Clean sweep for North clubs in first round of Intermediate Hurling Championship

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 1 Round-up

By Liam Hogan

The four North Tipperary teams did well in the first round of the County Intermediate Hurling Championship played over last weekend. Both Shannon Rovers and Newport had the best of days while Portroe and Borrisokane did enough to get over the line.

Group 1

Portroe 1-19 Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams 0-21

Ben O’Connor was the toast of Portroe when his last minute point helped them earn a narrow victory over Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams who were beaten finalists in last year’s final.

In a closely fought game in Borrisoleigh on Saturday, Portroe led 1-9 to 0-11 at half time with Mikey Creamer scoring the game’s only goal.

Creamer scored 1-1 but John Sheedy was the team’s top scorer on 0-9 (5 frees). Sheedy had good back up in Robert Byrne, Ben O’Connor, Conor O’Brien and Sam Madden who scored two each. Cian Hogan added a point.

Portroe will play Kilsheelan/Kilcash in the next round as the South men were equally easy 4-26 to 0-16 winners over Clonoulty/Rossmore in Boherlahan on Saturday.

Group 2

Shannon Rovers 6-18 Carrick Davins 1-6

Leading from start to finish, Shannon Rovers had little bother when producing one of their biggest wins in the championship with a 27-point win over a very disappointing Carrick Davins in Dundrum on Sunday afternoon.

Straight out of the blocks, and playing with the breeze, Rovers were 1-7 to 0-1 in front after sixteen minutes when Eamonn Hough put Austin Tierney through for his first goal.

Four minutes later, John O’Meara and Conal Moran combined to assist Michael Tierney for goal number two.

Approaching half time, a mix up in the Rovers defence allowed Erin Cronin-Walsh take advantage to score a goal for Davins and by half time it was Rovers in front 2-10 to 1-3.

Davins won a penalty a minute into the second half but Michael Whelan’s effort was saved by Vincent Mulvihill at the expense of a point.

From the resulting puckout, Conal Moran set up an attack for Austin Tierney to prize home another goal. Rovers were in the driving seat now and Davins were hit badly by the dismissal of corner back Mark Roche following a foul on Conal Moran in the lead up to the goal.

From that moment on it was one way traffic and the goals came at pace with Austin Tierney adding two more while Eamon Hough got into the goal scoring mode as well.

It was a good day for Austin Tierney who scored four goals while Conal Moran (3 frees) and Andy Byrne scored six each. Eamon Hough added 1-1 on a day he had a hand in at least two goals. Michael Tierney scored 1-1 with John O'Meara and Emmet Moran had two each.

Shannon Rovers face Arravale Rovers in round 2 who were impressive 3-26 to 2-20 winners over Clonakenny in Borrisoleigh on Saturday. Carrick Davins face Clonakenny in the second round.

Group 3

Holycross/Ballycahill are finding the rise from Junior ‘A’ level a tough one as they fell to a 0-22 to 0-11 defeat to Cappawhite in Dundrum on Friday evening, while on Sunday in Cashel, Ballingarry exacted an element of revenge on their South final defeat to Skeheenarinky, claiming the two points on a 1-19 to 0-16 scoreline.

Group 4

Newport 0-26 Ballybacon/Grange 0-14

Newport got their campaign off to a good start with a comprehensive victory over Ballybacon-Grange in Annacarty on Saturday.

The sides were evenly matched for the first twenty minutes, but a purple patch leading up to half time saw Newport stretch their lead to 0-15 to 0-7 at the interval.

When Cian Flanagan fired over two quick points after the break the game was decided as a contest.

While Ballybacon battled gamely with the aid of a stiff breeze in the second half, they could not reduce the deficit sufficiently, being over-dependent on Paul Cummins who scored seven points, including six from frees.

The Mulcaire men, on the other hand, had eleven scorers, Colin Floyd leading the way with seven points, four from placed balls. Pa Ryan, Callum Poole & Conor McLoughlin registered three points each, while Conor O’Mahony and Conor Floyd contributed two each.

The game never looked like producing a goal, although the ageless Brendan Cummins did well to keep out a James Moloney effort near the end.

Kevin Fitzpatrick stood out in the Newport backline while Conor O’Mahony showed his experience in organising the defence and the fleet-footed Callum Poole was effective at midfield.

Borrisokane 0-22 Moyle Rovers 0-17

Oisin Larkin was top scorer as Borrisokane did enough to get over Moyle Rovers in Drombane on Sunday.

Larkin top scored with nine points, five from frees and one 65 while Ciaran Foley added from play.

Borrisokane led at half time 0-14 to 0-8 and had enough in the tank to hold out against a Moyle Rovers side that totalled thirteen wides over the hour.

Apart from the exploits of Larkin and Foley, there was more from Michael Kelly and Jack Larkin who contributed three each while Conal Larkin and Liam Cleary added one each.

John Cronin was Moyle Rovers top scorer with six points (3 frees, 2 ‘65s) while Dean English and Anthony Phelan scored two each from play.

Borrisokane will face Newport in round two when they hope to have Michael Heenan and Conor Ryan back in the fold. On the other hand Moyle Rovers will face near neighbours Ballybacon/Grange.