Boherlahan have Moneygall’s number again

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Boherlahan-Dualla 2-16

Moneygall 1-14

Report: Liam Hogan at Bishop Quinlan Park, Borrisoleigh

A 59th minute goal by Patrick Gahan sealed a hard earned win for Boherlahan-Dualla in a well-contested but free-ridden encounter with Moneygall in this quarter final of the Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Leading 1-15 to 1-14, the goal came at the right time for Boherlahan and with the addition of an injury time point from James Kirby it meant five point lead was a step too far for Moneygall to recover from.

The game was up for grabs between two teams that won county intermediate honours in the last two years with Boherlahan the team with the little bit more experience and it showed as they had their defence well organised in order to keep an eye on a Moneygall team that had the forwards to grab scores with frequency as Sean Kenneally, Eoghan Doughan and Adam Hogan could do.

And so, it was when Boherlahan manager Conor Gleeson moved Gerard O’Dwyer from his customary centre back position to man the full back berth, a position he played in two years ago when Boherlahan defeated Moneygall in a rain sodden intermediate semi-final in Templetuohy.

O’Dwyer and his fellow inside back men Tomas Bourke and John Ryan did what the manager ordered as they curbed the Moneygall inside line of Kenneally and Doughan to just 1-2 from play while the half backline of Dylan Fogarty, Martin Paul O’Dwyer, and Cathal Darcy kept tabs on Adam Hogan and company minimising their return from play to just one point, that from Bob Kenny.

The opening thirteen minutes was another indication of how close these teams were as scores were level three times thanks to the accuracy of Eoghan Doughan and Tomas Ryan. Moneygall took the lead three times with Doughan scoring the first of two while Adam Hogan added a third free while Boherlahan equalised each time, two from Tomas Ryan while Gerard O’Dwyer scored his side’s first from long range.

Moneygall had most of the play up to then but the Boherlahan defence nullified them while the North sides defence were giving little away either as Brendan Toohey, Cian Ryan, and Andy Hoolan prominent, as was Joe Fogarty at midfield.

The first breakthrough of the game fell to Boherlahan in the 14th minute when after Charlie Ryan gave the Mid side the lead, another attack saw James Kirby, Patrick Gahan create space for Ryan who was fouled inside the Moneygall twenty-metre line. As the Moneygall defence retreated, the quick-thinking Tomas Ryan fired low to the net, sheer opportunism.

The remainder of the half opened up and the scoring rate became more frequent as Joe Fogarty’s splendid point from the right wing was matched by an equally impressive score by James Kirby. Adam Hogan replied with a sixty-five metre free and Bob Kenny scored from play before Boherlahan went four in front after Mark Downey and Brian Og O’Dwyer scored a point each.

A great run by Og O’Dwyer yielded a close range free which Ryan converted to move Boherlahan five clear after 23 minutes. However, Moneygall responded with Sean Kenneally’s shot for goal well saved by Boherlahan keeper Darragh Lacey at the expense of a 65 which Adam Hogan converted.

Pressure continued on the Boherlahan goal but Lacey was equal to a high ball and after a passing move a free from eighty metres was directed over by Tomas Ryan leaving five between the sides again and play entered additional time, there was enough time for Doughan and Ryan to swap frees to leave the half time score at 1-10 to 0-8.

Half time can deaden a game and the opening ten minutes of the second half was a clear example of it as the next six points were a battle of accuracy by both free-takers with Moneygall’s Doughan grabbing four, as against two by Tomas Ryan.

The very effective Shay Gleeson was much involved in making many clearances and he could score as well with a point in 46th minute. A Tomas Ryan point had the lead out to three but in the 48th minute a through ball by Adam Hogan had Sean Kenneally on route to goal and the left corner forward needed no invitation to score; the sides level at 1-13 each.

Suddenly the game opened up and after another Ryan free, Boherlahan got their first score from play in the half when Euan Ryan did the needful seven minutes from time.

When Eoghan Doughan picked up his second point from play, it was all to play for. The importation of subs and care for the injured upset the flow and a free to Boherlahan on halfway, seemed another chance for Tomas Ryan to increase his tally. However, the breeze held up the flight of the ball and it dropped outside the square where Patrick Gahan pulled instinctively with his low shot giving Kevin McCormack no chance.

Once James Kirby increased the lead there was no way back for Moneygall but they tried desperately only to Darragh Lacey save once more.

Player of the Match: Gerard O’Dwyer (Boherlahan-Dualla)

Boherlahan-Dualla: Darragh Lacey (8); Tomas Bourke (7), Gerard O’Dwyer (0-1f, 8), John Ryan (7); Dylan Fogarty (7), Martin Paul O’Dwyer (7), Cathal Darcy (7); Charlie Ryan (0-1, 7), Euan Ryan (0-1, 7); Patrick Gahan (1-0, 7), Brian Og O’Dwyer (0-1, 7), James Kirby (0-2, 7); Tomas Ryan (1-9f, 8), Seamus Leahy (6), Mark Downey (0-1, 6).

Subs: Brian Carrig for MP O’Dwyer (14-18 blood); David Clarke (6) for Downey (53); Eoin McLoughney (6) for E Ryan (59); Ryan Bargary (6) for Leahy (59); Brian Carrigg (6) for Bourke (60); James Murphy (6) for Gahan (60+1).

Moneygall: Kevin McCormack (7); Shay Gleeson (0-1, 8), Brendan Toohey (7), Roddy Teehan (7); Jack Kirwan (7), Andy Hoolan (7), Cian Ryan (7); Joe Fogarty (0-1, 8), Aodhan Ryan (6); Paddy Fogarty (6), Adam Hogan (0-3, 2f, 1’65) 7), Bob Kenny (0-1, 7); Eoghan Doughan (0-8, 6f, 7), Tadgh Whyte (6), Seanie Kenneally (1-0, 6).

Subs: Sean Fogarty (60) for Hoolan (44-60 blood); Eoin Whyte (6) for Whyte (53).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).