‘Church rise back to senior as Swan suffer more final woe

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

Upperchurch/Drombane 2-17

Carrick Swan 1-14

Report: Michael Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Paul Shanahan (Upperchurch/Drombane)

SCORERS – Upperchurch/Drombane: Luke Shanahan 0-7 (6 frees); Gavin Ryan 0-3 frees; Paddy Phelan, Paul Shanahan 1-0 each; Paudie Greene, Pat Ryan, Conor Fahey 0-2 each; Toby Corbett 0-1.

Carrick Swan: Calum Lanigan 1-7 (0-4 frees); Stefan Tobin 0-3; Aaron Dunne, Aaron O’Halloran, Luke O’Dwyer, Taylor Fleming 0-1 each.

After two frustrating years in the second tier, Upperchurch/Drombane reclaimed senior status with a fully deserved win over Carrick Swan in the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final on Sunday.

‘The Church were worth every point of their six point win. They shut down the formidable Carrick Swan attack to a great extent and imposed their own game on the contest though it has to be said that Swans failure to capitalise on scoring chances, particularly in the second half, greatly hampered their challenge.

Appearing in the final for the second successive year, many fancied Carrick Swans to lift the O Riain Cup but they spent most of the sixty-plus minutes chasing their rivals who were that bit slicker and showed a greater appetite for the exchanges in a game that fell below expectations in terms of quality but which was always competitive.

‘The Church got the ideal start to settle them. In the second minute Paul Shanahan got the vital touch to a delivery from his brother Liam, to steer the ball to the Swans’ net past a helpless Kieran Lonergan.

Still, the Swan recovered with three points to be level after seven minutes but Upperchurch were moving the better and although Paul Shanahan had a goal bound effort saved by the Swans keeper, Upperchurch went 1-4 to 0-4 ahead by the end of the first quarter.

Back came the Swan for three points but then Upperchurch countered with three for a 1-7 to 0-7 lead. Swans had a chance of a levelling goal a minute from the break but Stefan Tobin’s shot whizzed over the bar – 1-7 to 0-8 for ‘The Church at the break.

Seven minutes into the second half, the advantage was still two points in Upperchurch’s favour but then four unanswered points from the 39th to the 47th minute opened a six point gap, a situation compounded by Carrick’s failure to convert four pointable chances. The scales were tipping in Upperchurch favour.

It looked all up for Swans when a botched puck-out presented Paddy Phelan with the chance to net for Upperchurch in the 50th minute and he made no mistake (2-14 to 0-12).

However, the game was back in the melting pot a minute later when Calum Lanigan netted for Swan and quickly followed with a point.

The Swan suffered a setback when Stefan Tobin, their best forward, had to retire injured in the 57th minute and it was Upperchurch who dictated matters in those closing minutes whipping over three points to the Swans’ lone reply for a comfortable victory.

Understandably, Upperchurch/Drombane supporters were ecstatic after the game. The disappointment of the past two years was forgotten and the prospect of Munster club action when they host Cork champions Ballinhassig next month in a semi-final whets the appetite for more glory days ahead.

However, the rescheduled senior football semi-final against Clonmel Commercials is next on the agenda this Saturday, so celebrations will be restricted, with recovery from Sunday’s exertions a primary concern for most of the squad.

This was certainly a win to savour for them and a vindication of their belief that they should be operating at the highest level in the county. After a sluggish start to the campaign, failing to reach the divisional final, they picked up steadily in the county championship, and their ability to eke out victory in tight situations, as evidenced by wins over Ballina and Gortnahoe/Glengoole, each by a point, reflected the heart they had for a battle and this again stood them in good stead in Sunday’s final.

Luke Shanahan’s excellence from placed balls, after a dodgy start, earned him the official Man of the Match award but his brother Paul’s influence was huge. Apart from his opening goal, his work throughout the field, winning hard ball and setting up attacks, was crucial to this win.

Keith Ryan played a captain’s part at full-back with Niall Grant, Paudie Greene, Toby Corbett, Gavin Ryan, and Conor Fahey also having big games.

Losing the final for the second year in a row will be hard to swallow for Carrick Swan, a pill made all the more bitter by the fact that they wasted so many chances, thirteen wides in all.

They did not play with the verve of earlier outings and many of their key men did not have their usual influence.

Stefan Tobin looked their best player and one surely destined for inclusion in the county panel. Gavin O’Halloran, Scott Hogan, Aaron O’Halloran and Calum Lanigan gave it all they had but it was not their day and its back to the drawing board for next year.

TEAMS – Upperchurch/Drombane: Ciaran Shortt (7); Mikey Lavery (6), Keith Ryan (Capt 7), Dean Carew (6); Niall Grant (7), Gavin Ryan (7), Toby Corbett (7); Diarmuid Grant (6), Aaron Ryan (6); Conor Fahey (7), Paddy Phelan (6), Paul Shanahan (9); Pat Ryan (6), Paudie Greene (6), Luke Shanahan (7).

Subs: Mikey Griffin (6) for D Grant (50); Colm Ryan (NR) for A Ryan (60+3).

Carrick Swan: Kieran Lonergan (6); Jack Murphy (6), Scott Hogan (7), Dean Kiely (6); Colin Loughman (6), Gavin O’Halloran (7), Luke O’Dwyer (6); Aaron O’Halloran (7), Dean Waters (7); Eric O’Halloran (Capt 6), Calum Lanigan (7), Taylor Fleming (6); Calum Walsh (6), Aaron Dunne (6), Stefan Tobin (7).

Subs: Danny O’Hanlon (6) for Fleming (52); Shane Torpey (6) for Walsh (52); Aidan Waters (6) for Tobin (57 inj).

Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla-D Kickhams).