Steely Nenagh wear down Clonoulty

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Preliminary Quarter Final

Nenagh Eire Og 2-11

Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-12

Report: Shane Brophy at Bishop Quinlan Park, Borrisoleigh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jake Donelan-Houlihan (Nenagh Eire Og)

SCORERS – Nenagh Eire Og: Michael Heffernan 0-6 (4 frees, 1 ’65); Ben West 2-0; Sam O’Farrell 0-2 (1 free); Paddy Murphy, Jake Donelan-Houlihan, Sean Phelan 0-1 each.

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Stephen Ferncombe 1-7 (0-6 frees); Michael Ryan 0-2; Ronan Heffernan, Donnchadh Quirke, Jack Ryan 0-1 each.

Nenagh Eire Og will have rarely enjoyed a more satisfying victory in their history as they defiantly progressed past Clonoulty/Rossmore on Sunday and into another County Senior Hurling Championship quarter final.

In complete contrast to the previous days other preliminary quarter final, the big crowd that benefitted from the free admission in Borrisoleigh due to a logistical oversight, didn’t get anything near the same classic, but what they got was a feisty contest between two similarly set up teams that largely cancelled each other out.

When a clearly ailing Nenagh captain Jake Morris finally limped off the field with an ankle injury early in the second half, it looked set up for West champions Clonoulty/Rossmore to kick on for victory.

However, they didn’t account for a steely defiance from Nenagh, whose defence once again came up trumps as a unit, Jake Donelan-Houlihan the standout on this occasion, holding Clonoulty to just four second half points, and with two wides, the West men just couldn’t get their hands on the ball in the attacking half with regularity.

Nenagh’s impressive fitness levels also played a part as they hunted down the ball with hunger and while their own forwards struggled similarly, they sparked to life at the right ime.

While Jake Morris was a key loss, the fact he hadn’t impacted the game in the 32 minutes on the field was such that Nenagh didn’t lose much in the context of the match at the time, particularly with the close attention he got from county team-mate Robert Doyle and John O’Keeffe who played as a sweeper in front of him.

Nenagh had only scored just six times in his time on the field, albeit two were superb goals from Ben West who has a real knack of finding the net.

Michael Heffernan played his part but when his radar started to malfunction in the second half, the Nenagh management made key changes, particularly moving Sam O’Farrell into the half-forward line with Josh Keller going to the edge of the square. From there, the regular supply of ball from their dominant half-backs and midfield began to stick.

The fresh legs of Tommy Heffernan, Billy O’Brien, Emmet Jones and Sean Phelan also brought added energy as they completely suffocated a Clonoulty/Rossmore side who, apart from Stephen Ferncombe, lacked a regular attacking threat.

The game itself was dominated by both sets of backs in a low-scoring game in a modern context but was dotted with moments of quality. The first came in the fourth minute when Nenagh’s Barry Heffernan caught the ball from over his own crossbar from where he laid the ball off to Conor Hennessy who in turn found Ben West in the middle of the field. The wing forward took off and with the heart of the Clonoulty defence gone missing, stayed going all the way to just outside the square which his bouncing shot was too good for Jason O’Dwyer.

Clonoulty had responded well to the set-back to be only one point adrift but should have been in front but for five wides when West goaled again in the fifteenth minute, this time superbly finishing one-handed to the net from a line-ball that ran into his path.

However, the two goals masked Clonoulty’s superiority and they responded with a fine goal themselves on 25 minutes, Jack Ryan playing in Stephen Ferncombe who beat Dermot McTiernan with a blistering shot from twenty yards.

The game became tetchy three players booked in the run up to the break with Clonoulty enjoying a 1-8 to 2-4 advantage.

Jake Morris lined out at the start of the second half but it was quickly evident his mobility was compromised after rolling an ankle in the first half.

Two frees from Stephen Ferncome pushed Clonoulty into a three-point lead on 37 minutes as Nenagh struggled in attack. Paddy Murphy showed his former attacking prowess with an inspirational point before Michael Ryan scored his second for Clonoulty on 39 minutes, however, they wouldn’t score again for 24 minutes.

Nenagh then started to get a grip in defence and midfield, and only an instinctive save from Jason O’Dwyer on 42 minutes denied Philip Hickey a goal, with Michael Heffernan converting the subsequent 65.

Nenagh were starting to become wasteful and it took until the 56th minute to finally get on terms before man of the match Jake Donelan-Houlihan landed a monster free two minutes later to edge them in front.

Clonoulty were struggling for answers and a missed Stephen Ferncome free epitomised the pressure they were feeling before Nenagh’s best move of the game involving sub Emmet Jones, Josh Keller, and Philip Hickey ended with Sam O’Farrell pointing to the cheers of their supporters.

Ferncombe ended Clonoulty’s barren spell with a free on 63 minutes but they couldn’t win the subsequent puckout from where sub Sean Phelan pointed to seal a satisfying win for Nenagh Eire Og.

TEAMS - Nenagh Eire Og: Dermot McTiernan (6); Conor Hennessy (6), Mark Carey (6), Jake Donelan-Houlihan (8); Paddy Murphy (7), Barry Heffernan (7), Sam O’Farrell (7); Conor Ryan (7), James Mackey (6); Ben West (7), Josh Keller (6), Filip McIntyre (6); Michael Heffernan (6), Jake Morris (Capt 6), Philip Hickey (6).

Subs: Tommy Heffernan (6) for Morris (32 inj); Billy O’Brien (6) for McIntyre (40); Emmet Jones (7) for M Heffernan (53); Sean Phelan (7) for Hickey (42-45 blood) for West (60+3).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Jason O’Dwyer (7); Danny Slattery (6), Robert Doyle (8), James Ryan (NR); Ronan Heffernan (7), John O’Keeffe (7), Jamie Davern (6); Jimmy Maher (6), Donnchadh Quirke (7); Cathal Bourke (6), Stephen Ferncombe (Capt 8), Jack Ryan (6); Thomas Butler (6), Stephen Quinn (6), Michael Ryan (7).

Subs: Sean O’Connor (6) for James Ryan (6 inj); Philip Kelleher (6) for Quinn (16-17 blood) for M Ryan (56); Nathan Slattery (6) for Maher (46);

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).