Eire Og reach yet another final in west Tipperary championship

Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill 0-13 Rosegreen 0-9

Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill booked their fifth final appearance in a row when overcoming Rosegreen in the semi-final of the Shane Hennessy Agri Advisor West Junior B Football championship at Golden on Saturday evening.

The rain of the previous two days had no telling effect on the well-maintained Golden surface, as a slight wind blew towards the dressing room end on this cold but dry evening.

Rosegreen had the better of the early exchanges, with Killian Ryan at his best, kicking some wonderful long range points.

They led 0-4 to 0-2 after ten minutes, as Eire Og were slow to get to the pace of the game. Coming up towards half-time, Rosegreen were reduced to fourteen players when Charlie Costello was the recipient of a black card, but led at the break by 0-8 to 0-5. 

Eire Og, who had lost Eoin Kennedy and Philip McGrath to injury coming up to half-time, were dealt another blow six minutes after the restart when Alan Shanahan was forced to leave the field with a shoulder injury. The Eire Og substitutions certainly contributed to a spirited second half comeback, holding Rosegreen to just a single point, while at the same time getting in for eight points, seven from open play.

In the end of a good natured contest they deserved their four-point winning margin and now advance to their fifth final appearance in a row. 

Rosegreen were quickly out of the traps and points from Frank Culleton and Killian Ryan inside two minutes got the scoreboard ticking over.

Cathal Coughlan pulled one back but a Killian Ryan converted free, followed by a somewhat questionable point from play off the boot of Keith Bergin, gave them a three-point advantage after five minutes.

Eire Og responded with their first good move of the game involving Pat Aherne, Jack Kingston and ending with an Alan Shanahan point. Philip McGrath converted a free before Alan Shanahan turned provider when he set up Willie O’Neill for the equaliser at the quarter mark.

Rosegreen dominated the second quarter, with Killian Ryan in fine form, kicking three points in a three-minute spell. Cian Mooney broke the sequence with a good score but Dan Hayde had the final say of an entertaining half when he put over one minute into injury time.

The half-time score was Rosegreen 0-8, Eire Og 0-5.

Eire Og were a transformed team after the break, kicking six unanswered points during the third quarter, with Pat Aherne, Alan Shanahan (before being injured), Ronan O’Brien, Willie O’Neill and Dan Kelly (two) all getting on the scoresheet.

Nine minutes from time, Tony Kerwick kicked Rosegreen’s lone second half score but substitute Michael Buckley kicked two wonderful points late on to secure an Eire Og victory.

Scorers: Eire Og: Michael Buckley (0-2), Dan Kelly (0-2), Willie O’Neill (0-2), Alan Shanahan (0-2, 1 free), Philip McGrath (0-1 free), Cathal Coughlan (0-1), Pat Aherne (0-1), Ronan O’Brien (0-1), Cian Mooney (0-1).

Rosegreen: Killian Ryan (0-5, 4 frees), Frank Culleton (0-1), Keith Bergin (0-1), Tony Kerwick (0-1), Dan Hayde (0-1).

Eire Og: Raymond Barry, Peter O’Dwyer, Dan Hogan, Adam O’Dwyer, David Breen, Eoin Kennedy (captain), Cathal Coughlan, Richard O’Doherty, Cian Mooney, Willie O’Neill, Pat Aherne, Jack Kingston, Jordan Hayes, Philip McGrath, Alan Shanahan.

Subs: Ronan O’Brien for Philip McGrath (29 mins), Dan Kelly for Eoin Kennedy, Michael Buckley for Alan Shanahan (36 mins), Mike Fox for David Breen (45 mins), Evan Heffernan for Jack Kingston (56 mins).

Rosegreen: Ger Cummins, Sean Ryan, Kevin Tobin, James Walsh, Nick Ryan (joint captain), Tom Dowling, Daniel Keating, Frank Culleton, Keith Bergin, Tony Kerwick, Charlie Costello, Dan Hayde, Diarmuid Quinlan, Killian Ryan, Podge Quinlan.

Subs: Kyle Burke for James Walsh (49 mins), JP Anglim for Diarmuid Quinlan (49 mins), Pa Ryan for Podge Quinlan (55 mins).

Referee: Paul Carew (Lattin/Cullen).