Holycross power past Upperchurch in second half

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 1

Holycross/Ballycahill 1-28

Upperchurch/Drombane 0-20

Report: Noel Dundon

at Bishop Quinlan Park, Borrisoleigh

A powerful second half from Holycross/Ballycahill earned them a place in the knockout stages of the County Senior Hurling Championship, but the scoreline only tells half the tale from this clash with Upperchurch/Drombane on Saturday evening.

Upperchurch’s first half showing was full of energy, determination and application, which put them into a very good position by the half-way mark. The ‘Church were fighting for their lives and their approach reflected it. They hit hard, tore through Holycross and left their opponents floundering at times. In fact, the only criticism that could be levelled at them after that all-action first half was that they didn’t have enough on the board.

They had raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the end of the first quarter with Aaron Ryan (2), Pat Ryan, Paddy Phelan, Diarmuid Grant, and impressive youngster Philip O’Dwyer pointing against a solitary Darragh Woods free for Holycross.

It took them all of a quarter of an hour to manage their first score from play through the aforementioned Woods, a fact which sit incongruously with the stats considering they hit 1-23 from play in the other three quarters of the match.

Upperchurch had all the answers early on with Phelan and Gavin Ryan pointing again, but Holycross settled and would hit five points without reply in a six-minute spell through Woods (3), Eoin Craddock, and Tiarnán Ryan after Bryan O’Mara had led the initial charge.

Still, Upperchurch didn’t panic and hit back with Pat Ryan, Sean Griffin, Phelan and O’Dwyer scores to reclaim the initiative against Tiarnán Ryan and Craddock points for Holycross.

And, The Church added further Pat Ryan and O’Dwyer scores before the break to go in 0-14 to 0-11 in front – James Doyle grabbing a late one for Holycross.

And, within a minute of the restart, Philip O’Dwyer grabbing another fine score to extend the lead to four.

The game turned though in the 33rd minute when a Ewan Bourke puckout was fetched by Mikey Nally who fed Darragh Woods coming off his shoulder, and the sharpshooter made no mistake to fire past Ciaran Shortt.

Holycross were now up and running and they hit 1-7 to Upperchurch’s 0-1 by the 48th minute. Robbie Ryan, who had been shackled up to that point by Tipp panellist Keith Ryan, hit a brilliant brace of scores, followed by Tiarnán Ryan, Ryan again, Evan Morris (2), and Ben Hennessy as the momentum swung dramatically in favour of the green & white.

Even though Pat Ryan and Philip O’Dwyer had Upperchurch scores, there was no way back for them. Ewan Bourke saved well from Aaron Ryan in the 51st minute and perhaps had that effort ended up in the net, there could have been a different conclusion.

But, a flurry of Holycross scores from Woods (3), Tadgh Gould, Craddock and subs David Fogarty (2), Jack Dwan, and Jimmie Lahart gave the victors a win which perhaps was flattered by the scoreline – Aaron Ryan, Toby Corbett and Gavin Ryan getting late consolation scores for Upperchurch.

Having achieved the goal of getting out of the group, Holycross/Ballycahill are a side nobody will want to meet. They will also be well pleased to have gotten Jim Ryan and Seanie McGrath back on the field following serious injuries, but against that, Joe Caesar was ruled out with a knee problem and will be worrying about his availability in the coming weeks.

Tiarnán Ryan and Tadgh Gould got through an incredible workload while their scoring spread was far greater than heretofore with twelve players contributing, including the impressive Darragh Woods, Robbie Ryan and Eoin Craddock. Bryan O’Mara and Cathal Barrett had big games in the heart of the defence while Evan Morris and debutant Jamie Lee Dwan also shone.

Upperchurch/Drombane will take much from their three outings in the championship so far. Granted, they failed to win a point, but they certainly played fine hurling in patches. The key for them will be to convert those patches into sustained spells and if they can get similar performances from Philip O’Dwyer, Paddy Phelan, Aaron Ryan, Gavin Ryan, Keith Ryan, and Toby Corbett they will have every chance of emerging from the shark-infested waters of the relegation battle.

Player of the Match: Tiarnán Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill)

Holycross/Ballycahill: Ewan Bourke (7), Cathal O’Reilly (6), Cathal Barrett (7), Evan Morris (0-2, 7), Jack Ryan (6), Bryan O’Mara (0-1, 8), Jamie Lee Dwan (7), Tadhg Gould (0-1, 7), James Doyle (0-1, 6), Tiarnan Ryan (0-4, 9), Eoin Craddock (0-3, 8), Ben Hennessy (0-1, 6), Robbie Ryan (0-3, 8), Mikey Nally (7), Darragh Woods (1-8, 0-5f, 8).

Subs: Seanie McGrath (7) for Doyle (HT); Jimmie Lahart (0-1, 6) for Hennessy (46); Jim Ryan (6) for J Ryan (51); David Fogarty (0-2, 7) for Morris (55); Jack Dwan (0-1, 7) for Nally (57).

Upperchurch/Drombane: Ciaran Shortt (7), Keith Ryan (7), Dean Carew (6), Luke Shanahan (7), Toby Corbett (0-1, 7), Gavin Ryan (0-2f, 7), Sean Griffin (0-1, 7), Aaron Ryan (0-3, 8), Paddy Phelan (0-3, 7), Conor Fahey (6), Diarmuid Grant (0-1, 6), Jack Butler (7), Pat Ryan (0-4, 2f, 6), Paul Shanahan (6), Philip O’Dwyer (0-5, 9).

Subs: Loughlin Ryan (6) for P Ryan (48); AJ Shanahan (6) for Fahey (54); Micheal Griffin (6) for D Grant (55); Jim O’Dwyer (6) for Phelan (55); Sean Ryan (NR) for O’Dwyer (56).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels).