Our Ladys Templemore come out on top against Nenagh CBS in U17 Hurling Schools Final

Fitzgerald Cup Final - County PPS U17A Hurling Final

Our Ladys Templemore 2-19

Nenagh CBS 2-13

Our Ladys Templemore finished strongly in the second half to squeeze past Nenagh CBS in the final of the County PPS U17A Hurling Final to claim the Fitzgerald Cup in Moneygall earlier this afternoon.

A hugely impressive start to the game by Nenagh CBS in which they went up 0-5 to nil after eight minutes, with their forwards proving too much to handle in the first quarter through the elusive Joe O’Dwyer along with Jake Hackett and Michael Ryan had Our Ladys at sixes and sevens, but they did eventually settle down to go in level at the break, and as the second half progressed they simply outclassed the north Tipp school to claim a comfortable six point win.

Newly appointed Tipperary minor captain Jamie Ormond was the best on show as he top scored with 1-13, hitting some wonderful scores dropping deep from centre forward, along with a bullet of a strike at the end of the first half to raise a green flag.

That goal came in the 30th minute as the Templemore school trailed 2-6 to 0-9 with the Nenagh goals coming from a fine finish from Joe O’Dwyer and an opportunistic finish from Jake Hackett who pounced on a mix up in the Our Ladys defence but it wouldn’t be enough come the final whistle.

There were no fewer than eight players on show who were named on the Tipperary minor hurling squad for this year, with Jamie Ormond, Ciaran O’Shea, Conor Gleeson, Sean Walsh, and Cormac Cahill all featuring for Our Ladys, while Jake Hackett, Michael Ryan and Eoghan Doughan lining out for Nenagh in what was a game of real quality.

Nenagh’s opening five point salvo came in a very fast start with the players in blue setting the pace with the points coming from Michael Ryan, Jake Hackett, Eoghan Doughan and a brace of well taken scores from Joe O’Dwyer at corner forward.

It took ten minutes for Our Ladys to get their first score on the board through a Jamie Ormond free but that seemed to light the required fire under them as they hit the next three in succession, with a brace coming from Ormond along with his first from play and a well taken effort by Jack Marnell at wing forward.

Ormond and Jake Hackett traded frees in the next few minutes before a real momentum of quality came from Nenagh CBS’s Joe O’Dwyer, who got out in front of his man to latch onto a diagonal ball into his corner and he proceeded to take it in hand and round a few defenders to lash the ball to the net off his stick and give his side a 1-6 to 0-5 lead after 15 minutes.

Jamie Ormond was proving elusive as he was floating around the field from centre forward and hit another long range point along with a free in the next five minutes to cut the gap to one point; but this didn’t last long as Jake Hackett had his side’s second goal, pouncing on a mix up under a high ball in the square between two Our Ladys players to lash to the back of the net.

That gave Nenagh a five point lead but Our Ladys were getting into a rhythm now despite the goal with Ciaran O’Shea and Joey Quinn getting their first points of the game, and when Jamie Ormond powered down the centre of the CBS defence and lashed a rasper to the top corner, it was level pegging and with Ormond and Hackett trading four frees between them up to the break the sides were level at half time at 2-8 to 1-11.

Templemore hit the front for the first time in the game after the restart with Joey Quinn finding his second of the day from a tight angle, but Nenagh reeled off the next three points in succession through Jake Hackett (one from play) to quickly re-establish a two point lead after 36 minutes.

However, the next ten minutes would be a purple patch for Our Ladys which would give the platform for victory to the Templemore school as three Jamie Ormond points (one from play) along with a brilliant finish by Joey Quinn to goal in the 40th minute - after a fantastic set up by substitute Philip O’Dwyer had the men in maroon ahead 2-15 to 2-11 with a quarter of the game to play.

All the running was going in favour of the Templemore school at this stage as Nenagh struggled for a response, but they were given a chance when they were awarded a penalty on 45 minutes, with Jake Hackett’s strike being saved well by Mikey Ryan to keep the advantage in his team’s favour.

And that would be crucial as Nenagh couldn’t pierce through the Our Ladys rearguard in the final ten or so minutes and further late points from Jamie Ormond, Joey Quinn, and Ciaran O’Shea put a seal on a well deserved win in an entertaining contest as the Fitzgerald Cup makes its way back to Templemore.

Scorers: Our Ladys Templemore: Jamie Ormond (1-13, 0-10f), Joey Quinn 1-3, Ciaran O’Shea 0-2, Jack Marnell 0-1.

Nenagh CBS: Jake Hackett (1-8, 0-6f), Joe O’Dwyer 1-2, Michael Ryan, Eoghan Doughan, Darragh Treacy all 0-1 each.

Our Ladys Templemore: Mikey Ryan (Loughmore Castleiney); Mark Conroy (Drom & Inch), Conor Gleeson (Drom & Inch), Niall Delaney (JK Brackens); Sean Walsh (JK Brackens), Tom Corcoran (JK Brackens), Dylan Quinlan (JK Brackens); Cormac Cahill (Drom & Inch), Shay Gleeson (Moneygall); Jack Marnell (JK Brackens), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens), Eoin Boyle (Borris-Ileigh); Cathal Guilfoyle (Moyne Templetuohy), Ciaran O’Shea (JK Brackens), Joey Quinn (Loughmore Castleiney).

Subs: Philip O’Dwyer (Upperchurch Drombane) for Quinlan (36); Tommy Burke for Conroy (50).

Nenagh CBS: Evan Sherlock (Kiladangan); Cian Hogan (Silvermines), Gavin McGrath  (Kiladangan), Dara O’Dwyer (Kiladangan); Brehon O’Donnell (Silvermines), Jack Doran (Toomevara), Liam O’Callaghan (Portroe); Darragh Treacy (Silvermines), Brian O’Meara (Kiladangan); Jake Hackett (Toomevara), Michael Ryan (Kiladangan), Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall); Sean Nolan (Silvermines), Thomas Ryan (Burgess), Joe O’Dwyer (Burgess).

Subs: Chullain McGrath (Kiladangan) for Ryan (58); Eoin Garrigan (Nenagh Éire Óg) for Nolan (63).

Referee: Ger Fitzpatrick (Roscrea)