Above: West Tipperary GAA Chairman Andrew Fryday presented the John Farrell Cup to joint captains Gearóid Ryan (B) and David Buckley in the company of Sheila Farrell, representing the Farrell family, and Catherine Hogan who represented the sponsors, Tipperary Credit Union
Cappawhite 3-21 Golden/Kilfeacle 2-18
Cappawhite are Tipperary Credit Union
West Tipperary Intermediate Hurling champions for the third time following their victory over the holders Golden/Kilfeacle at Páirc Ciocaim, Dundrum on Friday evening.
This game ended in sensational fashion following a late, extraordinary comeback from the men in white, as they turned a four-point deficit on sixty minutes into a six-point advantage at the end of the five minutes of additional time, scoring three goals and a point in the process.
Golden came into this game as slight favourites and appeared to justify this favouritism, as they hit 1-3 to 0-2 in an eight-minute spell coming up to the end of normal time. When the fourth official signalled at least five minutes of added time, very few at this well-attended game could have foreseen the eventual outcome, as Golden/Kilfeacle seemed to have all the momentum. However, what was witnessed in added time will be remembered and spoken of for many a day, for various reasons, in both camps.
One minute into added time a long ball from half back Cian O’Carroll dropped into the Golden goalmouth and after a scramble was pushed over the line by Conor Martin, cutting the deficit to the minimum. Cappa' then followed up with two wides in succession before substitute Daire Duggan found the net on 63 minutes, and when Willie Barry followed up with his tenth converted placed ball the John Farrell Cup was firmly on its way to its new home for the next twelve months. Five minutes into added time another substitute, Jack Armshaw, put the icing on what was a remarkable comeback.
From the throw-in Cappawhite attacked the railway end, with Willie Barry setting up Conor Martin for the opening score of the game, a point.
Jack Leamy opened Golden’s account on four minutes, having been off target from an earlier attempt. Over the next five minutes Cappa' settled into a rhythm, which yielded four unanswered points, two each from Dara McCarthy and Willie Barry. During this passage of play Golden were guilty of some wayward shooting, hitting four further wides.
Jack Leamy lifted Golden back into the game with three points on the bounce, two from placed balls, as they began to settle. However, Cappa replied in triplicate through a converted Dara McCarthy free and two from open play by Willie Barry, his second on eighteen minutes from around 100 metres, following good work by Sam Carmody.
Golden, who were now up to the pitch of the game, finished the stronger, outscoring Cappa in the twelve minutes before the half time whistle by 1-5 to 0-2, the points coming from Josh Keane, Ben Currivan, Jack Bergin and a brace from Jack Leamy, while Willie Barry scored two from placed balls, bringing his total to six for the opening thirty minutes.
Two minutes into added time, a huge delivery by Shane O’Connell out of defence was fielded by Jack Leamy inside the twenty-metre line and the ace forward turned inside his marker before blasting past Anthony Barry for the game’s opening goal. A Willie Barry converted free four minutes into added time left the half-time score Golden/Kilfeacle 1-9 Cappawhite 0-11.
Following the restart a surge upfield by Ciaran Byrne, before he offloaded to Jack Dalton, extended Golden’s lead to two but again Cappa' replied with three minors on the bounce, from Dara McCarthy and Willie Barry. A converted Jack Leamy free had the sides back on level terms for the third time. Andy Byrnes and Sam Carmody traded minors before Jack Bergin put over his second of the evening.
Goalkeeper Anthony Barry tied the game from a placed ball, after Jack Leamy was penalised for over-carrying, a decision that wasn’t well received by the Golden/Kilfeacle supporters. It was all square with nineteen minutes of normal time remaining. Over the next six minutes, play became scrappy and both sides were guilty of wayward shooting. Jack Leamy hit two points, one from a placed ball before Conor Martin cut the deficit to the minimum, following an interchange with Dara McCarthy.
Willie Barry tied the contest for the fifth and final time with his tenth point as the game entered the final ten minutes. Cappawhite made what would turn out to be an inspired double substitution, bringing in Daire Duggan and Jack Armshaw to their attack with eight minutes of normal time left. Jack Leamy found the net for goal number two, before points by Andy Byrnes and Eanna Ormond gave Golden a five-point cushion. Willie Barry chipped into this lead with two converted frees before Jack Bergin put four between the sides on sixty minutes.
Golden/Kilfeacle had one hand on the silverware as the fourth official announced five minutes of added time, but Cappawhite had other ideas. One minute into the five, Conor Martin scrambled the ball over the line, cutting the deficit to the minimum. They then had two shots wide of the target in an effort to tie the game, before Daire Duggan goaled on 63 minutes to regain the lead.
Sixty seconds later Willie Barry put three between the sides with his 13th minor of the evening. Jack Armshaw had the final say, scrambling a third goal on 65 minutes, and thus ending a remarkable comeback and ensuring a third title for Cappawhite.
Prior to the start of the game a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the very recent passing of a great Gael and Cappawhite clubman, Paul McCarthy, in his 97th year.
Scorers: Cappawhite: Willie Barry (0-13, 10f), Conor Martin (1-2), Dara McCarthy (0-4, 2f), Daire Duggan (1-0), Jack Armshaw (1-0), Sam Carmody (0-1), Anthony Barry (0-1f).
Golden/Kilfeacle; Jack Leamy (2-9, 4f), Jack Bergin (0-3), Andy Byrnes (0-2), Josh Keane (0-1), Ben Currivan (0-1), Jack Dalton (0-1), Eanna Ormond (0-1).
Cappawhite: Anthony Barry, Kevin Stapleton, Sean Ryan (W), Philip Gantley, Cian O’Carroll, Gearóid Ryan (B) (joint captain), Tom Treacy, Ciarán Doody, Conor Martin, Sam Carmody, David Buckley (joint captain), Gearóid Lennon, Ben White, Dara McCarthy, Willie Barry.
Subs: Daire Duggan for Ben White (52), Jack Armshaw for Gearóid Lennon (52), Conor Gantley for Tom Treacy (inj 56), Tommy Costello for Philip Gantley (60+3).
Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Aidan O’Connell, Shane O’Connell, Ciaran Byrne, Cian O’Connell, Niall Heffernan, Jack Dalton, Jack Lonergan, Ben Currivan, Eanna Ormond, Jack Leamy (captain), Josh Keane, Sam Hall, Andy Byrnes, Jack Bergin.
Sub: Padraig Dalton for Jack Lonergan (38).
Referee: Cian Ryan (Eire Óg Annacarty Donohill).
