Injury time goal seals Minor glory for Naomh Eoin

GAA: Ger Gavin Home Interiors North Tipperary Minor ‘B’ Hurling Final

Naomh Eoin 1-19

Moneygall 1-14

Report: James Hayden at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Rory Fox (Naomh Eoin).

SCORERS – Naomh Eoin: Donal Cleary 0-6 (4 frees); Rory Fox (2 frees), Alan Bourke 0-4 each; Ryan Donnelly 1-1; Savva Rashkevich, David Flannery, Eoghan Gohery, Jack Slevin 0-1 each.

Moneygall: Dylan Sayers 1-4 (0-4 frees); Conor Keeshan, Jamie Keeshan 0-3 each; Jack Kennedy 0-3; Paddy McCormack (free), Tim Cleary 0-1 each.

Naomh Eoin were crowned North Tipperary Minor ‘B’ Hurling champions following an absorbing clash with Moneygall on Sunday afternoon.

In a game that ebbed and flowed from start to finish, there was little to separate the sides for long periods, but it was the Naomh Eoin combination side of Borrisokane & Shannon Rovers who produced the decisive finish when it mattered most.

A late goal from Ryan Donnelly deep into injury time finally broke Moneygall’s resistance before a further Donal Cleary free put the seal on a hard-earned five-point victory.

Moneygall made the more positive start and quickly established a two-point lead through Jamie Keeshan and Conor Keeshan inside the opening four minutes.

Naomh Eoin responded with a well-struck long-range free from Donal Cleary, while Jack Slevin soon followed with a neat close-range effort to restore parity.

Jamie Keeshan was proving a constant threat inside the Moneygall full-forward line and the impressive attacker struck a fine brace between the sixth and eighth minutes to restore Moneygall’s two-point advantage.

The momentum swung once more in Naomh Eoin’s favour as Cleary converted another free and Ryan Donnelly added a point from play. They then hit a purple patch with the lively Alan Bourke producing a superb brace to fire his side into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead after eleven minutes.

Bourke was on target again less than a minute later to register his third point but Moneygall refused to allow the combination side to dictate proceedings.

Tim Cleary, Jack Kennedy and Dylan Sawyers all found the target as Moneygall once again hauled themselves level in a contest where the lead changed hands with remarkable regularity.

Naomh Eoin were beginning to gain the upper hand around midfield as the half progressed, and points from Rory Fox, Bourke and Cleary opened up another three-point advantage.

However, just when Naomh Eoin appeared to be gaining control, Moneygall struck for the game’s opening goal. A mistake by Naomh Eoin goalkeeper Mark Slevin presented Dylan Sayers with an opportunity he gratefully accepted, as he pounced to send the sliotar to the net and leave the minimum between the sides at 1-7 to 0-10.

It was a significant blow for Naomh Eoin but they responded impressively. They finished the half strongly with Fox and Cleary splitting the posts with two excellent efforts from distance.

Moneygall responded with a Dylan Sayers free in time added on, ensuring that they remained firmly in contention at the interval, trailing by just a single point, 1-8 to 0-12.

The second half continued in much the same vein, with neither side prepared to yield an inch.

Paddy McCormack brought Moneygall level once again with a booming free from well inside his own 65-metre line before Savva Rashkevich produced one of the moments of the game, surging forward from his corner-back position before firing over a superb point.

Naomh Eoin edged two points clear when Eoghan Gohery and David Flannery raised white flags around the 40-minute mark, but Moneygall responded immediately. Conor Keeshan and Jack Kennedy found the target to restore parity and set up a grandstand finish.

The battle for supremacy intensified as the game entered its closing stages. A Rory Fox free in the 54th minute edged Naomh Eoin back in front, while three minutes later Donal Cleary converted a close-range free to give his side a two-point cushion.

Moneygall threw everything into attack during the closing stages in search of an equaliser, but Naomh Eoin remained composed under pressure.

Then, deep into injury time, came the decisive moment. Naomh Eoin captain Joseph Murphy won possession of a low delivery and found Donal Cleary in space on the left flank close to the bank sideline. Cleary delivered a looping ball towards the Moneygall goal and Ryan Donnelly managed to get his hurley to the sliotar, flicking it beyond Paddy McCormack and into the net. It was the killer blow.

Moneygall had battled magnificently throughout and had remained within touching distance of their opponents for almost the entire contest, but Naomh Eoin had finally found the breakthrough that their sustained pressure demanded.

Cleary then added a late free to copper-fasten a deserved victory and spark jubilant celebrations among the Naomh Eoin players and supporters.

It was a memorable triumph for Naomh Eoin, who showed tremendous character to withstand Moneygall’s repeated challenges before producing the decisive finish when the North title was on the line.

Naomh Eoin had several outstanding performers, with Savva Rashkevich, Joseph Murphy, Hugo Massy, David Flannery, Rory Fox, Donal Cleary, and Alan Bourke particularly impressive.

For Moneygall, Conor Keeshan, Dylan Sayers, Tim Cleary, Jack Kennedy, and Jamie Keeshan caught the eye in a performance that deserved considerable credit despite ultimately ending in disappointment.

TEAMS - Naomh Eoin: Mark Slevin; Jack Coughlan, Mikey Gorman, Savva Rashkevich; John Coonan, David Flannery, Joseph Murphy (Capt), Hugo Massy; Rory Fox, David Flannery; Ryan Donnelly, Donal Cleary, Eoghan Gohery; Jack Slevin, Alan Bourke, Darragh O’Brien.

Subs: Johnny Quinn for Gohery (37); Adam Guest for Hourigan (52).

Moneygall: Paddy McCormack (Capt), Ronan Gleeson, Sean Maher, Oran Hoolan; Alex Gleeson, Brian Toohey, Oisin Maxwell; Tim Cleary, Jayden Coughlan; Gavin O’Brien, Dylan Sayers, Paddy Stapleton; Conor Keeshan, Jamie Keeshan, Jack Kennedy.

Subs: Aidan O’Meara for Coughlan (15); Eoghan Sheedy for Toohey (51).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).