No separating Treacys and Burgess in tight clash in Newport

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship - Round 1

Sean Treacys 0-20

Burgess 2-14

Lacken Park is a combustible venue. Its tight confines and compressed pitch create the perfect setting for passionate, flairsome hurling, and last Sunday lunchtime it delivered yet again between Burgess and Sean Treacys.

This game wasn’t a knockout fixture, but it had all the ingredients of a high-stakes winner-takes-all encounter, a contest which went right down to the wire and ultimately saw the points shared - a fair result, given that this was a veritable game of two halves.

Burgess came within whiskers of winning. Having looked lacklustre and tame for much of the first-half, they ignited the crowd in the second period with a riveting combination of forward-pressing, attack-focused hurling, and it almost secured them victory. Treacys, on the other hand, played a Kilkenny-esque brand of hurling in the first-half - powerfully physical, ruthlessly effective, and unfailingly clinical. But then they disappeared - something Kilkenny would never do.

Still, from the perspective of the West Tipp side, it was a first-half to be proud of. Within minutes they had hurtled over two points from play, Andy O'Brien launching from distance and Matt Teehan arrowing over from the wing.

Burgess responded through a Stephen Murray free, but they remained second best, as Treacys put on an exhibition of razor sharp striking and relentless work-ethic. Patrick Carey galloped forward and slotted one from the side-line, while Patrick Deegan planted a brace between the posts - the second of them constructed by a brilliant cross-field ball from Carey.

Up front, Seán Treacys were well and truly motoring, but at the back, they were showing signs of weakness. Two soft, scrape-your-face-in-frustration goals would ultimately cost Treacys this game, but credit to Burgess, they seized the opportunities and converted without fuss.

Micheál Ryan netted the first, calmly rounding the keeper and slotting a crisp finish in the sixteenth minute. Eoin Hogan was on hand to slot the second four minutes later, smashing home from close-range following an unforgiveable defensive mix-up.
By half-time the North outfit had whittled the deficit down to two points, Treacys leading 0-12 to 2-4 and still dominant, but Burgess very much still in the mix.

Burgess may have struggled in the first, but they make amends in the second period, suddenly transforming into a team imbued with spirit and tenacity. They started to win breaking balls across the half-back line, Donagh Maher leading the charge, while up front, Murray was imperturbable from placed-balls.

He was stroking them over nonchalantly, much like Carey at the other end, who stood up and contributed vital frees in the game’s most crucial period.

It also happened to be Treacys’ darkest period. They were nowhere to be seen at times during the second-half, save an inspirational long-range point from Jody Ryan in the 47th minute. And yet they managed to come up trumps in the final moment, Matt Feehan snatching the ball from a melee and levelling the game with a dramatic equaliser from 45 metres.

The preceding passage of play had rocked like a see-saw, Burgess shooting ahead via a Murray free, Carey drawing them back in seconds later, Eoin Hogan then emerging with what looked like a winner.

But the climax materialised differently. Treacys refused to give in. They fought through the frenzy, worked a half-chance, and trusted Feehan to do the rest.

It was a result which some would probably have anticipated well before throw-in, because Treacys are always a difficult proposition in a ground like Newport, and so Burgess will have departed Lacken Park with a slight feeling of relief last Sunday.
Banana skin avoided, case closed, group still wide-open.

Seán Treacys: Shane Stapleton (0-1f), Paul Nolan, Seán Hickey, Christy Egan, Eoin Sheldon, Tom Hickey, Brian Carey, Seánie Ryan, Andy O’Brien (0-1), Pat Deegan (0-2), Matt Feehan (0-2), Mike Feehan, Patrick Carey (0-12, 11f), Jody Ryan (0-1), Darragh Kennedy (0-1).

Burgess: Ronan Tucker, Pat Woods, Kieran Ryan, Paddy Hogan, Donagh Maher, Keith Nealon (0-2), Johnny Mulqueen, Willie Ryan, Daire Hogan, Micheál Ryan (1-1), Danny Ryan, Eoin Hogan (1-2), Johnny Ryan, Eoin Grace, Stephen Murray (0-9, 7f).

Subs: Brian Tucker for D Ryan (HT); Jack O’Flaherty for Grace (51 inj).

Referee: John Butler (Upperchurch-Drombane)