Burgess retains their Premier Intermediate status while Clonakenny slip through the trapdoor

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation Final 

Burgess 2-25 

Clonakenny 3-14

By Liam Hogan 

Clonakenny were no match for a determined Burgess side when the teams met in the FBD Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation final, played in ideal hurling conditions at Tomas MacDonagh Park last Saturday evening.

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Struggling from start to finish, Clonakenny were steamrolled from the off and trailed 0-13 to 0-7 at half-time. Cian O’Dwyer’s goal forty-five seconds into the second half gave some hope, but Burgess simply had all the aces, and the concession of a 50th-minute goal left Clonakenny trailing 1-20 to 1-11.

Burgess had the better bench and secured a second goal five minutes later. It was all over despite the best efforts of Cian O’Dwyer, who scored two late goals in a bid to make the scoreboard look better but too little, too late.

Clonakenny didn’t disappoint their supporters and received a strong performance from the brilliant Diarmuid Ryan in defence. Michael John Carroll, John Joe Ryan, Nicky Ryan, Bobby Bergin, and Peadar Byrne did well, but Cian O’Dwyer excelled with a top billing of 3-4, his goals all coming from play.

Burgess had the stronger team, and their determination was the extra sauce needed for the win. Daire Hogan, Eoin Grace, Kieran Grace, Daire Hogan, and Joe O’Dwyer showed that youth could win the day under the leadership of the elder statesmen Ronan Tucker, who excelled in goal, along with Johnny Mulqueen, Jack O’Flaherty, Stephen Kirwan, and the evergreen Donagh Maher.

Burgess set the pace from the start and were six points to one in front after eight minutes, with well-taken scores coming from David Nealon and Stephen Kirwan (two each), along with Eoin Grace and Michael Ryan. It was 0-8 to 0-4 after twenty minutes as Clonakenny had settled, with four points coming from Diarmuid Ryan (two), plus one each from John Joe Ryan and Nicky Ryan.

However, Burgess were not hanging around and went 0-12 to 0-5 in front after Donagh Maher scored seconds before two Nealon frees. Clonakenny might have been in deeper trouble but for goalkeeper Willie Costigan denying Stephen Kirwan from close range.

It was 0-13 to 0-7 at half-time, but Clonakenny struck back when Cian O’Dwyer had the net shaking forty-five seconds into the new half. David Nealon replied with a pointed free, quickly followed by a Donagh Maher score from the wing. 

It was point for point as Cian O’Dwyer’s close-in free was matched by Michael Ryan, who completed a great run, before John Joe Ryan and Kieran Grace swapped scores. Nealon from a free and John Joe Ryan continued the equal exchange of scores, as did Nicky Ryan and Keith Nealon, before Eoin Grace made it 0-20 to 1-11 after forty-nine minutes.

Then came the decisive score when Kieran Grace availed of loose marking to find the Clonakenny net. Cian O’Dwyer’s pointed free seemed mere window dressing, as Burgess, helped by the fresh legs of Stephen Murray, Eoin Hogan, Conor Grace, Tony Dunne, and Joe O’Dwyer, simply gained new ground, picking up 1-4 without reply, beginning with a Murray free quickly followed by a well-taken Joe O’Dwyer goal in the 55th minute. There was more, as Eoin Grace and Joe O’Dwyer increased the Burgess lead.

Meanwhile, Ronan Tucker produced a string of great saves as Cian O’Dwyer single-handedly took on the Burgess defence from the edge of the small square to score his second goal in the 58th minute.

Kieran Grace, Bobby Bergin, and Stephen Murray exchanged points, with Murray securing Burgess’s last score of the evening. Clonakenny were not finished yet, as Cian O’Dwyer made it three goals, with Nicky Ryan completing the day with a point. It was too little, too late for the Mid Tipp side, as Burgess prevailed.

Scorers: Burgess: David Nealon (0-8, 0-6f), Kieran Grace 1-2, Joe O’Dwyer 1-1, Stephen Kirwan 0-4, Eoin Grace 0-3, Michael Ryan, Donagh Maher 0-2 each, Stephen Murray (0-2, 0-1f), Keith Nealon 0-1.

Clonakenny: Cian O’Dwyer (3-4, 0-4f), John Joe Ryan 0-4, Nicky Ryan 0-3, Diarmuid Ryan 0-2, Bobby Bergin 0-1.

Burgess: Ronan Tucker; Brian Quinn, Johnny Mulqueen, Aidan O’Dwyer; Daire Hogan, Donagh Maher, Jack O’Flaherty; Michael Ryan, Kieran Ryan; Keith Nealon, Eoin Grace, Sean Dunne; David Nealon, Stephen Kirwan, Kieran Grace.

Subs used: Stephen Murray for D Nealon (44); Conor Grace for J O’Flaherty (51); Joe O’Dwyer for S Dunne (51); Tony Dunne for M Ryan (56); Eoin Hogan for E Grace (56).

Clonakenny: Willie Costigan; Brian Mulhall, John Costigan, Alexei Harty; Cain Russell, Diarmuid Ryan, Delacy Byrne; Conor Nesbitt, Michael John Carroll; John Joe Ryan, Peadar Byrne, Bobby Bergin; Nicky Ryan, Cian O’Dwyer, Paul Bergin.

Subs used: Sean Stapleton for Mulhall (HT); Prionsias Matthews for P Bergin (43); John O’Meara for MJ Carroll (53).

Referee: Gerry Treacy (Borris-Ileigh)

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