Toomevara claim first ever football title
Last Saturday Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams club hosted the first of our championship finals as the Under 12 Football was down for decision in Dundrum. Full credit has to be duly accorded to all involved in the host club as everything went off well, with the exception of a shower of rain midway during the second period of the last game on the program.
The pitch was in perfect condition and a full complement of officials were on duty for the three games
The action commenced @ 12 noon with the C final comprising of west champions Emly against mid champions Durlas Og (C).
Immediately after referee Pat Murray got the action underway, the west boys playing against the breeze were proving to be superior to their mid opponents notching up 1-02 inside ten minutes courtesy of Colin Murphy. Durlas Og registered a point which was to prove to be their only addition to the score record for the first period of the game. Emly added another point by Brian Burke and just in the closing minutes of the half disaster struck for the Thurles boys as the ball came off one of their defenders ending up in the net to give Emly a 2-03 to 0-01 halftime advantage.
Upon the resumption of proceedings Eoin Carew pointed a free for Durlas Og and during the next few minutes Durlas missed out on two goal opportunities. Fiachra O’Gorman slotted over another Durlas point. On the thirteenth minute joint captain James Ayilaran had the mid supporters in happy mode as the Emly net was rattled to put the score reading Emly 2-03 Durlas Og 1-03. For Emly Colin Murphy, Darragh Heustan and Paddy Hourigan were trying their utmost for the cause. Durlas Og were being ably assisted with the efforts of Sean Gleeson, joint captain Conor Wall, Scott Brennan, Kieran Purcell and Fiachra O’Gorman. Durlas Og goalkeeper was also very vigilant when required. Eoin Carew pointed and from the resulting kick out a Durlas Og attacked was goaled by James Ayilaran to put the Thurles boys ahead for the first time. During the closing moments both sides made raids into their respective areas of attack. One of these attacks yielded a free for Emly which was slotted over by Colin Murphy to level the sides at 2-04 apiece and send the game into a replay as time had run its course as referee Pat Murray sounded the final whistle. One item of note from the game was that both sides when playing with the breeze only registered a solitary point. So both have to visit the drawing board once more to plot for their next encounter on June 11th in Ballylooby.
The B final was next on the program with north men Toomevara up against south champions Grangemockler Ballyneale. Toomevara got off to a very good opening notching up 1-01 inside five minutes. Grangemockler replied with a point which was very hastly responded too by a goal for Toomevara. Luke Maguire pointed a free for Grangemockler while Darragh McCarthy slotted two points for Toomevara to put the north men on 1-02 to 0-02 ahead.
The Grangemockler net shook for a second Toomevara goal. Oisin Troy, Ted Evans and Joseph Coffey were on their game for the north side. Sean O’Meara, Luke Maguire were doing likewise for the south men. Sean O’Meara pointed, followed by another from a free by Luke Maguire to bring the Grangemockler tally to four points. With the interval approaching another Toomevara point to give them a two goal advantage 2-04 to 0-04.
In the second half both Adam Hall, Joseph Coffey, Daniel Farrell and Tim Flaherty were on full alert with their workrate. Darragh McCarthy pointed a free to extend the north lead. Sean O’Meara pointed for the south men and they added a goal to put the score reading Toomevara 2-06 Grangemockler Ballyneale 1-05. The south defence of Sean O’Meara and Darragh Lambe were putting in a tremendous performance. However the north men always proved to be more threatening and added another two points. As the game entered its final moments, Grangemockler were awarded a penalty which was converted by Alex Millea as the Toomevara net shook. But time had run out for the south contenders as referee Seanie Peters blew for full time much to the excitement of the Toomevara supporters as they had secured their first ever football title on a concluding score of Toomevara 2-08 Grangemockler Ballyneale 2-05.
Prior to presenting the trophy to victorious captain Fionn McGuigan chairman Tom Dawson thanked both teams for a great display of football. He acknowledged the host club and the referee and his officials for a job well done.
