Killenaule in cruise control in South Tipperary Under 17 A hurling final

Killenaule 2-19 Mullinahone 1-9

Second half goals from Owen O’Dwyer and team captain Tony Ryan helped Killenaule to a comfortable win over close rivals Mullinahone in the Star Fuels South Tipperary Under 17 A Hurling Championship final played on the grass pitch at Fethard Town Park.

Killenaule shaded the first half and led 0-11 to 0-7 at the break, but they totally dominated the second period and outscored Mullinahone by 2-8 to 1-2.

It was a devastating display from The Robins that Mullinahone failed to match. Tony Ryan led by example at midfield, scoring 1-4 from play, with Darragh O’Dwyer, Owen O’Dwyer, Rory Shelly and Darragh O’Gorman all on fire in attack.

Their defence was also outstanding, with Owen Fanning and Charlie Barrett in sparkling form, while 14-year-old Ben Browne, small in stature and young in age, put in a display that defied his tender years.

Mullinahone were unable to match Killenaule’s intensity. Two missed goal chances in the first half were to prove costly and once Killenaule upped the tempo in the second half they were always playing second fiddle.

The first casualty of the game was referee Keith Delahunty, who couldn’t continue in the second half after taking an accidental blow to the ankle late in the first. He was replaced by Moyle Rovers clubmate Sean Lonergan, who was involved in the most controversial incident of the evening, issuing a straight red card to Killenaule forward Igor Miguel midway through the second half, a dismissal considered harsh by the Killenaule team management.

However, being reduced to fourteen players didn’t impact the Killenaule performance as they continued to dominate the final quarter. Mullinahone also lost a player when Alex Britton was dismissed on a second yellow card four minutes from time.

The game was a slow burner at the start, despite the traditional rivalry between the clubs, and there was little between them after ten minutes with the sides level at 0-3 each – the scorers were Darragh Doyle from a free, Rory Shelly and Tony Ryan for Killenaule, to Mullinahone replies from a Cillian Direen free, Dylan Hennessy and a Ned O’Meara free.

Mullinahone almost got in for a goal when Alex Britton set Jack Dunne free but Danny Cashin made a great save in the Killenaule goal. The Robins benefitted from the reprieve to hit the next three points, Darragh Doyle pointing two frees and Tony Ryan finishing a flowing move that began with a great run from Darragh O’Gorman.

Dylan Hennessy replied with a fine score for the Kickham Country men, but when Darragh Doyle hit back with an immediate reply to restore the three-points advantage, Mullinahone never got closer than that again.

Doyle and Direen swapped points before scores from Owen O’Dwyer and Rory Shelly pushed the lead out to five, 0-10 to 0-5, four minutes from the break. Mullinahone hit back with two of their own, from a long range free from Ned O’Meara, and one closer in from Direen. But an injury time point from a Darragh Doyle free left it 0-11 to 0-7 at the turnover.

The game turned decisively in Killenaule’s favour just two minutes into the second half when Owen O’Dwyer burst through for a goal, with good play in the build-up from Ben Browne. Two minutes later, following a foul on Darragh O’Gorman, Doyle pointed a free to make it 1-12 to 0-7.

A fine move started in defence saw Cillian Direen score Mullinahone’s first point of the half after eight minutes, but within another five minutes the game was gone from them.

Miguel’s red card could have disrupted Killenaule, but instead they responded stronger. Tony Ryan first hit a point and then finished to the net past Charlie Vaughan from close range, following great play from Owen O’Dwyer and the final assist from Darragh O’Gorman.

The outstanding Owen O’Dwyer followed up with another superb point and at 2-14 to 0-8 with just ten minutes to play, the title was well and truly on its way to the Slieveardagh hills.

When Conor Tobin was fouled, Cillian Direen pointed the free for Mullinahone’s first score in fifteen minutes. Killenaule hit back with two further pointed frees from Darragh Doyle – the fine attendance was treated to an outstanding display of free- taking from both players, Doyle converting nine for Killenaule, and Direen four for Mullinahone.

Team captain Direen led from the front throughout and was rewarded with a fine goal three minutes from time, but it was too little and too late to alter the outcome.

Instead, it was Killenaule who finished stronger, hitting the last three points from Darragh O’Gorman, another Doyle free, and Tony Ryan.

Footnote – The grass pitch at Fethard Town Park was in superb condition for the game, with the extra pitch another boost to facilities at the venue – well fenced-off, with dugouts and an electric scoreboard.

Killenaule: Danny Cashin, Ben Browne, Shane Ryan, Owen Fanning, Andy Williams, Charlie Barrett, Michael Kelly, Tony Ryan 1-4; Bill Smith, Darragh O’Gorman 0-1; Owen O’Dwyer 1-2; Rory Shelly 0-2; Pat Ryan, Darragh Doyle 0-10, 9 frees; Igor Miguel.

Subs: Shane O’Dwyer for Pat Ryan, Andrew Munroe for Ben Browne, Eoin Ruttle for Michael Kelly, Ralf Reubenis for Owen O’Dwyer, James Hayes for Rory Shelly.

Mullinahone: Charlie Vaughan, Killian Bolger, Philip Lynch, Philip Dunne, Colin O’Brien, Shane McGrath, Conor Tobin, Ned O’Meara 0-2 frees; Oisin Maher, Dylan Hennessy 0-2; Darragh Walsh, Jayden Hennessy, Cillian Direen 1-5, 4 frees; Jack Dunne, Alex Britton.

Subs: Pierce Vaughan for Oisin Maher, Jack Dunne for Darragh Walsh, Jason Ahmed for Philip Lynch.

Referee: Keith Delahunty (Moyle Rovers).