Late flurry of scores raises Upperchurch spirits against Templederry

“The Church” hit a late flurry of scores to see them survive despite some nervous moments against Templederry in a keenly- contested County Senior Hurling Championship encounter at FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday last.

The sides were evenly matched for large swathes of this encounter that took some time to come to life, but it was the experienced Upperchurch side that needed a late Paul Shanahan goal to kickstart their hurling season.

Templederry had their chances and felt a couple of late calls by the referee went against them, thereby putting them on the backfoot as the final whistle approached and the key scores for Upperchurch arrived.

The game opened with a long range free from Gavin Ryan sailing over at the Killinan End before further frees were pointed by respective freetakers Colm Murray and Padraig Greene.

The first from play arrived when Tom Stapleton levelled it up for Templederry on seven minutes to make it 0-2 a piece. Pat Ryan struck his first point for “the Church” before the sharp Sean Ryan, who was the liveliest on show at this stage, struck points from play to push Templederry 0-7 to 0-3 ahead.

Luke Shanahan was roving for Upperchurch and found the space to bring it back to a three-point game on 18 minutes before Padraig Greene hit a free to make it a two-point game again.

The teams were jittery at times in possession and the pick of the scores came from Pat Ryan, who intercepted a wayward puckout to level matters at 0-9 apiece on 26 minutes.

Then came a key moment, as Gavin Ryan picked up a yellow card and “the Church” conceded a penalty. Sean Ryan struck low for the green army but Ciaran Shortt went to the right and knocked the shot out for a 65, which Colm Murray converted.

Templederry drifted out of the game after the penalty miss, with Padraig Greene hitting two frees along with a Colm Ryan score from play sending Upperchurch 0-13 to 0-10 clear at half time.

Both sides had plenty to talk about at the break but Templederry, while they were creating chances, just didn’t convert enough scores considering the amount of possession they had.

Upperchurch held the advantage all through the second half despite not hitting top gear or playing with any sort of fluency. Colm, Aaron and Pat Ryan all hit points on the resumption to push them 0-16 to 0-12 clear.

Murray responded with a point for the northerners and Gearoid Ryan tried his best to rally Templederry. The veteran forward hit the best point of the match when he worked his way past four defenders from the Kinane Stand sideline to fire over at the Killinan End and bring it back to a two-point game.

Murray pointed a free to bring it back to a one-point game, with Upperchurch 0-16 to 0-15 ahead. Then Luke Shanahan, who floated between the half back and the half forward lines, struck a great point from way out the field before Padraig Greene hit another to stretch the lead on an 0-18 to 0-15 scoreline.

Adrian Ryan brought Templederry back into it again with a point before a Gavin Ryan free on 48 minutes made it 0-19 to 0-16 for Upperchurch. At this stage it was Keith Ryan and Gavin who were setting up the attacks for Upperchurch and Templederry kept raining the ball down on Upperchurch’s two best players.

Sean Ryan tried his best for Templederry to get in for a goal and they had numerous chances but couldn’t convert them and will feel slightly aggrieved at a couple of key refereeing decisions going against them when they were well in the hunt.

All afternoon Tipperary Under 20 panellist Pat Ryan looked dangerous when he got the ball in his hand and so it was in the 58th minute when he found space near the sideline and struck over the bar to put Upperchurch two points up again.

Just after he intercepted a wayward Templederry puckout, he put the head down and ran towards the goal. ‘Keeper Tim McCutcheon deflected the goalbound shot but the defence was opened up, and Paul Shanahan had loads of time to calmly flick to the net for his first score of the game.

That made it 1-20 to 0-18 and the goal was quickly followed by points from Aaron Ryan and second half substitute Paddy Phelan to put the game beyond Templederry’s reach. Just before full time Sean Ryan, who was their best player, got a late consolation goal for Templederry.

Overall they will regret goal chances going abegging in both halves and at times the ball into their forwards was overhit. Upperchurch will be glad to have got through this potential banana skin against hardy opponents and the win puts them in with a shout of making the knockout stages.

For “the Church”, Keith and Gavin Ryan dominated the half back line while Pat Ryan and Luke Shanahan also looked threatening when in possession.

Scorers: Upperchurch/Drombane: Padraig Greene 0-9 (8 frees), Pat Ryan 0-4, Aaron Ryan 0-3, Paul Shanahan 1-0, Gavin Ryan 0-2 frees, Luke Shanahan 0-2, Colm Ryan 0-2, Paddy Phelan 0-1.

Templederry: Colm Murray 0-9 (6 frees and 2 65s), Sean Ryan 1-5, Adrian Ryan 0-2, Tom Stapleton 0-1, Gar Ryan 0-1.

Upperchurch/Drombane: Ciaran Shortt; Mikey Lavery, Ger Grant, AJ Shanahan; Keith Ryan, Gavin Ryan, Ailbe O’Donoghue; Arron Ryan, Dean Carew; Niall Grant, Colm Ryan, Pat Ryan; Luke Shanahan, Paul Shanahan, Padraig Greene. Subs: Jack Butler for Niall Grant, Paddy Phelan for Colm Ryan.

Templederry: Tim McCutcheon; Tadhg McLoughlin, Christy Coughlan, Brian Stapleton; Liam McCutcheon, Tom Stapleton, Darragh Carey; Micheal Ryan, Odhran Murphy; Gearoid Ryan, Adrian Ryan, Colm Murray; Padraig O’Leary, Sean Ryan, Eanna Murray. Sub: Conor Looby for Padraig O’Leary.

Referee: Alan Tierney.