Toomevara victorious panel Harry Duff, Fionn McGuigan, Oisín Troy, Joseph Coffey, Ted Evans, Darragh McCarthy, Daniel Farrell, Cormac Hogan, Dylan Carroll, Tim Flaherty, Adam Hall, Colm Meagher, Mathhew Coffey, Jake Hackett
Mentors: Stephen Maher, David Kennedy, Tommy Carroll, George Frend.
Our last game on the program consisted of the A decider between north champions Ballina and mid champions Durlas Og. Referee Tadgh Lonergan got proceeding underway @ 2.10pm and inside five minutes both sides had their respective nets rattled with Durlas Og goal from Kieran O’Hagan and Ballina by Jack Grace. Durlas Og pointed for a slender lead 1-01 to 1-00. Moments later Jack Grace scored his second goal for Ballina. Durlas Og’s Robbie Stapleton pointed a free and quickly accompanied by another from play to level matters with a score reading of Ballina 2-00 Durlas Og 1-03. Cillian O’Connor pointed a free for Ballina and from the resulting kick out his colleague Oisin Pepper had the mid net shaking for the third time. On the nineteenth minute another Durlas Og point was quickly responded too with a fourth Ballina goal to put the interval score at Ballina 4-01 Durlas Og 1-04.
In the opening minutes of the second period it proved to be disastrous for Durlas Og as their opponents were awarded a penalty which was duly converted by Jack Collins to put Ballina 5-01 to 1-04. Despite their best efforts Durlas Og could not match the force of the Ballina attack and added a point to their total while conceding two points in the closing minutes. Ballina had won the A title to accompany their B which they secured in 2014.
Chairman Tom Dawson thanked both sides for a good spirited performance. He thanked the referees and officials and acknowledged the work put in by the host club Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams. He then presented the cup to Ballina joint captains Charlie King and Simon Grace.
Ballina victorious panel: Max Ryan, Cian Molloy,Zachary Egan, Brian Bourke, Jack Collins, Shane O’Carroll, Daniel Fogarty, joint captains Charlie King and Simon Grace, Jack Grace, Cillian O’Connor, Oisin Pepper, Jack Quinn, Billy Collins.
Results
Saturday May 20th in Dundrum
U 12 Football Finals
12 A Ballina 5-05 v Durlas Og 1-05
Referee Tadgh Lonergan (Kilsheelan Kilcash)
12 B Toomevara 2-08 v Grangemockler Ballyneale 2-05
Referee Seanie Peters (Aherlow)
U12 C Durlas Og 2-04 v Emly 2-04 (A draw)
Referee Pat Murray (Moneygall)
Coiste Na Nog heartily congratulate both our senior and intermediate hurling panels and managements on their two great performances last Sunday. Hopefully its only the commencement of a brilliant summer in the quest for top honours.
The John West Féile na Gael
As previously publicised Tipperary along with Waterford are jointly hosting the National Féile on the weekend of June 17th, 18th & 19th which is being sponsored by fish processing and distribution company John West.
This year’s national organising committee is under the chairmanship of Donal Shanahan and the secretary is Patrica Walsh from Waterford. All the participating clubs have to commended for the preparations put in so far and are encouraged to keep up the good work. It’s imperative that everything humanly possible is done to ensure that come the June weekend that our involvement in staging this huge festival of hurling will be the best ever.
Coupled with the games a school visitation is taking place to a selected number of schools under the following schedule:
On May 18th & 19th some schools in Tipperary were visited by a visiting party comprising the presidents of the Gaa, Camogie, Handball accompanied by officers of Coiste na Nog, local club and Games & Development. A similar format will take place in Waterford on May 24th & 25th.
The countdown is in full swing now as commencement date of June 17th is approaching and hopefully every last effort is being put in by all host clubs to ensure that everything goes according to plan. It’s at the discretion of each hosting club as to how they decide a format in welcoming the visiting club, but it would be nice that a massive effort would be put in to ensure that when the Féile is concluded and all the visitors depart that they will do with very fond memories of how well they were received in both Tipperary and Waterford.
