Borris-Ileigh book their place in the Tipperary county minor B hurling final after a battle with Killenaule
A talented Borris-Ileigh side booked their place in the final of the FBD Insurance County Minor B Hurling Championship final at Templetuohy on Saturday afternoon, but only after a real battle with Killenaule.
FBD Insurance County Minor B
Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Borris-Ileigh 2-18 Killenaule 1-17
This Borris-Ileigh team features some cracking hurlers - especially in players like Eddie Ryan, Kevin Maher, John McGrath and JD Devaney - and the North champions, certainly, played some slick stuff during the opening eleven minutes when racing into a nine-point lead (2-5 to 0-2). But Killenaule dug in and with the towering Mark Stakelum in devastating form the South champions fought back brilliantly. Indeed, between the 11th and 42nd minutes Killenaule out-scored Borris-Ileigh 1-10 to 0-4 to tie the game before edging into the lead for the first time in the 46th (2-9 to 1-13).
The Killenaule comeback was built on their attitude rather than the quality of their hurling and with Mark Stakelum wreaking absolute havoc at full-forward Borris-Ileigh looked in danger of suffering a defeat. Please note too that senior Borris-Ileigh star Kevin Maher saved a Darragh Fitzgerald penalty in the 33rd minute after Stakelum had been pulled down.
In an illustration of their pedigree, however, Borris-Ileigh steadied up nicely during the final quarter and won well when out-scoring their opponents by five points when it mattered most (0-9 to 0-4).
OUTSTANDING
Borris-Ileigh were outstanding during the opening eleven minutes. Eddie Ryan notched three points (two frees) during this period of the contest while the corner-forward also scored a glorious goal in the fifth minute - JD Devaney’s searing run cut Killenaule open while Ryan collected the centre-forward’s pass on his hurley before delivering the finish off his stick. In the ninth minute Cathal Hogan’s brave run set up Fintan Holland for a second Borris-Ileigh goal and before Killenaule knew what was going on they trailed by nine points (0-2 to 2-5).
Borris-Ileigh coughed up nine first half frees and Killenaule edged their way back into this contest thanks to a series of placed balls which were converted by Darragh Fitzgerald and Ciarán O’Dwyer - the Borris-Ileigh lead was down to six by half-time (2-8 to 0-8).
THIRD QUARTER
And, the third quarter belonged to Killenaule. A Mark Stakelum point set them on their way before the full-forward grabbed Ciarán O’Dwyer’s sideline in the 36th minute and flicked home a goal. Two points from O’Dwyer (one free, one ’65) and another from Stakelum tied the game before Stakelum set up Darragh Fitzgerald for the lead score in the 44th minute (2-9 to 1-13).
John McGrath did well to spoil Mark Stakelum under the dropping ball during the closing quarter as Kevin Maher’s re-location to the Borris-Ileigh forward line also had a significant impact on proceedings. Indeed, Kevin Maher drilled over five frees during the closing sixteen minutes while Eddie Ryan (two), John McGrath and JD Devaney notched a series of cracking points.
Killenaule struggled to score from play during the closing quarter and the Borris-Ileigh lads were worthy winners of this semi-final.
MATCH DETAILS
Borris-Ileigh: Darragh Quigley, John McGrath (0-1), James Kelly, Adam Galvin, Bryan Murray, Kevin Maher (0-5, 0-5 frees), Cian Stapleton (0-1), Colm Boyle (0-1), Michael Ryan, Jack Fitzgerald, JD Devaney (0-3), Dan Ryan, Eddie Ryan (1-7, 0-3 frees), Fintan Holland (1-0), Cathal Hogan. Subs: (57th) Luke Cooney for Fintan Holland.
Killenaule: Jack Cashin, Seán Prendergast, Eoin Walsh, Darragh O’Connell, Paddy Gaynor, Ciarán O’Dwyer (0-6, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65), Patrick Bourke, Jack Hassett, David Hayes, Aaron Ryan, Mathew Gleeson, Ben Purcell, Johnny Gleeson, Mark Stakelum (1-5), Darragh Fitzgerald (0-6, 0-3 frees). Subs: (20th) Cian Johnson for Aaron Ryan, (45th) Séamie Healy for David Hayes.
Referee: Phil Ryan.
FURTHER READING