Holycross Ballycahill retain U19A hurling crown after dogged battle with Toomevara

FBD Insurance U19A Hurling Championship Final

Holycross Ballycahill 0-19

Toomevara 0-16

Holycross Ballycahill had to strain every sinue of their ability and panel but in the end, they managed to edge out a dogged Toomevara team on Saturday’s ferociously contested FBD Insurance U19A Hurling Championship Final in Borris-Ileigh.

Back-to-back titles will be sweet for Holycross but even though they came into this game as strong favourites they were hit hard by a Toomevara team who weren’t going to roll over and that recipe led to a frantic match which was aided by the ideal Autumn weather.

Only twice over the 63-odd minutes was there more than one score between the teams with the defensive solidity of both teams from the throw-in clearly evident, as both management teams would have been wary of the threats of their opposite teams; Darragh McCarthy for Toomevara and Robbie Ryan for Holycross Ballycahill.

Starting with big confidence it was Holycross who took a lead in at the break at 0-11 to 0-8 as the Toomevara indiscipline was proving costly with Robbie Ryan’s free-taking flawless all afternoon, but the Greyhounds were smelling blood at the start of the second half and had the chance to equalise in the middle of the second half, but Darragh McCarthy just pulled his point wide.

In the end, Holycross’ bench made the telling difference along with the industry of James Doyle who set up half-time substitute Tiarnan Ryan for two key points; the first of which was a lovely bit of skill to just keep to at arm's length by the final whistle.

A frantic start to the game was a signal of things to come as the teams went at each other with savage intensity from the start, with spare men being deployed early as Jim Ryan and Dan Farrell held the line between the back from the throw-in.

Darragh McCarthy got the scoring up and running from a free in the fourth minute but Holycross settled well themselves soon after with three Robbie Ryan points (two frees), including a very well-taken effort from play had the defending champions ahead 0-3 to 0-1 after eight minutes.

The hard-working figure of Jake Hackett at midfield for Toomevara had a terrific game in midfield and he withstood two heavy tackles before moving toward goal and pointing a beauty a minute later which was soon followed by another McCarthy free to level things quickly.

Discipline was costing Toome some needless scores as their enthusiasm for the tackle was a little too over-zealous with Robbie Ryan punishing them with the next two scores from placed balls, just before Jimmie Lahart and James Doyle hit their first points of the day to push the four points in front after 21 minutes.

Having said that, there was no denying that Toome weren’t going to take a backward step and they kept the game to just one score by half-time with Austing Duff and a second from Jake Hackett keeping them ticking over, but again, they were coughing up frees at the wrong time which Robbie Ryan gobbled up with glee; Liam Doyle scoring the last pints of the half from distance to put ‘Cross lads ahead 0-11 to 0-8.

Toome would have been delighted to be in touch going in at the half, and that close proximity on the scoreboard seemed to give them confidence, and although Robbie Ryan scored his second from play from the throw-in, the North champions dominated the third quarter with Darragh McCarthy bursting into life with two classy points from play, while captain Tim Flaherty got off the mark too to make it just a one-point game after 44 minutes.

Indeed, it was Toome that were now winning the battles around the pitch with Dan Farrell, Cathal Frend, and Josh Powell all stepping up big time at the back, and that foundation from the back found Toome with a good chance to level in the 47th minute, but the usually reliable McCarthy just dragged it wide from the sideline to let Holycross off the hook.

Concerns were growing on the Holycross sideline as Toome were in this game in a big way now and it was left to James Doyle to start coming good for his team in the next ten minutes as he dogged a few possession wins in traffic, feeding Tiarnan Ryan for his first with the substitute scoring a classy effort, flicking the ball up first time and doubling it over from an acute angle.

Jimmie Lahart finally got on the scoreboard after being very quiet all game, scoring a big effort in the 49th minute but Toome weren’t going away as Darragh McCarthy again and an inspiring score from Jack Harford coming out of defence had the game on a knife edge going into the last ten minutes; Holycross ahead by 0-15 to 0-14.

However, when the chips were down you can understand why there is so much hope and expectation being placed on this group of players in the Holycross Ballycahill club, as they always seem to find a way to win tight games.

James Doyle was their biggest player in the final few minutes, as he won a lovely possession again to feed Tiarnan Ryan for his second point and although Darragh McCarthy was playing very well in the second half - Evan Morris struggling to curtail him - Holycross found the scores they needed as Cathal O’Reilly and Tadhg Gould hit hugely important scores going into injury time which made the difference.

Toome tried hard to find a winning goal late on but it was too late for those kinds of heroics with the Holycross rearguard just holding out to down a brave and impressive Toomevara effort.

Holycross Ballycahill: James O’Dwyer; Cathal O’Reilly (0-1), Evan Morris, Cian Ryan; Jack Lahart, Jim Ryan, Liam Doyle (0-1); Tadhg Gould (0-1), Sean McGrath; James Doyle (0-1), Eoin Craddock, Tony Maher; Jimmie Lahart (0-2), Audie Lohan, Robbie Ryan (0-11, 0-8f).

Subs used: Tiarnan Ryan (0-2) for Lohan (HT); Pierce Briody for Maher (45); Jake Galvin for C Ryan (62).

Toomevara: Cormac Hogan; Cathal Frend, Ted Evans, Josh Powell; Oisin Troy, Dan Farrell, Jack Harford (0-1); Jake Hackett (0-2), Joe Coffey; Jack Doran, Fionn McGuigan, Austin Duff (0-1); Darragh McCarthy (0-11, 0-6f), Tim Flaherty (0-1), Adam Hall.

Subs used: Billy O’Brien for McGuigan (47); Jack Hogan for Flaherty (53); Brian Farrell for Doran (60).

Referee: Tadhg Lonergan (Kilsheelan Kilcash)