First senior silverware for Upperchurch/Drombane
GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Football - Tom Cusack Cup Final
Upperchurch/Drombane 2-14
Ballyporeen 1-7
Report: Paul Murphy in Ballyporeen
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Paul Shanahan (Upperchurch/Drombane)
SCORERS – Upperchurch/Drombane: Luke Shanahan (4 frees), Paul Shanahan (1x2free, 3 frees); Oisin Treacy 1-1, Dean Carew 1-0, Philip O’Dwyer 0-2, Sean Ryan 0-1.
Ballyporeen: Darragh Brennan 1-3 (1-1 free), Sam McGrath, Conor Sweeney, Christy English, Oisin Power 0-1 each.
Upperchurch/Drombane won their first ever senior football title with a strong showing against Ballyporeen in the Tom Cusack Cup final on Friday night.
Played in the home of Ballyporeen after the sides tossed for venue, two goals in the opening six minutes for the visitors gave them a lot of breathing room early in the contest. Both sides were evenly matched, however Upperchurch’s ability to convert points in the second half gave them upper hand.
Upperchurch first goal came after three minutes as Dean Carew found himself in space inside the 21, leaving the midfielder one-on-one with the keeper to give his side the lead.
The second goal followed along similar lines as great running from wing back Oisin Treacy was matched with a great kick pass from Gavin Ryan as Treacy gathered the ball and finished well past Kieran Macken.
Macken was called upon again in the opening quarter as he made a great save from a Philip O’Dwyer effort to keep his side in touching distance.
Ballyporeen’s forwards looked dangerous from the start with great pointed scores from Christy English, Oisin Power and Darragh Brennan respectively as Upperchurch went into the break leading 2-4 to 0-5.
The main difference between the sides in the second half was their respective free counts, with Ballyporeen giving away fouls in scorable areas which were punished as Luke & Paul Shanahan were both deadly from dead balls all night, with Paul converting a great two-point effort.
After going ten points behind with twenty minutes to go an ill-timed tackle in front of goal from full back Noel Vaughan saw him get a black card and his side down to fourteen at a crucial stage.
Ballyporeen didn’t let up the fight as they scored a great goal with ten minutes left after corner back Josh Kearney got a great turnover at midfield, the move up field was well worked through the hands of Conor Sweeney, the reintroduced Vaughan before finding Darragh Brennan who made no mistake as he dispatched into the bottom corner but it was too little too late.
Ballyporeen were led well by Darragh Brennan, Charlie English and Conor Sweeney while Upperchurch/Drombane had strong performances throughout particularly in the middle eight with Dean Carew, Paul Shanahan and Luke Shanahan putting in great displays.
TEAMS - Upperchurch/Drombane: Niall Grant, Diarmaid Grant, Mikey Griffin, Pat Ryan, Oisin Treacy, Gavin Ryan, Jim O’Dwyer, Dean Carew, Tomás Ryan, Luke Shanahan, Gerard Grant, Paddy Phelan, Philip O’Dwyer, Paul Shanahan (Capt), Sean Ryan.
Sub: Owen Shortt for D Grant (45)
Ballyporeen: Kieran Macken, Seamus O’Callaghan, Noel Vaughan, Josh Kearney, Kyle O’Gorman, Oisin Brennan, Riain O’Callaghan, Charlie English, Tommy Sweeney, Sam McGrath, Conor Sweeney (Capt), Christy English, Oisin Power, Darragh Brennan, Glenn Walsh
Subs: Jack Carey for R O’Callaghan (43), Aaron Hickey for Walsh (57).
Referee: Brian Tyrell (Clonmel Commercials)