All-Ireland final coming up for Drom & Inch hurlers after beating of Birr

All-Ireland Junior B Hurling Series Semi-Final

Drom & Inch 0-17

Birr 1-6

Drom & Inch are just one game away from making it back-to-back All-Ireland titles for Tipperary clubs, as they always had the upper hand on Leinster runner-ups Birr in Saturday’s first semi-final clash in Raheenagh.

Just a week on after clinching the most dramatic of Munster titles against Monaleen of Limerick, Drom settled down to earth again and had far less trouble getting the job done this time around, with some enforced changes to the team doing little to knock them out of their rhythm.

Paul Kennedy was the main man in the scoring stakes again for the Tipperary champions, and after showing his goal-scoring prowess with a late hat-trick in the Munster final recently, he delved into his armoury to put on a showcase of point scoring as he hit five points from play throughout the game.

In fairness to the rest of the Drom & Inch players on show though, there were plenty of other key influences to the victory with Diarmuid Brennan and Jack Johnson outstanding all game while Michael Costello and Joe Lupton put in good shifts too as the Mid club will now look to emulate Clonoulty Rossmore by winning the All-Ireland title in the coming weeks.

The first half was played in surprisingly good conditions on Saturday with the weather steering clear of the Limerick venue and Drom got on top from the off with Kevin Butler getting the scoring underway after two minutes which was added to by Paul Kennedy three minutes later to give the Mid men an early two-point lead.

Birr had started slowly but they didn't find their way into the game in the next six or seven minutes and got off the mark through a clever finish from Ger Teehan after a good run.

However, Drom & Inch were looking far fresher and pacier with Jack Johnson in particular running the show at midfield and after Kevin Butler and Devon Beale (free), Drom hit five points in a row up to the 22nd minute with the aforementioned Johnson, Daniel McAllister, Michéal Butler, Diarmuid Brennan, and Enda Walsh (free) hitting the target to give the Munster champions a 0-8 to 0-2.

Diarmuid Brennan was dominating the game at wing back and was having a big influence on proceedings and just after former Offaly hurler Barry Whelahan pointed Birr’s third point in the 23rd minute, Brennan hit a beauty from range and along with Paul Kennedy’s second before half-time, Drom went into the break in a healthy position ahead 0-10 to 0-4.

The heavens opened during the second-half resumption and Drom would have hoped to quench any Birr revival early and went about it well with Paul Kennedy pointing his first free of the half after three minutes, but Birr did find a way back with Conor Grimes finding Devon Beale in behind with a clever hand pass and the number ten slotted the ball home past David Kinnane.

That might have been the catalyst for Birr to come back into contention, but it wasn’t to be for the Offaly club as Drom stayed in control, and with Paul Kennedy making his mark in the second half, it was one-way traffic for the remainder as Kennedy hit the rest of Drom’s scores in the game as Birr couldn’t prevent the inevitable.

The Tipperary and Munster champions will now go forward to a rematch against Monaleen in the All-Ireland Final in two weekends, where there will be plenty of anticipation after the recent Munster decider against the Limerick champions.

Drom & Inch: David Kinnane; Cathal Flynn, Michael Costello, Andy Mullen; Jimmy Mullen, Enda Walsh (0-1f), Diarmuid Brennan (0-2); Liam Harty, Jack Johnson (0-1); Joe Lupton, Paul Kennedy (0-9, 0-4f), Donncha Barry; Kevin Butler (0-2), Michéal Butler (0-1), Daniel McAllister (0-1).

Subs used: Pat Lupton for K Butler (HT); Sean Duffe for M Butler (48); Rory O’Dwyer for Barry (59).

Birr: Aaron Whelahan; Patrick Dwane, Aaron Coffey, Ronan McNamara; Michael Cleare, Kevin Tierney, Fionn O’Carroll; Ger Teehan (0-1), Sean O’Connor; Devon Beale (1-3, 0-2f), Conor Grimes, Barry Whelahan (0-2); Tom Errity, Jeffrey Pardy, Michael Dwane.

Subs used: Rian Dignan-Sullivan for McNamara  (HT); Willie Hernon for Cleare (42); Gavin Guilfoyle for Pardy (52).

Referee: Aidan Hyland (Cork)