Arravale Rovers make it lucky 13 in West Tipperary Intermediate final

Arravale Rovers 0-26 Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 2-14

Arravale Rovers bridged a 13-year gap to claim the Tipperary Credit Union West Intermediate Hurling Championship title on Friday evening when overcoming the challenge of neighbours Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams at Annacarty.

Played in extremely warm, energy-sapping conditions, Arravale dictated the pace for the most part of this final to take the honours. It was their seventh title in total, although it was just their second title in the grade in 29 years.

Just five days after coming from ten points down to defeat Cappawhite in a situation where normally an Arravale team would have faded away, Rovers arrived at Annacarty, the scene of their last success in the grade, in confident form against a Kickhams team who had never lost a West Intermediate Hurling Final and were only narrowly defeated in last year’s county decider.

Last year Arravale depended hugely on Orrin Jones scores from placed balls but this year a few more players have carried the can from open play. The key to this success was shown at various stages in the opening half. Elliott Thompson’s goal had helped Kickhams to a three-point lead early in the game but for the remainder of the half Arravale outscored them 0-14 to 0-4.

In two separate purple patches, Arravale responded with six points immediately in reply to the goal and in the latter stages of the half outscored Kickhams six points to one. This was the foundation of their success, coupled with their workrate and turnovers.

The turnovers came from a well marshalled Arravale defence anchored by Niall Fitzgerald. Players like Sean O’Mahony, Donnacha Quigley, Jaye Cilvinas, Johnny Ryan and John Paul Lohan were to the fore. Kickhams struggled to get any consistency into their play and while Paudie Slattery, Shane Buckley, Elliott Thompson and Adam Daly battled hard, Kickhams failed to find a pattern of consistency. Jack Breen's late goal may have given Kickhams hope if he had got a similar one earlier. However, Arravale always seemed to have a response.

There was a blistering start to this game, as both teams looked to find that early edge and neither was willing to take a backward step. Both sets of supporters raised the decibel level even during the parade led by piper Ger Neville.

An Orrin Jones free in the second minute, followed by a Sean O’Mahony point from play, got Arravale on the board early. Sean O’Mahony, until he went off injured late in the second half, was one of the main contenders for man of the match, having a huge influence on proceedings.

Michael Gleeson settled Kickhams with their first score and they got on top briefly after this. Gleeson immediately won the puckout and his effort for a point came off the post and headed to the corner flag, from where Davy Butler followed and won possession. The Arravale defence was dragged towards the ball and Butler’s pass back infield found Elliott Thompson with plenty of space in front of him, where following a run he found the back of the net. Jack Breen then pointed a long range free to put Kickhams three points up after five and a half minutes.

Arravale responded in resilient fashion in a game that continued to be physical, with a number of bookings for either side. Sean O’Mahony pointed twice, along with a leveller from Niall Sharpe by the tenth minute. Then Jones pointed two frees either side of a Donnacha Quigley point. Quigley was a thorn in the side of the Kickhams defence in the first half especially.

Just before the water break Paudie Slattery pointed for Kickhams to end a ten- minute spell without a point to leave just two between the sides. The teams traded scores in the early stages of the second half, with Eoin Doocey and Orrin Jones trading points with Stephen Browne.

Arravale, though, finished the half stronger, outscoring their opponents six points to one in the last seven minutes of the half. Orrin Jones hit three of these from play and placed balls by Sean O’Mahony, Jaye Cilvinas and Donnacha Quigley all found the target, with Stephen Browne supplying the sole reply for Kickhams. This left Arravale Rovers in a fairly strong position at half time leading, 0-16 to 1-6.

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The opening three minutes after the resumption saw Adam Daly and Stephen Browne reduce the deficit. However, Kickhams couldn’t get the difference below five points. By the sixth minute of the half Niall Sharpe pushed the lead back out to six and Sean O’Mahoney had soon restored the seven-point half-time advantage.

At the three-quarter mark Adam Ryan’s first of the game had Arravale six points to the good. Orrin Jones had that back out to seven after the second water break and while Shane Buckley and Elliott Thompson replied for Kickhams, the lead was out to six with ten minutes to go when substitute Ciaran Kelly pointed for Arravale. Kickhams were still struggling for scores, with Arravale continuing to find the spaces that bit easier. As the game was drawing to a close Orrin Jones pointed either side of a Jaye Cilvinas point to put them eight ahead and on their way to victory.

Kickhams were awarded a free late on, from which goalkeeper Jack Breen found the net. Earlier in the half Breen had seen his effort hit the side netting from a similar position and had it gone in would have maybe made for a tighter finish. Arravale rounded off the scoring with an Orrin Jones 65 to run out six-point winners.

Scorers: Arravale Rovers: Orrin Jones (0-12, (0-7f, 0-2 65s), Sean O’Mahony (0-5), Jaye Cilvinas (0-2), Niall Sharpe (0-2), Donnacha Quigley (0-2), Ciaran Kelly (0-1), Adam Ryan (0-1), Eoin Doocey (0-1).

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams: Elliott Thompson (1-2), Stephen Browne 0-5, (0-1f, 0-2 65s), Jack Breen (1-1f), Adam Daly (0-2), Shane Buckley (0-2), Paudie Slattery (0-1), Michael Gleeson (0-1).

Arravale Rovers: Paddy O’Donnell, David Ryan, Niall Fitzgerald, Peter Ryan, Eoin Doocey, Matthew Moroney, John Paul Lohan, Johnny Ryan, Sean O’Mahony, Donagh Leahy, Jaye Cilvinas, Niall Sharpe, Donnacha Quigley, Adam Ryan, Orrin Jones.

Subs: Cormac Maher for Donnacha Quigley, Ciaran Kelly for Niall Sharpe, Alex Webster for Sean O’Mahony.

Kickhams: Jack Breen, Eddie Daly, Bill Creamer, Mike McCormack, Senan Mackey, Lorcan Carr, Jamie Duncan, Adam Daly, Paudie Slattery, Stephen Browne, Shane Buckley, Michael Gleeson, Cormac Carr, Davy Butler, Elliott Thompson.

Subs: Diarmuid Carr for Mike McCormack, Shane Morrissey for Davy Butler.

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).

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