Champions Borris-Ileigh secure first win in Tipperary senior hurling championship

Borris-Ileigh  3-23  Burgess 1-14

The development of a winning mentality was there for all to see in Borris-Ileigh on Saturday evening as they eased past Burgess to secure their first victory in the County Senior Hurling Championship.

When the sides last met at the same venue eleven months ago in the north semi-final, it required 120 minutes before Borris-Ileigh finally shook off the Burgess challenge. On this occasion, they had the win virtually wrapped up by half time when they were ten points clear.

How does a gap of fifteen points develop between what were two evenly-matched sides in the space of a year? It comes down to the growth Borris-Ileigh have gone through, winning the county and Munster titles. The confidence is flowing through the team and they have kicked onto another level.

It is still pretty much the same team, with just Ciaran Cowan and Shane Kenny new faces to the starting line-up, with Kenny in particular adding another weapon to the Borris-Ileigh attack with three points from play. Add in the six from his cousin Conor and one from the hugely industrious Niall at full forward, and it was an impressive contribution from the Kenny family.

Once they broke the game open with James Devaney’s first goal on 25 minutes, Borris-Ileigh never looked back and there was never a semblance that Burgess could go with them.

To their credit, Burgess never let up, but they just didn’t have the forward threat to stay with Borris-Ileigh, apart from another double-digit contribution from Stephen Murray but it was never going to be enough.

The first fifteen minutes didn’t indicate a one-sided result as Burgess gave as good as they got, responding well to a bright Borris start where Kevin Maher, Shane Kenny, Conor Kenny and James Devaney were on target with Murray (2) and a fine Stephen Kirwan effort keeping Burgess on their coat-tails.

A second Kirwan point brought them level after eight minutes but that was as good as it got for Burgess, as the county champions upped a gear and reeled off three points in quick succession from Maher, Devaney, and Jerry Kelly. A Stephen Murray free was only brief respite, as Borris’ use of the ball had Burgess at sixes and sevens with Brendan Maher, Conor Kenny and Devaney adding to their lead by the 22nd minute.

Stephen Kirwan brought Burgess back to within three but in the warm evening sun they began to wilt as Borris-Ileigh powered on, scoring 1-5 without reply, the goal coming in the 25th minute as a misplaced pass out of defence was cut out by James Devaney who soloed from the 45 yard line to the 21 before firing low to the net.

Niall Kenny got his name on the scoresheet and while he only scored once he was dominant at full forward and it is rare that Burgess full back Shane Maher has had his hands full to such an extent. Borris were 1-15 to 0-6 clear by the time Stephen Murray landed two late frees. But at the half time whistle the body language suggested Burgess knew the game was up.

They began the second half brightly with points from Stephen Murray and Keith Nealon, but any momentum was killed stone dead on 32 minutes when Niall Kenny was fouled in the square and Brendan Maher found the back of the net with the penalty.

Borris-Ileigh’s third goal came eight minutes later with James Devaney running onto a breaking ball and he gave Ronan Tucker no chance from fourteen yards.

From there the game was over as a contest with the maroons running up a fifteen-point win which could be significant if the group comes down to score difference with Upperchurch/Drombane and Burgess.

For Burgess, they still have a lot of play for against Toomevara this weekend, where a win will see them maintain their Dan Breen Cup status but they’ll have to find a lot more and hopefully Bill O’Flaherty will be available to start, as it was the big full forward’s presence that yielded a consolation goal late on. 

However they did finish with fourteen men, with Jack Flaherty sent off for a second bookable offence.

Borris-Ileigh: James McCormack; Liam Ryan, Sean McCormack, Seamus Burke; Ciaran Cowan, Brendan Maher (1-2, 1f, 1 65), Ray McCormack; Dan McCormack, Tommy Ryan; James Devaney (2-1), Jerry Kelly (0-4, 1f, 1 s-cut), Conor Kenny (0-6); Kevin Maher (0-5, 3f), Niall Kenny (0-1), Shane Kenny (0-3).

Sub: Matthew Stapleton (0-1) for T Ryan (59).

Burgess: Ronan Tucker; Jack Flaherty, Shane Maher, Daire Hogan; Johnny Mulqueen (0-1), Donagh Maher, Willie Ryan; Keith Nealon (0-1), Tadhg O’Halloran; Stephen Murray (0-10, 8f), Conor Gill, Stephen Kirwan (0-2); Danny Ryan, Tony Dunne, Will Fogarty.

Subs: Bill O’Flaherty (1-0) for Fogarty (31); Sean Dunne for D Ryan (40); Pat Woods for Gill (43).

Referee: Philip Kelly (Ballinahinch).

For more from the Tipperary senior hurling championship read Clonoulty-Rossmore record impressive win over Nenagh Eire Og