Cappawhite get the better of Arravale Rovers in West Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship final

Cappawhite 4-17 Arravale Rovers 2-17

A Dara McCarthy-inspired Cappawhite won their second Tipperary Credit Union West Intermediate Hurling Championship in three years when defeating Arravale Rovers in Sunday’s final at Annacarty.

McCarthy was on fire throughout this game, and his three goals came at vital times for Cappa. The first was scored after just seven minutes, with the teams locked at 0-2 each, while his second came on eighteen minutes to put Cappa six to the good.

His third came nine minutes into the second half, at a time when Arravale were getting right back into the game, having hit five points following the restart.

Willie Barry got in for a fourth for Cappa around the three-quarter mark, when Tom Treacy opened up the Arravale defence with a searing run from midfield, to put them eleven points ahead.

The final quarter was Arravale’s best period, as they outscored their opponents by 1-5 to 0-3, with Paddy Dalton hitting 1-1, having been introduced from the bench.

Intermittent rain fell as Arravale defended the near goal and played with the aid of a slight wind for the opening half. Cormac Maher got the scoreboard ticking when he pointed a 65 after two minutes. Darren Lowry doubled their advantage before points from Ryan Renehan, from a free, and Cian O’Carroll tied the game for the only time.

With the teams level at 0-2 each, Dara McCarthy struck for his opening goal after seven minutes when he was first to a low ball, got possession and turned his marker before blazing a low shot past Paddy O’Donnell in the Arravale goal.

Points from Daire Duggan and team captain David Buckley had them five points to the good by the tenth minute. Cormac Maher pulled a goal back for the town side and converted a placed ball either side of points from David Buckley and Dara McCarthy.

Buckley was tracking back, helping out his defence while the Cappa forwards were pulling Arravale all over the place. McCarthy struck again on eighteen minutes with his second green flag, knocking back Rovers once more.

Every time Arravale put a few scores together or looked like taking control, Cappawhite curtailed their recovery with a good score. McCarthy hit three more points, including two from open play, during the remainder of the half while Mikey O’Dwyer put over two wonderful points in injury time, leaving the half-time score Cappawhite 2-10, Arravale Rovers 1-6.

Following the restart, McCarthy converted a free inside the opening minute, before Arravale hit five of the next six scores from Jack Lowry, Mikey O’Dwyer, Eoghan Lonergan and Niall Sharpe.

Tom Treacy, who had been introduced for Pakie Barry at the break, was winning a lot of ball while covering good ground and he slotted over after six minutes. A Cormac Maher free left two between the sides.

Arravale’s recovery was short-lived, as McCarthy struck again, first with a free and then followed up with his third goal, pushing Cappa’s advantage out to seven. Around the three-quarter mark, Willie Barry got in for a fourth goal following a defence-splitting run through the centre from Tom Treacy, which left Barry the simple task of finishing the move.

Arravale made a few switches and introduced Johnny Lowry for the injured Shane Maher. They took the game to Cappawhite and hit 1-4 without reply, the goal coming from Paddy Dalton. Dalton’s presence around the goal area was causing problems under the dropping ball.

Mikey O’Dwyer converted three placed balls and the lead was down to four with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Once again McCarthy lifted the siege, winning possession out at the sideline near the stand, beating two defenders and slotting over his seventh point of the afternoon.

Willie Barry added a point and McCarthy hit his eighth two minutes into injury time. Conal Donovan closed out the scoring from a free with the last play of the game, with Cappawhite six points to the good, winning their second title in three years.

They will be happy with this victory, not only as it secures another west title, but also bringing the added bonus of a place in the preliminary quarter final of the county championship, which will commence in two weeks’ time, and will see Cappawhite take on Golden/Kilfeacle in round one in what is a repeat of the west semi-final.

Arravale will be disappointed with the outcome but they need to regroup ahead of the county series, where they meet defeated south finalists Carrick Davins in round one.

Scorers: Cappawhite: Dara McCarthy (3-8, 4 frees), Willie Barry (1-1), Daire Duggan (0-2), David Buckley (0-2), Ryan Renehan (0-1 free), Kevin Stapleton (0-1), Cian O’Carroll (0-1), Tom Treacy (0-1).

Arravale Rovers: Mikey O’Dwyer (0-7, 3 frees), Cormac Maher (1-3, 2 frees), Paddy Dalton (1-1), Eoghan Lonergan (0-2), Darren Lowry (0-1), Jack Lowry (0-1), Niall Sharpe (0-1), Conal Donovan (0-1 free).

Cappawhite: Jerry O’Neill, Noel Ryan, Philip Gantley, Ben White, Ryan Renehan, Gearoid Ryan (B), Kevin Stapleton, Colm O’Dwyer, Cian O’Carroll, Sam Carmody, David Buckley (captain), Pakie Barry, Daire Duggan, Dara McCarthy, Willie Barry.

Subs: Tom Treacy for Pakie Barry (half-time), Mikey O’Brien for Noel Ryan (51 minutes).

Arravale Rovers: Paddy O’Donnell, Tommy Lowry, Shane Maher, Niall Fitzgerald, Brian Roche, Conal Donovan (captain), Conor Leahy, Niall Sharpe, Jack Lowry, Mikey O’Dwyer, Darren Lowry, Donagh Leahy, Cormac Maher, Matthew Moroney, Eoghan Lonergan.

Subs: Peter Ryan for Brian Roche (40 minutes), Paddy Dalton for Eoghan Lonergan (41 minutes), John Paul Lohan for Cormac Maher (48 minutes), Johnny Lowry for Shane Maher (injured, 54 minutes), Odhran O’Dwyer for Conal Leahy (58 minutes).

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).