Shanahan hat-trick inspires Newport Junior B's to more county glory

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Junior ‘B’ Hurling Championship Final

Newport 3-8

Ballina 1-12

Report: Liam Hogan at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Cathal Shanahan (Newport).

SCORERS – Newport: Cormac Shanahan 3-1; Cillian Collins 0-4 (3 frees); Jack Ryan, Jack Delahunty, Cathal Hannon 0-1 each.

Ballina: Ben King 0-5 (4 frees); Gary Slevin 1-2; Cathal O’Donnell 0-2; Brian Burke, Tadgh McKeogh, Brian Hurley 0-1 each.

Cormac Shanahan’s hat-trick goal in injury time helped Newport to their first County Junior ‘B’ Hurling title when they defeated Ballina in a well fought contest played in terribly wet and windy conditions on Saturday afternoon.

The win came after what seemed an impossible task as North champions Ballina truly dominated the first half twice taking a nine point lead in the opening twenty minutes. How Newport, despite playing with against the very strong breeze accompanied by heavy rain, fought back is a miracle. But comeback they did but it was with the help of two inspiring minors as Cathal Shanahan and Harry Noone led the way with Shanahan’s hat-trick giving him the man of the match award.

The game was played in the worst possible conditions with the constant rain and strong wind but yet, the teams played a thrilling contest.

Fresh from their semi-final win over Killea, Ballina had to line out without full back and veteran Aidan Hanley, replaced by JP Mbokha Tansia. Another change saw Cathal O’Donnell taking the place of full forward Brian Hurley.

In the early going, Ballina looked superior. Good work by their half backline of Cian Molloy, Dara King and Thomas Collins meant plenty of supply to the forward line where Ben King scored two frees either side of a Cathal O’Donnell point from play before further points by Gary Slevin and the ever present Brian Burke made it 0-5 to nil after six minutes.

Jack Ryan opened Newport’s tally a minute later but Tadgh McKeogh had the margin quickly back to five seconds later. More Ballina pressure almost created a goal chance but Newport keeper Paul Hogan denied Cathal O’Donnell with a very good save in the thirteenth minute.

The gaps in the Newport defence were evident and in the 16th minute a long delivery by Dara King dropped inside the Newport twenty-metre line where Gary Slevin managed to fire low to the net from a tight angle.

Newport, who had Cormac Shanahan starting in place of Jack McCarthy, saw Cillian Collins respond with a free after Stephen Coffey was fouled but Jack Grace and Ben King combined with a quick response as the latter had Ballina nine clear for the second time, 1-8 to 0-2 after twenty minutes.

After Cillian Collins replied with a free in the 21st minute, Newport, were showing signs of a recovery and five minutes later Cormac Shanahan fired into an empty net after the Ballina defence and goalkeeper Martin McKeogh got their wires crossed.

The umpires had the green flag just about raised before Newport were attacking again with Shanahan finding the net a second time.

It was mainly Newport now as Harry Noone put Shanahan through for a point and with the interval approaching there was enough time for Collins to point from play making scores level at half time, 1-8 to 2-5.

The second half produced three scores in opening six minutes; Cathal Hannon with a lead point for Newport but Brian Hurley - introduced at half time - levelled in the 34th minute before Cillian Collins had Newport back in front again.

From there, the second half became a dour struggle due to ever softening conditions. Referee Peter Carroll had to be patient. Both Collins and King missed the target by the 44th minute before King levelled for Ballina.

Martin McKeogh’s puckouts against the wind were barley reaching his own 65-yard line as Newport were slightly the more dominant side, and in the 51st minute Jack Delahunty edged them in front.

Led by the hard working Brian Burke, Ballina attacked regularly but their path to goal was curbed by a Newport defence that were prone to conceding frees. Ben King’s radar was off, however, to the increasing wind but eventually the pressure paid off as Gary Slevin brought scores level for the fourth time with two minutes of injury time gone.

Extra time was very much in the offing but the immediate puckout eventually found the hands of Newport’s Jack Ryan. His attempt for a winning score dropped short to where the ever present Jerry O’Brien lost his footing but Cormac Shanahan kept his cool and scooped the ball over the line for the winning goal.

There was one final piece of action with the restart as Ballina’s Cathal O’Donnell picked off a point but it wasn’t enough as Newport added the Junior ‘B’ title to their Minor ‘A’ success to give them a great platform for 2027.

TEAMS - Newport: Paul Hogan (7); Tom Allen (7), Conor Keating (Capt 7), Andrew Hickey (7); Darragh McGrath (7), John Lee (7), Niall Duffy (7); Jack Ryan (7), Jordan Young (6); Cathal Hannon (6), Peter O’Sullivan (6), Cillian Collins (7); Cormac Shanahan (8), Jack Delahunty (6), Stephen Coffey (6).

Subs: Harry Noone (8) for Young (11 inj); Daithi Whelton (6) for Duffy (23); Martin Carey (6) for Coffey (43); Declan Guerin (6) for Hannon (53); Jack McCarthy (NR) for Collins (57).

Ballina: Martin McKeogh (6); Tristan Giroudiere (7), JP Mbokha Tansia (7), Jack Quinn (7); Thomas Collins (7), Cian Molloy (7), Dara King (7); Conor Bourke (Capt 7), Jack Grace (7); Brian Burke (8), Conor Shanahan (6), Ben King (7); Tadgh McKeogh (6), Cathal O’Donnell (6), Gary Slevin (7).

Subs: Jerry O’Brien (7) for Mbokha Tansia (29 inj); Brian Hurley (7) for Shanahan (HT); Luke Power (6) for T McKeogh (45); Corey Ryan (NR) for Giroudiere (57 inj).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).