Holycross Ballycahill impressive in dominant U17 Mid Hurling final win over Durlas Óg

Mid Tipperary U17A Hurling Championship Final

Holycross Ballycahill 5-19

Durlas Óg 3-13

Holycross Ballycahill exacted clinical and impressive retribution to claim this year’s Mid U17A Hurling crown as they completely outclassed rivals Durlas Óg in the second of a doubleheader in The Ragg last Sunday afternoon.

At this stage last year Holycross succumbed to a narrow and shocking loss to Moycarkey Borris and would have been desperate to get their hands on a Mid crown after disappointing that 2022 decider, but to say they were full value for the win is an understatement as they looked the better team all day long against a strong Durlas Óg team.

It was the Ryans who doled out the bulk of the damage for Holycross on the scoreboard with Robbie, Sean, and Tiarnan all filling their boots in an impressive display from the defending county champions, and they will be very difficult to stop going into the county series in the coming weeks.

Despite the result, Durlas Óg got off to a fast start inside the opening five minutes where they had a 1-1 to 0-1 lead thanks to an early goal from John Broderick who had the simplest of finishes after a powerful run and set up from Euan Murray gave him to and space to finish, while Keith Rossiter looked prominent early to score his and his side’s first point a minute later.

Robbie Ryan pointed the first score of the game from a free in less than two minutes and he responded to that quick burst of scores from Durlas Óg to equalise in the sixth minute, showing searing pace and power to run in at goal on the angle and rifle a left-sided effort into the top corner past the helpless Harry Bourke.

The crowd were being treated to a very high-quality game early on and it looked like the game was going to be a cracking contest between two top teams but Holycross took early control of the game in the aftermath of those goals, opening a 1-6 to 1-2 lead by the 12th minute thanks to points from Sean Ryan (2), Robbie Ryan (free), Tiarnan Ryan and a well taken long ranger from Tadhg Ryan giving them early impetus.

Durlas Óg took the edge of those scores with scores from Leelan Donoghue (2) and a well-struck Cillian Minogue strike from an acute angle had them back to within two points of their opponents by the 17th minute, but Holycross’ forwards were looking so sharp and they bagged their second goal in the 18th minute when a Conor O’Sullivan sideline landed dangerously around the goalmouth and Sean Ryan showed great dexterity to control it and strike the ball one handed from the ground, the shot rolling under Jamie Stapleton into the back of the net.
That gave Holycross a 2-7 to 1-5 lead as the county champions were clearly in the ascendancy all over the field and despite conceding a number of scorable frees for Cillian Minogue to convert it was Holycross who finished the half in form with Robbie Ryan, Tiarnan Ryan and a first for both Zach O’Keefe and Conor O’Sullivan gave them a healthy 2-12 to 1-8 lead at halftime.

Somehow, Durlas Óg would need to find a way to curtail the influence of Robbie Ryan inside with the joint captain pulling all the strings for his side, and they started the half in perfect fashion with John Broderick powering through the middle of the ‘Cross defences, with his low effort on goal found its way to the net despite a touch from Harry Bourke.

And it was down to three points a minute later in the 35th minute when Cillian Minogue pointed a close-range free as the game had been turned on its head in the blink of an eye.

However, Holycross did not even blink after the Durlas Óg purple patch and set themselves back into their pattern of play and by the time the three-quarter mark of the game came they had wrapped up the result with goals from Zach O’Keefe and Tiarnan Ryan putting 'Cross in the driving seat as they led 4-14 to 2-10 on the 45-minute mark.

From here, it was cruise control for the men in green and white with Tiarnan Ryan enjoying his day in the final quarter, adding another 1-1 with his goal being put on a plate for him by Zach O’Keefe and with scores also coming from Robbie Ryan (two frees) and a superb Tony Maher point, it was all Holycross with the clock ticking down.

In fairness to Durlas Óg, they never stopped hunting for scores to get back into the game and they had a late consolation goal from substitute Liam Gleeson late on but it was far too little too late as Holycross Ballycahill claimed Mid honours.

Holycross Ballycahill: Harry Bourke; Daire Ryan, Cian Ryan, Jack O’Dwyer; Cathal O’Reilly, Evan Morris, Jack Lahart; Tadhg Ryan (0-1), Jake Galvin; Tony Maher (0-1), Conor O’Sullivan (0-1), Tiarnan Ryan (2-3); Sean Ryan (1-2), Robbie Ryan (1-10, 0-7f), Zach O’Keeffe (1-1).

Subs used: Eoghan Hickey for O’Keeffe (60); Cathay Ryan for O’Dwyer (60); Tadhg Nally for Maher (60).

Durlas Óg: Jamie Stapleton; Bill Fogarty, Keelan Dunne, James Lloyd; Kyle O’Dowd, Keith Loughnane, Evan Nolan; Conor Gleeson, Euan Murray (0-1f); Kieran Rossiter (0-1), Leelan Donoghue (0-2), John Broderick (2-0); Ronan O’Brien (0-1), Tristan Kelly (0-1), Cillian Minogue (0-7, 0-5f).

Subs used: Sean Lloyd for Gleeson (56); Ben Moroney for Dunne (56); Ronan O’Dwyer for Lloyd (58); Liam Gleeson (1-0) for Minogue (59).

Referee: Sean Everard (Moyne Templetuohy)