Stirring comeback seals place in Tipperary Under 21 B final for Moyle Rovers

Moyle Rovers 3-4 Boherlahan/Dualla 2-5 

Moyle Rovers are through to the final of the FBD County Under 21 B Football Championship following their spirited second half comeback against Boherlahan/Dualla at Fethard Town Park on Saturday evening.

Trailing by five points at the break, they upped their intensity for the second period and were rewarded with two second half goals from Jake Forristal, while also having to withstand late pressure from the mid champions. At the end it took a brilliant injury-time save from goalkeeper Peter Boland to keep them in the competition.

Boherlahan/Dualla were good value for their interval lead, thanks to two goals from Eugene O’Dwyer, the first after two minutes and the second on the stroke of half time when he finished off a defence-splitting seventy metre run from Martin Paul O’Dwyer.

This was a hugely entertaining game, and only three points in total came from placed balls. At the end of the day the south champions just about deserved their victory, having kept Boherlahan scoreless for the final fifteen minutes plus added time. Coming down the home straight they also had a penalty saved by Boherlahan’s captain Darragh Lacey.

Boherlahan struck the opening blow inside two minutes when Eugene O’Dwyer fisted to the net. This was followed up with a point from Jake Canny from a mark. Dylan Fogarty followed up with a converted placed ball after six minutes.

Cathal O’Gorman converted a free to open Moyle Rovers’ account after twelve minutes. Rovers’ Michael O’Reilly sent a crossfield ball after fifteen minutes that found Paddy O’Keeffe and the wing forward gave Darragh Lacey no chance with a low shot to the bottom corner of the net.

As the game entered the final minutes before the break, Boherlahan finished a move involving Dylan Fogarty and James Murphy, with Murphy kicking a good point from distance.

On the stroke of half time Martin Paul O’Dwyer, on his own 65, started a run that split open the Rovers backline and finished with a perfect lay-off to Eugene O’Dwyer, who made no mistake to crash home goal number two. This gave the mid champions an interval lead of five points, 2-3 to 1-1.

Rovers came out a much energised outfit for the second half and attacked from the throw-in. Cathal O’Gorman kicked a point from a free after three minutes and six minutes later Paddy O’Keeffe reduced the deficit to three points when he kicked over from an acute angle.

Eventually, on 43 minutes Jake Forristal tied the game for the first time when he fielded a long ball, turned and blasted a low shot, which took a deflection, before finding the back of the net.

The mid champions lifted their game again and James Murphy kicked two wonderful points inside ninety seconds, the first after receiving a pass from Charlie Ryan and the second when put through by Euan Ryan. With fifteen minutes of normal time left this was their last score.

Rovers’ Paddy O’Keeffe kicked his second minor of the day before Jake Forristal dealt a hammer blow with his second goal. This gave Rovers the lead for the first time with five minutes of normal time remaining. A Boherlahan attack was turned over and Forristal’s run at the Boherlahan defence ended when he was hauled down in the square. Darragh Lacey saved the resulting penalty, a well-struck shot from Dean English.

Deep in injury time Boherlahan had one last game-saving chance, but Peter Boland came to the rescue when he saved at the expense of a 45, which came to nothing.

For Moyle Rovers, Peter Boland handled well and his last minute save ensured their place in the final.

James Cummins and Shane Ryan marshalled the defence, with Michael O’Reilly always willing to come forward. In attack, Paddy O’Keeffe and Jake Forristal pulled the strings while Cathal O’Gorman kicked his two frees well.

Boherlahan gave it their all and could have stolen it at the death. Darragh Lacey saved the penalty, which kept them in the game, while Charlie Walsh was full of running and attacked at will. Martin Paul O’Dwyer’s defence-splitting run paved the way for Eugene O’Dwyer’s second goal while Ger O’Dwyer won the midfield battle.

James Casey curtailed the influence of Shane Ryan while James Murphy took his points well.

Moyle Rovers: Peter Boland, Ronan Walsh, Joseph Cummins, Liam Maher, Michael O’Reilly, Shane Ryan (captain), Ben O’Donovan, Killian Butler, Rian McCormack, Daragh Walsh, Dean English, Paddy O’Keeffe (1-2), Daire Luttrell, Jake Forristal (2-0), Cathal O’Gorman (0-2 frees).

Sub: Cathal Cullinan for Ben O’Donovan (39).

Boherlahan/Dualla: Darragh Lacey (captain), Charlie Ryan, Ned Ryan, Ross Darcy, Eugene O’Dwyer (2-0), Martin Paul O’Dwyer, Robbie Darcy, Euan Ryan, Ger O’Dwyer, Jake Canny (0-1), James Casey, Dylan Fogarty (0-1 free), Sean Bourke, Michael O’Connor, James Murphy (0-3).

Subs: David Clarke for Michael O’Connor (45), Diarmuid Coffey for David Clarke (60).

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).