Tipperary win U15 Arrabawn Cup title for first time in 13 years on home soil in West Tipp

Arrabawn U15 Cup Semi-Final

Tipperary 1-17

Limerick 1-10

The 2023 Arrabawn Cup took place in West Tipperary on Saturday last with the competition down to the final four. The semi-finals took place at a well-prepared Dundrum at 12.30, with Tipperary taking on Limerick on the main pitch and Cork facing Waterford on the backfield. Tipp played with a strong breeze in the opening half of their semi-final and built up a healthy half-time lead, 0-12 to 0-8.

Paul Cummins and Jack Cahill were in good scoring form up front, contributing nine points between them. Aaron O’Donoghue, Euan Murray and Patrick Hackett were very solid at half-back as were Tommy O’Meara and Harry Lawlor at midfield, while wing forwards Cathal Kennedy and Dylan Hennessy worked hard in attack.

Limerick goaled through Paul Murphy within six minutes of the restart to breathe some much-needed life into the game. Tipp replied well with further points from Cummins, Cahill, and Hackett before substitute Philip O’Dwyer put the game to bed when he landed a major with a neat finish.

Limerick never gave up, scoring three points in the closing minutes but player of the match Paul Cummins had the final say with a great point into the teeth of the strong wind to leave Tipp 1-17 to 1-10 ahead at the long whistle. With the Deise repelling the Rebels it was off to Cashel for the final at 4pm.

Tipperary: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); Jaye Cilvinas (Arravale Rovers), Daniel McKelvey (Silvermines), Conor Kennedy (Boherlahan Dualla); Aaron O’Donoghue (Roscrea), Euan Murray (Durlas Óg), Patrick Hackett (Toomevara, 0-1); Tommy O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Harry Lawlor (St. Marys); Cathal Kennedy (Borris-Ileigh), Paul Cummins (Ballybacon Grange, 0-8, 0-4f), Dylan Hennessy (Mullinahone, 0-1); Kieran Rossiter (Durlas Óg, 0-1), Darragh Doyle (Killenaule, 0-1), Jack Cahill (Ballingarry, 0-5, 0-3f).

Subs used: Philip O’Dwyer (Upperchurch Drombane, 1-0) for Lawlor (HT); Cathal O’Meara (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams) for Doyle (48); Padraic O’Shea (JK Brackens) for Hackett (58).

Referee: Patrick O’Mahony (Cork)

Arrabawn U15 Cup Final

Tipperary 1-17

Waterford 0-9

Having escaped the earlier showers in Dundrum, they eventually caught up with us in Cashel making for slippery conditions. Waterford started the brighter, looked to be physically stronger and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after nine minutes thanks to points from Jamie Shanahan, Caoilinn Reville and Shane Power.

Tipp opened the scoring inside 16 seconds thanks to a point from Jack Cahill following a great run from Dylan Hennessy. But they struggled to get on any ball for the next ten minutes as Waterford looked the more likely.

Referee Johnny Dooley then correctly pulled the Deise for a throw ball which Cahill converted, Patrick Hackett followed with a beauty from 60 yards in the 12th minute before Darragh Doyle’s hard work yielded a point in the 17th minute.

Tipp had wrestled the initiative and continued to push forward with further points from Paul Cummins (3) and Doyle to give them a 0-8 to 0-3 interval lead. Waterford needed a good restart but Patrick Hackett’s well-taken goal following a mazy run put paid to their chances in the opening minute of the second half.

Cummins, Cahill and team captain Harry Wall (2) all followed with points and the game was over as a contest ten minutes into the second half. Euan Murray was very solid at six while Jaye Cilvinas got through an amount of work at cornerback.

The final quarter was academic but Waterford to their credit kept fighting to the end and scored six points through Shane Power (3), Gearoid O’Shea (2) and Tommy Kennedy. For Tipp Cahill (3), Philip O’Dwyer, and the hard-working Cathal Kennedy all landed points to give them a deserved 1-17 to 0-9 victory and their first Arrabawn title since 2010.

Tipp will be delighted with the success which follows on from their Tony Forristal success of 12 months ago.

Tipperary: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); Jaye Cilvinas (Arravale Rovers), Daniel McKelvey (Silvermines), Conor Kennedy (Boherlahan Dualla); Aaron O’Donoghue (Roscrea), Euan Murray (Durlas Óg), Darragh Rabbitte (Borris-Ileigh); Dylan Hennessy (Mullinahone), Tommy O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Cathal Kennedy (Borris-Ileigh 0-1), Paul Cummins (Ballybacon Grange, 0-4, 0-1f), Patrick Hackett (Toomevara, 1-1); Kieran Rossiter (Durlas Og), Darragh Doyle (Killenaule, 0-2), Jack Cahill (Ballingarry, 0-6, 0-4f).

Subs used: Harry Lawlor (St. Marys, 0-2) for O’Meara; Philip O’Dwyer (Upperchurch Drombane, 0-1) for Rabbitte; Cathal O’Meara (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams) for Hennessy; Padraic O’Shea (JK Brackens) for Kennedy; Conor McLoughlin (Newport) for Rossiter; Michael Ryan (Borris-Ileigh) for Doyle; Charlie Hall (Golden Kilfeacle) for Cummins.

Referee: Johnny Dooley (Tipperary)