Rousing final quarter helps St Mary’s to four-in-a-row of South U19A titles
ST MARY’S 3-19 KILLENAULE 2-18
St Mary’s are South Tipperary Under 19 A hurling champions for the fourth year in-a-row after a storming final quarter earned them a four-points victory over Killenaule at a new-look Kilsheelan on Wednesday evening.
The Clonmel side who had trailed by six points at the interval were still that half-dozen in arrears midway through the second period before outscoring their opponents 2-7 to 0-3 in a rousing finish.
Killenaule looked to be in control of matters when leading by 2-15 to 1-12 well into the second period with St Mary’s having made no inroads into their half-time deficit despite the breeze at their backs. However, a superb goal in the 46th minute from wing-back Jack Lawlor seemed to change the course of the game. The Clonmel side, managed by senior player Richie Gunne, then tagged on the next four points within three minutes to edge in front as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
Briefly Killenaule restored parity with a free, but all the momentum was now with St Mary’s and their third goal of the evening, four minutes from the end of normal time, from Aaron Cagney, put the game beyond the Robins. For the second time in a week the Western Road representatives had scored an important victory over their rivals, their senior side having defeated Killenaule in the Premier Intermediate Championship five days earlier.
Kilsheelan GAA Field was hosting its first final in over two years at the extended and redeveloped facility with everything in pristine condition for this much anticipated decider. The sides had drawn in their round-robin game weeks ago and they continued point for point in the early stages, level three times over the first eight minutes.
The Clonmel side had nudged 0-5 to 0-3 ahead by the 11th minute with four of their five points from play from Darragh Landers, Finn Napier, Harry Lawlor and Alex Creed added to by Aaron Cagney’s first free of the final. The Killenaule responses all came from Darragh Doyle, one from play and two frees.
The holders were rocked back on their heels by a Luke Ryan goal for Killenaule in the 12th minute when the full-forward caught a long delivery from Tony Ryan and rounded his marker to place low past the St Mary’s captain, Cian Corcoran.
The Bubbles O’Dwyer-managed Killenaule then hit a purple patch with six of the next seven points to lead 1-9 to 0-6 by the 25th minute. Hurling well at this stage, their white flags were raised by Oisin Shelly, Darragh O’Gorman (3), Luke Ryan and Darragh Doyle (free); St Mary’s solitary reply a Harry Lawlor free. Darragh O’Gorman was the man of the moment as the first half drew to a close, his pace and stickwork proving a real headache for the St Mary’s defenders.
Six down, the Mary’s needed a response and it came in the form of a goal scored by Finn Napier. The rock-solid centre-back Tadgh Sheehan found Niall Deely in creating the move and when corner-forward Napier was given his chance he took it with aplomb.
Killenaule captain Podge O’Dwyer and Niall Deely then traded points – the latter perhaps having a chance of a goal after his blistering run through the middle. From the puck-out that let-off seemed accentuated when Killenaule scored their second goal to go back in front by six. The Reds had the Clonmel defence at sixes-and-sevens and when a Luke Ryan effort came back off the bottom of the post, Darragh O’Gorman was in the right place to send a low effort to the back of the net.
The sides then shared a pair of excellent points from Oisin Shelly and Aaron Cagney before half-time at which stage Killenaule were ahead by 2-11 to 1-8. At that, they could hardly have been satisfied with the margin having hit nine first half wides to their opponents’ two; ultimately they would regret such largesse.
Like in the first half, the early exchanges of the second were pretty much tit-for-tat, four points each over the first quarter of a game that had gone a bit scrappy and heavy with poor ball control and unforced errors.
In that third quarter the Killenaule points came from Fionn Fitzgerald, Darragh Doyle (2, one free) and Oisin Shelly; St Mary’s replying via Niall Deely, Aaron Cagney (two frees) and a stand-out point from corner-back Thomas Charles who made huge ground up the wing before sending over a beauty off his left from 40 metres out.
Playing into the breeze, Killenaule would have been satisfied enough to be holding their own at 2-15 to 1-12 as the third quarter ended. St Mary’s needed things to start happening and the Lawlor brothers saw to that, combining in the creation and execution of their vital second goal. Harry found brother Jack with a fine pass and the wing-back cut in from the right sideline to blast a rocket past David McCormack in the Killenaule goal.
Right back in it now, four points followed in quick succession for St Mary’s from Harry Lawlor (2, one free), Aaron Cagney (free) and Niall Deely. Six-down was now one-up in just over six minutes of no-nonsense hurling. Killenaule seemed to have lost their composure and shape and St Mary’s were hurting them for it.
A Darragh Doyle free levelled matters briefly at 2-16apiece seven minutes from time. But in another burst the Clonmel side rattled off 1-2 without reply in two minutes to put one hand on the cup.
Harry Lawlor pointed from the tightest of angles for the lead before the match-clinching goal followed in the 56th minute. Niall Deely played a long delivery in around the house, Aaron Cagney fielded impressively, got around his man, and rattled the net. Game over.
In the closing minutes Cagney added on two frees for the winners, with a by now well-beaten Killenaule responding with points from Darragh Doyle (free) and the last score of the game from the never-say-die Nathan Barrett.
TEAMS AND SCORERS
ST MARY’S: Cian Corcoran (captain), Max O’Dwyer, David McSweeney, Thomas Charles (0-1), Jack Lawlor (1-0), Tadgh Sheehan, Darragh O’Connor, Darragh Landers (0-1), James Power, Alex Creed (0-1), Paul Maher, Aaron Cagney (1-7, 0-6F), Finn Napier (1-1), Harry Lawlor (0-5, 0-2F), Niall Deely (0-3).
Subs: Jamie O’Keeffe for Maher (HT).
KILLENAULE: David McCormack, Shane Ryan, Finn Nolan, Billy Smyth, Charlie Barrett, Owen O’Dwyer, Jimmy Ryan, Padge O’Dwyer (captain, 0-1), Nathan Barrett (0-1), Oisin Shelly (0-3), Fionn Fitzgerald (0-1), Tony Ryan, Darragh O’Gorman (1-3), Luke Ryan (1-1), Darragh Doyle (0-8, 0-6F).
Subs: Luke Fitzgerald for J. Ryan (40 mins); Daniel Charles for O’Dwyer (54 mins).
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers).