Fethard win first Junior title

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Junior 'A' Hurling Championship Final

Fethard 1-14

Lattin Cullen 0-15

Report: John O'Shea in Boherlahan

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jack Quinlan (Fethard)

SCORERS - Fethard: Danny Barry 0-5 (3 frees); Gavin Neville 0-3; Matt Coen 1-0; Jack Quinlan (frees), Noah O’Flynn 0-2 each; Charlie Walsh, Conor Neville 0-1 each.

Lattin Cullen: Tomás O’Shea 0-8 frees; Ben Carey 0-3 (2 frees); Cathal Dillon 0-2 (1 free, 1 pen); Mark Russell, Sean Bourke 0-1 each.

Fethard won the County Junior ‘A’ Hurling Champions for the first time, when they overcame the challenge of West champions, Lattin Cullen, in the final on Saturday.

While this was a first for the Fethard club, a team from the area under the Coolmoyne banner had previously lifted the trophy in 1950.

The John “Bubbles” O’Dwyer coached side recovered well from a South final defeat to St. Patricks in early September to reach the pinnacle of the Junior grade, and at the end of a closely contested game it was a goal from Matt Coen in the third minute that ultimately separated the sides.

Lattin Cullen availed of a slight wind in the opening half and Ben Carey got the scoreboard moving in the second minute when he landed a free from outside his 65.

Fethard got the first break, after Matt Coen gained possession near the sideline before splitting the Lattin defence and firing past Jack Whelton for the game’s only major.

Two converted long range frees from well inside his own half by Jack Quinlan opened up a four point gap before Lattin replied through Tomás O’Shea and Ben Carey from placed balls.

The Fethard defence were winning most of the dirty ball with Darragh Spillane mopping up in front of goal, but Mark Russell was beginning to cause them problems with his aerial power.

Tomás O’Shea was keeping Lattin in touch from placed balls while Fethard were off target both from play and placed balls.

Noah O’Flynn and Charlie Walsh landed two huge minors from their half back line while Danny Barry got off the mark from a placed ball ten minutes before the break.

Gavin Neville hit two minors, either side of a Cathal Dillon free to ease Fethard into a five point advantage after 25 minutes.

However, Lattin finished the half on a high with points from Sean Bourke, O’Shea (free) and Russell after he fielded a high ball in the goalmouth before splitting the posts. Half time score, Fethard 1-8, Lattin Cullen 0-9.

After the restart, both sides were quickly up to the pitch of the game; Noah O’Flynn was off the mark after twenty seconds, before Tomás O’Shea pulled one back from a placed ball.

Danny Barry was wide of the mark but was on an advantage and made no mistake from the free. Fethard then got a rub of the green when a blistering shot from Mark Russell came off the post and went wide.

Barry hit two minors, either side of an O’Shea converted free, the second when he won possession directly from a puck out from Brian Delahunty.

Gavin Neville put over his third minor from play but this was cancelled out by O’Shea, cutting the deficit to three on fifty minutes.

Lattin were awarded a penalty after Mark Russell fouled but Cathal Dillon’s well struck shot was brilliantly turned over the crossbar by Brian Delahunty.

Ben Carey reduced the deficit to the minimum late on but this was close as they got as a late point from Danny Barry sealed a famous victory for the Fethard men.

Fethard now go on to meet the Clare representatives in the Munster quarter final, at a Clare venue at the end of the month.

TEAMS - Fethard: Brian Delahunty (8); Rory O’Mahony (7), Darragh Spillane (8), Liam Kelly (7), Jack Quinlan (8), Noah O’Flynn (8), Charlie Walsh (8); Joedy Sheehan (6), Luke Lacey (6), Gavin Neville (8), Ryan Walsh (Capt 7), Mark Neville (6), Conor Neville (6), Matt Coen (7), Danny Barry (7).

Subs: Micheál Quinlan (6) for Sheehan (43), Keenan Aherne (6) for C Neville (50), Jack Davey (nr) for R Walsh (56).

Lattin Cullen: Jack Whelton (6); Paddy Chapman (7), Ray Hennessy (7), Jack O’Halloran (8); Diarmuid Looby (7), Stevie Carey (7), Ben Carey (Capt 7), Tadhg Carew (6), Daire O’Brien (7), Eoin O’Connell (6), Mark Russell (7), Micheál Elligott (6), Tomás O’Shea (7), Cathal Dillon (7), Sean Bourke (6).

Subs: Gary Quirke (6) for O’Connell (38), Willie Perry (6) for Carew (45).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).