North Tipperary Junior 'A' Hurling Championship Semi-Finals Round-up

By Liam Hogan

Roscrea and Kilruane MacDonaghs will contest this year’s North Tipperary Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship Final after two entertaining semi-finals played last Friday evening.

Roscrea 4-20 Nenagh Eire Og 2-25

Dylan Hogan’s match winning point in the 67th minute means Roscrea are back in a North Junior ‘A’ Hurling final for the first time since 2023 following a thrill a minute semi-final win over Nenagh Eire Og in Toomevara.

The wing back gave a five star performance and his match winner, from over halfway, completed a great comeback. Trailing by eight points with 25 minutes remaining, the Reds turned on the style in the last quarter to stun favourites Nenagh.

The opening minutes had Roscrea on the front foot and were three points in front before Nenagh’s Aodhan O’Connor scored a goal in the fifth minute to bring scores level 1-1 to 0-4. Nenagh upped the pace and Conor McCarthy’s goal in the 12th minute had them 2-4 to 0-7 in front.

Roscrea struck back through a Liam Dunphy goal leaving scores level at 2-6 to 1-9 after nineteen minutes. The scores were level eight times by the 22nd minute before Nenagh moved up a gear to take a 2-16 to 1-13 halftime lead.

With the lead increasing to eight by the 35th minute it looked as if Nenagh were heading for a place in the final for the second year running. However, Roscrea had other ideas and suddenly the margin was back to five when Josh McMahon goaled.

In the 50th minute, a goal by Ruairi Murphy had the deficit down to the minimum, 2-21 to 3-17. Sean Phelan doubled the Nenagh lead with a free but the tables turned when McMahon finished to the net again and Roscrea were back in front for the first time since the fifth minute.

Roscrea’s lead increased to two as they put Nenagh under pressure. The sky blues hung on and needed the best from goalkeeper Mark Tuite who produced a number of fine saves, including a point blank one which resulted in a 65 which Dunphy converted.

In additional time, the scoring continued at a pace with a brilliant Niall Madden point from the left sideline bringing the sides level in the sixth minute of added time. With extra time looking likely, up stepped Dylan Hogan to see Roscrea into the final as they bid for their sixth North title and first since 1986.

Roscrea: Harry Loughnane; Conor Shanahan, Eoin Larkin, Graham Hogan; Conor Hoctor, Luke Seacy 0-1, Dylan Hogan 0-5; Aaron O’Donoghue, Conor Donovan 0-2; Oisin O’Shea 0-1, Liam Dunphy 1-6 (0-3f, 0-1’65), Liam Seacy 0-1; Jason Gilmartin 0-2, Jason Fitzpatrick, Josh McMahon 2-1. Subs used: Jack Moloney 0-1, Aaron Delahunty, Ruairi Murphy 1-0.

Nenagh Eire Og: Mark Tuite; Gavin Dooley, Mark O’Farrell, Billy Moran; Adam Gratton, Sean Geaney, Cian Connolly; Zac Keller 0-2, Niall McKeogh; Sean Phelan 0-13 (9f), Cian O’Farrell 0-3, Darragh Walsh 0-3; Stephen Hallinan, Conor McCarthy 1-1, Aodan O’Connor 0-1. Sub used: Niall Madden 0-1.

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-18 Ballinahinch 1-15

Kilruane MacDonaghs had to come from behind to defeat Ballinahinch in a well contested semi-final at Dolla.

Trailing by four points after 37 minutes, Kilruane fought back to take the lead with six minutes remaining. However, Ballinahinch regained the lead only for Kilruane to up the tempo as they hit back with four unanswered points to register a three point win.

Playing with a slight breeze, Ballinahinch went 0-4 to 0-1 in front after eight minutes before Kilruane had the deficit reduced to one by the 17th minute.

As Ballinahinch rued missed chances, an Evan Kearns free saw them move 0-8 to 0-6 in front by the eighteenth minute. Two Brian O’Meara frees brought the sides level before Ballinahinch moved away again thanks to three unanswered points, including a Brendan Ryan free. Conor Cleary replied with a point for Kilruane but Ryan found the net in the 29th minute and Ballinahinch’s four point advantage.

Kilruane didn’t waste time in getting back into groove as Eoin Carroll found the net in added time to see the half time margin at two, 1-11 to 1-9.

Ballinahinch went four points to the good as seven players made the scoresheet but the period between the 37th & 54th minutes belonged to Kilruane as they registered five unanswered points, including two Brian O’Meara frees. The introduction of Seamus Hennessy and Darragh Peters to the action was also some help.

Yet, Ballinahinch refused to blink and within two minutes they were back in front with four minutes left. However, with Brian O’Meara on song from placed balls, Kilruane finally got free of the Ballinahinch shackles as they ran down the clock with four unanswered points to see them back into the final when they hope to bid for their tenth title and first since 1998.

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Kevin Naughnane; Paul Molloy, Eanna Hogan, Eamon Coonan; Paddy Ryan, Cormac Doheny, Matthew Moyles; Conor Austin 0-1, Eoin Hogan; Brian O’Meara 0-9 (8f, 1’65), Cian Moyles 0-1, Cillian Healy; Eoin Carroll 1-2, Conor Cleary 0-1, Charlie Kennedy 0-3. Sub used: Michael Hennelly 0-1.

Ballinahinch: Donnacha McGrath; Jack Mullaney, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Frank Troy; Cathal Ryan, Shane McGrath 0-2, Darragh McGrath 0-1; Adam Ryan 0-2, David Healy; Kevin Kelly, Paddy Kelly, Evan Kearns 0-5 (4f); Brendan Ryan 1-2 (0-2f), Gerard Grace 0-2, Darren Gleeson 0-1.

Referee: Tom McGlinchey (Newport).