South Tipperary defeated South Kilkenny by 5-13 to 5-12 in the fifth round of the Celtic Challenge Under 17 Hurling competition on Wednesday June 1st at Cahir.
Celtic Challenge 01st June 2016 (Group A)
South Tipperary come out top in thriller
South Tipperary 5-13 South Kilkenny 5-12
Report supplied by Fergus McGrath
The fifth and final round of the group stage of the Celtic Challenge pitted South Tipperary and South Kilkenny against each other in sun-drenched Cahir on Wednesday 1st June. What transpired will live in the memory for a long time and it was a pleasure to see the endeavour and skill of all players on view. The score line has echoes of the 1971 All-Ireland final between both counties which also resulted in ten green flags and coincidentally it was interesting to see two Tipperary stalwarts who were involved that day being included in a photoshoot involving the five trophies that will be played for in the finals of the Celtic Challenge on 18th June. The men involved were Noel O’Dwyer from Borrisoleigh and John O’Donoghue from Arravale Rovers who along with John McGrath (Waterford); Mick Carroll (Kilkenny and Thurles) and Sean O Laoire (Clare) were representing the Past Hurlers Association, the sponsors of the awards.
Back to the match. South Kilkenny’s Conor Murphy opened the scoring with a point which was followed by another from Padraig Mullen. The home side got on the scoring sheet with points from Niall Heffernan and Cathal Bourke before then suffering a blow in the form of a goal scored by Daithi Barron after six minutes. Within two minutes South Kilkenny had scored a further goal and two points with all three scores coming from Ethan Phelan. Having being on the back foot for the opening ten minutes South Tipperary eventually settled and began to exert themselves. This culminated with a point from Ross Bonner and a triumvirate from Bourke to leave four between the teams. The remainder of the first half belonged to South Kilkenny who provided an exhibition of team work and score taking which resulted in a half time score line of 4-8 to 0-6 with the goals coming from Mullen and Ted Drea.
Whereas the gauntlet was well and truly thrown down to the South Tipp lads it was about to be picked up. Bourke opened the second half scoring with a pointed free. Niall Hoctor followed with a goal for South Tipperary following great build-up work by Bourke and Andy Byrnes. Bourke landed two more frees before South Kilkenny opened their second half scoring with a successfully converted free by Thomas Dunne.
South Tipperary kept in touch with a pointed free from Bourke which was followed by two from play for the visitors from Martin Davis and Niall Hayden. South Tipperary interchange player (substitute) Nathan Crowe, who was making an impression, pounced for his side’s second goal following a great run by Niall Hoctor and shortly afterwards Hoctor would goal himself not once but twice to leave his team two points adrift with ten minutes to go.
Bourke had another point from play for South Tipperary which was followed by two points from midfielder Andy Byrnes. With excitement at fever pitch and the game in the balance South Tippeary were awarded a penalty. Byrnes stepped up and showing great composure and no little skill rattled the net with a great strike. With two minutes of injury time to play South Tipperary were four points ahead. South Kilkenny came looking for a late goal and in typical Kilkenny fashion it came. Ted Drea was on hand to pull first time on a ball that broke in a crowded South Tipperary goalmouth. In the dying seconds of the game both teams continued to give it their all and at the final whistle South Tipperary emerged on top by the smallest of margins.
Credit is due to all players on both teams who provided an array of excellent technical skills, great scores, and enormous amounts of passion, work rate, sportsmanship and entertainment. This was a full blooded end to end game of hurling between two committed teams, and not a sweeper in sight.
To select individual performances is difficult but for South Tipperary Michael Meaney, Eoin McCormack, Cathal Bourke, Andy Byrnes and Niall Hoctor were very prominent as were Evan Shefflin, Niall Hayden, Daithi Barron, Ted Drea and Padraig Mullen for South Kilkenny.
Niall Hoctor was nominated by the referee and his officials as South Tipperary’s “Best and Fairest” award winner. This accolade is bestowed upon the player on each team who is judged to have best reflected the following principles during the course of the game:
• Displayed a high level of skill and endeavour
• Displayed respect towards Match Officials
• Displayed respect towards his fellow Players
• Displayed respect towards the Playing Rules
South Tipperary’s next game will be in what is called the Preliminary Phase of the competition which will take place on Saturday 4th June. The opposition and venue are due to be announced on Thursday 2nd June.
South Tipperary
1 Luke Delahunty – Moyle Rovers
2 Stephen O’Brien – Eire Og Annacarty
17 Michael Meaney – Ballyneale
23 Eoin McCormack – Knockavilla Kickhams
5 Paul O’Heney – Emly
6 Fiachra Scott – Ballingarry
22 Conor Leahy – Arravale Rovers
8 Andy Byrnes – Golden-Kilfeackle (1-2, 1-P, .1F)
7 Niall Heffernan – Golden Kilfeacle (0-1)
10 Eoghan Brett – Mullinahone
11 Conal Donovan – Arravale Rovers
14 Cathal Bourke – Clonoulty Rossmore (0-9, 7F)
15 Ross Bonner – Cashel King Cormacs (0-1)
13 Fergus Halligan – Arravale Rovers
20 Niall Hoctor – St. Mary’s Clonmel (3-0)
Interchanges and Panalists
16 Killian Hayde – Golden Kilfeacle
28. Jordan Hayes – Eire Og, Annacarty
19 Kevin Lawlor – Killenaule
9 Darren O’Dwyer – Arravale Rovers
18 Matthew Moroney – Arravale Rovers
25 Dean McMorrow – Clerihan
26 Jack Lyons – Ballyneale
27 Jack Lowry – Arravale Rovers
29 Conor O’Brien – Cahir
21 Colin Ryan – Cashel King Cormacs
24 Nathan Crowe – Arravale Rovers (1-0)
3 Donnacha Quirke – Clonoulty Rossmore
4 Cormac Maher – Arravale Rovers
12 Josh Macken – Skeheenarinky
30 Aaron Ryan – Sean Treacy’s
South Kilkenny
1. Gavin Grant
2. Patrick Hearne
3. Oisin O’Dwyer
4. John Burns
5. Brian Staunton
6. Evan Shefflin
7. Michael Carey
8. Richard Hennessy
9. Niall Hayden (0-2)
10. Martin Davis (0-2)
11. Ted Drea (2-1)
12. Conor Murphy (0-1)
13. Daithi Barron (1-2)
14. Robert Dunne
15. Ethan Phelan (1-2)
16. Thomas Dunne (0-1, 1F)
17. Jack Clery
18. Bill Delahunty
19. Jack Cullen
20. Shane Byrne
21. Conor O’Keeffe
22. Jack Byrne Doyle
23. Padraig Mullen (1-1)
24. Samuel O’Dwyer
