Eire Og need extra time to retain title in West Tipperary

Éire Óg Annacarty Donohill 4-28 Golden/Kilfeacle 1-29 (after extra-time)

Éire Óg Annacarty Donohill successfully defended their ArraTipp West Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship title at a sunny but breezy Dillon Quirke Park, Clonoulty when eventually overcoming the challenge of Golden/Kilfeacle after extra-time.

The sides were meeting for the second time in two weeks, with Golden/Kilfeacle having come out on top by four points in their last encounter, and they were some people’s favourites to repeat the result again.

The teams were level nine times over the 80 minutes in an enthralling contest. Eire Og got the first goal through Dinny Crosse for an early advantage but Sam Hall’s goal gave Golden/Kilfeacle a slight edge as the half progressed, although Eire Og held a one-point interval advantage at half time.

Golden/Kilfeacle looked to be in the better position heading into the final quarter six points up. However, goals from Paudie Bradshaw and Dinny Crosse brought Eire Og back into contention. Even when it looked like Golden/Kilfeacle had weathered the storm, Eire Og pointed twice in injury time to draw level.

However, it was the impact from the Eire Og bench, with the introduction of Darragh Kelly (at half time), Tom Fox (in the final quarter) and Liam Og O’Dwyer (in injury time), which yielded 1-8 from play, overall, that eventually turn the game in Eire Og’s favour.

The first half was a fairly even contest, where both sides enjoyed spells of dominance. The crowd, while smallish in size, was vocal from the off, as neither set of players was willing to take a backward step.

The game started at a helter skelter pace. Aidan Griffin and Ben Currivan traded early pointed frees. Both would evenly share ten points each, eight from placed balls during the half.

Charlie Hall pointed the game’s first score from play in the third minute before Dinny Crosse lit up the game with his first of two majors over the eighty minutes. David Fox’s long clearance was flicked into the path of the on running Crosse by Kevin Fox, putting Crosse one on one with the ‘keeper, and he batted the ball to the net. The scores kept coming, with Aidan Griffin and Ben Currivan trading points, as did Paudie Bradshaw and Sam Hall. By the ninth minute Niall Heffernan had cancelled out a Connie Bradshaw effort to leave just two in it. Heffernan’s runs from defence were now causing Eire Og problems.

A sideline ball eventually came to Sam Hall from Jack Lonergan, and under pressure and about to shoot off his left he turned around to goal from his right. Golden/Kilfeacle were now back in the lead. Jack Leamy pushed this lead out to two and as the sides continued to trade points the lead swapped between one and two points.

Eire Og were level with about nine minutes left in the half when Dan Kelly followed Donal O’Dwyer’s effort. Ben Currivan and Aidan Griffin continued their duel from placed balls, with Eire Og briefly taking the lead before the sides level twice more. Dinny Crosse’s injury time point gave Eire Og a slender advantage at the break, 1-11 to 1-10, with both sides having hit seven wides each.

Golden/Kilfeacle started the second half with a flurry of five unanswered points in the first nine minutes. Andy Byrnes opened his account, along with one from Jack Leamy, while Ben Currivan continued to have a huge influence on the game with three. In the twelfth minute Aidan Griffin pointed a free for Eire Og.

Everything now appeared to be going the way of Golden/Kilfeacle, as they were winning a number of significant turnovers that resulted in scores. By the three-quarter mark Jack Leamy, Sam Hall and Aaron Colohan had Golden/Kilfeacle six up.

At this stage Eire Og had introduced Darragh Kelly from the bench and Tom Fox arrived in the 49th minute. Both would have a huge say in proceedings. Aidan Griffin pointed a free but the biggest boost came with about thirteen minutes left on the clock when Paudie Bradshaw goaled. Darragh Kelly did the work out by the sideline and when his delivery was missed by Kevin Fox it was picked up by the inrushing Paudie Bradshaw, who found the net.

In the context of an Eire Og comeback this was the score that lifted them. Jack Bergin and Ben Currivan pushed the lead back out to four with ten minutes to go. With six to go Dinny Crosse rattled the net for Eire Og’s third goaL in a move that involved Donal O’Dwyer and Jack Kingston, with Crosse finishing from close range. Darragh Kelly added a point to give Eire Og the lead for the first time since half time. Tension was now building on both sides. Niall Heffernan levelled before a four and half minute spell without a score ended when Ciaran Byrne pointed as the clock just entered the red. Ben Currivan followed with a free to put his side two up. Surely Eire Og would need a goal to sneak it. Dinny Crosse took his point and there was still more to play, Eire Og winning a free when Tom Fox was fouled, which Aidan Griffin converted to send the game to extra time.

READ NEXT: Gallery: Relive Tipperary's unforgettable 2001 All-Ireland triumph

Eire Og had a great start to extra time when Liam Og O’Dwyer finished to the net two minutes in after taking a pass from Darragh Kelly. Eire Og would never be headed again.

Golden/Kilfeacle levelled with four points from Ben Currivan in reply to one from Darragh Kelly. Donal O’Dwyer and another Aidan Griffin free ensured Eire Og held a two-point advantage at the break.

The second half saw Eire Og pull away, outscoring Golden/Kilfeacle eight points to two. Tom Fox added two huge scores, one after blocking down a clearance while Darragh Kelly, Aidan Griffin and Liam Og O’Dwyer added to their accounts. Ben Currivan was the sole scorer for Golden/Kilfeacle during this period.

Scorers: Éire Óg Annacarty/Donohill: Aidan Griffin (0-12, 0-11f, 0-1 65), Dinny Crosse (2-2), Paudie Bradshaw (1-3), Liam Og O’Dwyer (1-1), Darragh Kelly (0-4), Tom Fox (0-3), Donal O’Dwyer (0-2), Dan Kelly (0-1), Connie Bradshaw (0-1).

Golden/Kilfeacle: Ben Currivan (0-16, (0-10f), Sam Hall (1-3), Jack Leamy (0-3, (0-2f)), Niall Heffernan (0-2), Ciaran Byrne (0-1), Jack Bergin (0-1), Aaron Colohan (0-1), Andy Byrnes (0-1), Charlie Hall (0-1).

Éire Óg Annacarty/Donohill: Darragh Mooney, Darragh O’Brien, Conor O’Brien, Michael Bradshaw, Paul Devlin, Liam Crosse, David Fox, Dan Kelly, Connie Bradshaw, Dinny Crosse, Donal O’Dwyer, Paudie Bradshaw, Aidan Griffin, Kev Fox, Jack Kingston.

Subs: Darragh Kelly for Liam Crosse, Tom Fox for Kevin Fox, Liam Og O’Dwyer for Jack Kingston.

Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Aidan O’Connell, Shane O’Connell, Jack Lonergan, Eoin Marnane, Niall Heffernan, Padraig Dalton, Gavin Dalton, Aaron Colohan, Eanna Ormond, Ben Currivan, Sam Hall, Andy Byrnes, Jack Leamy, Charlie Hall.

Subs: Cian O’Connell for Jack Longeran, Ciaran Byrne for Gavin Dalton, Jack Bergin for Andy Byrnes, Jack Dalton for Padraig Dalton, Seanie O’Halloran for Aaron Colohan.

Referee: Phil Ryan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams).

SEE MORE: Sharlene Mawdsley narrowly misses Madrid podium after thrilling finish