin McCarthy (7), Adam Hall (7).

Subs: Patrick Hackett (6) for Duff (HT); Barry O’Connell (7) for Grace (35); Colm Canning (6) for Quirke (45); Seamus O’Farrell (6) for A Ryan (45); Austin Duff for P Ryan (60).

Referee: Ciarán O’Donovan (Burgess).