Clonoulty snatch victory in West Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship with late goal

Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-15 Rockwell Rovers 0-17

An injury time goal from Paudie White cemented Clonoulty/Rossmore’s place in the semi-final of the Gleeson Concrete West Junior A Hurling Championship at Leahy Park Cashel on Sunday.

As the game entered injury time Rockwell led by two points, having overcome a half-time deficit of four, and looked well on the way to securing a semi-final spot. However, White pounced on a defensive error to knock home the only goal of the game.

This was a game that never really got off the ground in terms of entertainment value, and was played in drab conditions.
Clonoulty were quick off the mark, hitting the opening three points inside two minutes, with Fiachra O’Keeffe being particularly impressive.

The New Inn side settled and had drawn level by the end of the opening quarter, with three points coming from Alan Moloney. Clonoulty hit five of the last six points to go four up at the break, four of those points coming from placed balls.

Rockwell got the start they wanted to the second half and had gone one ahead by the ninth minute. They continued in this vein until White’s smash and grab goal late on. To compound their problems, they finished the game with fourteen players, having lost a defender to a straight red card deep in injury time.

From the start Clonoulty were quickly on the scoreboard, with Fiachra O’Keeffe firing over two points inside ninety seconds. Paudie White had them three to the good with two minutes on the clock.

Alan Moloney kickstarted Rockwell with a converted placed ball, before Paudie White restored Clonoulty’s three-point advantage on nine minutes. Rockwell replied with three unanswered points, two from Alan Moloney and one from Michael O’Donnell, to tie the game by the end of the first quarter.

Fiachra O’Keeffe and TJ Ryan, both from play, exchanged points before O’Keeffe hit four on the trot from placed balls.
Nicky Kearns put over from under the stand and Alan Moloney hit his fourth to leave the half time score, Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-10, Rockwell Rovers 0-6.

Rockwell, who needed a victory to secure a semi-final spot, got the start they needed after the break. Alan Moloney pointed after just twenty seconds and followed up with a converted free one minute later.

Tom Tobin then raced through the centre and cut the deficit to the minimum before TJ Ryan had the game all square with seven minutes gone.

Rovers were now playing with confidence and TJ Ryan, with his third point of the game, put them ahead for the first time.

Clonoulty were finding it difficult against the more physical New Inn side, but Nathan Slattery finished a good move to tie the game at 0-11 each.

Rockwell got three of the next four scores, two from Alan Moloney and one from TJ Ryan, to put them into a three-point advantage with seven minutes remaining.

O’Keeffe steadied the ship with two converted frees, putting the minimum between the sides with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Liam Fahey doubled Rovers’ advantage from a sideline ball as the clock headed towards injury time.

Two minutes into injury time, Rovers failed to deal with a fairly simple ball and Paudie White capitalised, scoring the only goal of the game and putting Clonoulty ahead by the minimum.

They staved off of a couple of Rockwell attacks before the final whistle and held out for a hard-earned one point victory.

Rockwell finished the game with fourteen players when they lost a defender, to a straight red card, following a wild pull deep into injury time.

Clonoulty now join Galtee Rovers in the semi-final, with the top spot at stake when they meet in the final round robin game in a few weeks’ time.

Rockwell, by conceding the late goal, missed a chance of securing a semi-final place, and a victory over Lattin/ Cullen in their final game is now a must.

Scorers: Clonoulty/Rossmore: Fiachra O’Keeffe (0-10, 7 frees), Paudie White (1-2), Nicky Kearns (0-1), James Hammersley (0-1), Nathan Slattery (0-1).

Rockwell Rovers: Alan Moloney (0-9, 7 frees), TJ Ryan (0-5), Liam Fahey (0-1 sideline), Tom Tobin (0-1), Michael O’Donnell (0-1).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Jason O’Dwyer, Keelan Ryan, Niall Shanahan, Adam Fryday, Aidan Loughman, Donncha Quirke, Paddy Ryan (captain), Nathan Slattery, Paddy Kennedy, Oisin Fryday, Paudie White, Padraig Heffernan, James Hammersley, Nicky Kearns, Fiachra O’Keeffe.

Subs: Sean Ryan (Raymond) for Nicky Kearns (47 mins), James Heffernan for Keelan Ryan (45 mins).

Rockwell Rovers: Colm Moloney, Peter Heaney, Robert O’Donnell, Paul Halley, Liam Lonergan, Aidan Barron, Diarmaid Lonergan (captain), Liam Fahey, Tom Downey, Tom Tobin, Michael O’Donnell, Alan Moloney, Willie Flynn, TJ Ryan, Kieran McGovern.

Subs: Kevin Cleary for Willie Flynn (40 mins), Michael Barron for Peter Heaney (50 mins), Jason O’Gorman for Michael O’Donnell (50 mins), Peter Heaney for Paul Halley (injured, 51 mins).

Referee: Donnacha Horan (Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill).