Templederry relegated in dramatic finale

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation Final

Carrick Swan 3-16

Templederry Kenyons 1-21

Report: Michael Heverin in Boherlahan

Three minutes into added time in their County Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation final against Carrick Swan on Saturday, Templederry Kenyons looked to have secured their status when captain Sean Ryan got on the end of a sideline cut to flick the ball to the net for a two point lead, 1-21 to 2-16

Three minutes earlier, Stefan Tobin had put Swan in the driving seat when his second goal of the game had given his side a one point lead, 2-16 to 0-21.

Ryan’s response looked to have been the decisive score, but in a pressure-filled five minutes of injury time, there was to be one further twist. A huge clearance from Swan goalkeeper Adam Kerwick led to a scramble for possession in front of the Templederry goal, when referee Alan Tierney ramped up the tension further when awarding a free to Swan.

The Templederry defenders lined the goal, but Callum Lanigan from the free found a way to the net. Templederry were crestfallen as victory was snatched from them in the 65th minute.

The contrast in emotions couldn’t have been greater as the Swan players, officials and supporters celebrated as if they had won the title itself.

Such late drama seemed unlikely in the first half when Swan raced into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after just six minutes, the goal a rocket to the Templederry net from Stefan Tobin. Listed at corner forward, Gavin O’Halloran quickly reverted to a sweeper role that proved hugely effective in curtailing the Templederry threat.

O’Halloran’s opening score in the first minute had set Swan on the way to a 0-4 to no score lead after less than four minutes, Lanigan from a free, Tobin with his first point of three, and Taylor Fleming, before Sean Ryan from a free had Templederry’s opening score in the fifth minute. The North side struggled to cope with Swan’s high-tempo game and the lead stretched to 1-8 to 0-2 by the 13th minute.

Two in a row from Thomas Stapleton and another Ryan free helped to keep Templederry in touch, but by the 22nd minute, the Swan had gone ten clear, 1-12 to 0-5, with scores from Tobin, Callum Walsh, a Lanigan free, and Aaron Dunne on an advantage, to a Kenyons response from another Sean Ryan free.

By half time it was back to nine points, 1-14 to 0-8, Templederry points from Ryan (2) and Liam McCutcheon to Swan scores from Lanigan, one a free.

When Stefan Tobin pointed within fifteen seconds of the restart it looked as if Swan were going to cruise to victory. Instead, their high-intensity hurling from the first half deserted them, and they had to wait 28 minutes to score again. In that time Templederry hit thirteen points without reply.

Inspirational team captain Sean Ryan led from the front, and was involved in their first four points, pointing two frees, hitting a great score from play following superb fielding, and then setting Adrian Ryan clear to point.

While Mikey Ryan and Eanna Murray were shoring up the defence, Sean Ryan, Adrian Ryan, Gearóid Ryan and Colm Murray were cutting through the Swan defence.

The south side were struggling to curb the Templederry surge and had to wait until the 58th minute for their second score of the half from a Lanigan free to leave the score tied at 1-16 to 0-19.

Two huge frees from Eanna & Colm Murray put Templederry ahead again but the Swan replied with Stefan Tobin’s second goal.

Two more goals were to follow in a nerve-wrecking five minutes of added time – Sean Ryan’s to restore Templederry’s lead, and Lanigan’s late, late score to signal jubilant Swan celebrations, and leave the Kenyons playing intermediate hurling next season for the first time since 2008.

TEAMS - Carrick Swan: Adam Kerwick (7); Aidan Hanlon (6), Aaron O’Halloran (6), Jack Murphy (7); Ben Mulcaire (7), Eric O’Halloran (7), Scott Hogan (7); Sean Foley (7), Callum Walsh (7); Taylor Fleming (7) Stefan Tobin (9), Callum Lanigan (9), Darragh Dunne (6), Aaron Dunne (Capt 7), Gavin O’Halloran (8).

Subs; Sean Power (6) for A O’Halloran (35), Jamie Holloway (6) for D Dunne (44), Eoin Hogan (6) for Fleming (56).

Templederry Kenyons: John Kennedy (7); Brian Rohan (7), Mikey Ryan (7), Christy Coughlan (7); Brian Stapleton (J-Capt 7), Eanna Murray (8), Dale Donnelly (7); Liam McCutcheon (7), Thomas Stapleton (7), Gearóid Ryan (8), Adrian Ryan (8), Colm Murray (7); Michael Collins (7), Sean Ryan (J-Capt 8), Mattie Hogan (7).

Subs: Pa O’Leary (7) for McCutcheon (38), Sean Collins (7) for Hogan (48).

Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers).