Golden hold off Eire Og to capture West Tipperary Junior 'B' hurling crown

TIPPERARY CO-OP WEST TIPPERARY JUNIOR B HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

GOLDEN/KILFEACLE 0-15 EIRE OG ANNACARTY/ DONOHILL 1-10

Golden/Kilfeacle claimed their third Tipperary Co-Op West Junior B Hurling Championship title and a first since 2013 when they overcame the challenge of slight favourites Eire Og Annacarty Donohill in Dundrum on Saturday afternoon. 

Both sides took a while to get the scoreboard moving and it wasn’t until the sixth minute when Tom Byrnes who would finish as the games top scorer hit a lovely point from open play. Jack Kingston responded within a minute before Tom Byrnes pointed from a placed ball. Eire Og were still struggling for scores and it wasn’t until the 12th minute when John Quinn collected lose ball that he turned and pointed to level the game.  The placed ball men then took over with two each from Tom Byrnes and David Fox levelling up the game at four a piece after 22 minutes. Christopher Ryan was coming more into the game and he got his first point but that was soon cancelled out by another David Fox free. Two points from Tom Byrnes and Christopher Ryan gave Goldena two point cushion at the interval 0-7 to 0-5.

Tom Byrnes started the second half like he did the first with a point from open play and quickly followed with a second.  David Fox pointed a free but Christopher Ryan and Tom Byrnes added further points to see Golden ahead 0-11 to 0-6 after about ten minutes of play in the second half. Eire Og were guilty of missing a few chances in this period but Michael Buckley did cut the gap with their first point in eight minutes. 

At the end of the third quarter the game really came to life when Cian Mooney running at the Golden defence fired his shot to the back of the net. A single point between the sides with 15 minutes left to play. The next score from either side would be crucial but from a Golden perspective it was huge. The Eire Og defence had been getting well on top and Golden struggled to hold onto possession while the introduction of Josh Quinn had certainly livened up the forwards. Golden hadn’t scored in ten minutes but a Tom Byrnes free put that right and more importantly two points up. David Fox got another pointed free before Niall Fogarty pointed for Golden after two missed chances in quick succession.

 Michael O’Brien kept the game in the melting pot with a point from play and every score was now crucial.

Tom Byrnes had a chance to put daylight between the sides when his point blank effort was brilliantly saved by Jamie O’Dwyer. Kevin Hally put the lead to two with huge cheers from the Golden support. Both sides had chances in the final minute of normal time David Fox landed his sixth point from a placed ball. The game in the melting pot as Eire Og went for a leveller while Golden looked to seal the game. Golden winning a free and in form Tom Byrnes made no mistake. With that Padraig Skeffington blew full time on a final score of Golden/ Kilfeacle 0-15 to 1-10 Eire Og.

Best for Golden/Kilfeacle were Paul Fogarty and Keith Landy. Christopher Ryan was always a threat going forward and finished with three points from play. Niall Fogarty came more into the game in the second half and fought hard for possession. Tom Byrnes finished as the game’s and Golden’s top scorer with 0-10 of which 0-6 came from placed balls. James O’Connell and John Colohan worked very hard all day. The latter may not have scored but as Captain he led by example and covered an amount of ground.

Eire Og were best served by Liam Og O’Dwyer and Pat Aherne in defence. Dan Hogan and Pat Horan worked tirelessly all day while in the forwards Cian Mooney took his goal well while Josh Quinn was full of energy on his introduction.

TEAMS AND SCORERS

Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Matthew Ryan, Keith Landy, Paul Fogarty, Rody O’Dwyer, James Casey, Kevin Moloney, Kevin Hally (0-1), Christopher Ryan (0-3), Tom Byrnes (0-10, (0-6f)), Darragh O’Keeffe, Niall Fogarty (0-1), Daniel Currivan, James O’Connell, John Colohan.

Subs used: Ian Collins, John Corry.

Eire Og Annacarty Donohill: Jamie O’Dwyer, Conor Devlin, Liam Og O’Dwyer, Ciaran Loughman, David Breen, Patrick Aherne,, Michael Bradshaw, Michael O’Brien (0-1), Dan Hogan, Michael Buckley (0-1), Patrick Horan, David Fox (0-6f), John Quinn (0-1), Cian Mooney (1-0), Jack Kingston (0-1).

Subs Used: Josh Quinn, Stephen McDonald, Willie O’Neill.

Referee: Padraig Skeffington (Cashel King Cormacs).