Late Gortnahoe surge ends Treacys campaign

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 3

Gortnahoe/Glengoole 2-23

Sean Treacys 1-21

Report: John O’Shea in Drombane

Gortnahoe/Glengoole made it three wins from three as they came from behind to outgun Sean Treacys in group 1 of the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship on Sunday.

Going into the game, Gortnahoe were in pole position to qualify whereas Sean Treacys needed a victory to advance to the knockout stages.

Treacys enjoyed wind advantage for the opening thirty minutes and had the scoreboard up and running with a Larry Collins point inside the thirty seconds.

Colm Kennedy had doubled this advantage by the third minute, before Liam Hayes fired over to open Gortnahoe’s account. The sides were level one minute later with a fine score from Jack Moore.

Sean Treacys then hit a purple patch with some excellent scores as they made all the running. Eoin Sheldon fired over from half-way before Colm Kennedy put over his second. Kennedy was causing problems with his aeriel catches and running at the defence.

Gortnahoe’s Keane Hayes opened his account after seven minutes from a placed ball, but it was Treacys who pushed on; James Butler picked up a breaking ball and found his range, before three minors in quick succession from a Pat Dawson free, Colm Kennedy and Larry Collins.

Keane Hayes, who was drifting around the midfield area, picked up a loose ball to break the momentum and cut the deficit to six.

The pace of the game dropped a notch as Gortnahoe came back to match Treacys score for score over the next ten minutes. Damien Corbett cancelled out a Pat Dawson free, before James Butler doubled his tally.

Keane Hayes was beginning to cause problems to the Treacys defence picking up good ball. He hit his third on seventeen minutes. Larry Collins finished superbly after latching on to a flick from Pat Deegan to register his third from play. Again, Hayes replied after drifting inside the defensive cover for his fourth minor.

Larry Collins restored a five-point advantage, but the turning point came eight minutes before the interval, when after a side-line ball by Conor Gleeson, won by Darragh Maher, who then turned his marker to beat Shane Stapleton with a low drive.

This goal brought the Mid men within two points and following a second from Damien Corbett, the equaliser came from Darragh Maher on 25 minutes. Gortnahoe had weathered the storm.

Treacys regrouped and hit two points from play from Pat Dawson and Larry Collins, who certainly came of age in this opening period with five points and is an exciting prospect for the future.

Both sides shared the next four points to leave the half time score, Sean Treacys 0-16, Gortnahoe/Glengoole 1-11.

After the restart, the Mid side hit the ground running with a point from Keane Hayes and a super goal from Aidan Guilfoyle after ninety seconds, when he ran onto a breaking ball fifty metres out and raced untouched through the defence before blasting past Shane Stapleton.

This was a blow to the West side as they will feel that the score was preventable.

Pat Dawson replied on the double from placed balls to bring the sides level for the third time. Scores were exchanged over the next ten minutes as both sides tried to gain an advantage.

Keane Hayes and Darragh Maher were beginning to punish the Treacys defence as was Damien Corbett.

Pat Dawson brought the sides level with twelve minutes remaining, but Gortnahoe hit three on the bounce from Hayes, Darragh Maher and Damien Corbett.

Mikey Feehan gave Treacys a lifeline from a goal on 52 minutes, but Gortnahoe pushed on over the closing minutes with scores from Hayes, Maher and Conor Gleeson to run out five point winners.

Gortnahoe/Glengoole topped this group with a 100% record, while Sean Treacys finished in third place, above Moyne-Templetuohy on score difference, to avoid the relegation playoff.

Player of the Match: Darragh Maher (Gortnahoe/Glengoole)

Gortnahoe/Glengoole: Timmy Dunne (6); Philly Purcell (7), Davy Nolan (7), Davy Lanigan (5); Karl Campion (7), Brian Maher (7), Fionn Cleary (6), Jack Moore (0-1, 7), Conor Gleeson (0-2, 7), Liam Hayes (0-1, 7), Ronan Teehan (0-1, 6), Aidan Guilfoyle (1-0, 7), Damien Corbett (0-3, 7), Darragh Maher (1-4, 9), Keane Hayes (0-10, 4f, 1 ’65 8).

Subs: Paddy Norton (6) for Lanigan (23), Adrian Maher (0-1, 7) for Cleary (50), Billy Hogan (6) for L Hayes (55).

Sean Treacys: Shane Stapleton (6); Christy Egan (6), Sean Hickey (6), Paul Nolan (6); Brendan O’Dwyer (6), Seanie Ryan (7), Brian Carey (7); Mikey Feehan (1-0, 7), Eoin Sheldon (0-1, 6), Pat Dawson (0-9, 8f, 7), Colm Kennedy (0-3, 8), James Butler (0-2, 7), Cillian Kennedy (0-1, 7), Pat Deegan (6), Larry Collins (0-5, 9).

Sub: Darragh Carr (6) for Colm Kennedy (40 inj).

Referee: Tom McGlinchey (Newport)