Moyle Rovers claim one-point win in Tipperary Division 4 hurling final

Moyle Rovers 3-19 Carrick Davins 2-21 (after extra time)

A cracking game that featured 80 minutes of hurling, 45 scores, brilliant individual scoring and a lead changing regularly, finally produced a deserved winner in Moyle Rovers, when they just edged out Carrick Davins by a single point after extra-time in the FBD Insurance County Hurling League Division 4 final at Anner Park, Cloneen on Saturday evening.

They went home with the James Holohan Cup, presented by James’ widow Bridget to team captain Dara Ryan, and it was a fitting contest for a cup named after the esteemed Kilsheelan-Kilcash Gael.

In a game that fluctuated back and forth on a beautiful sunny evening, Moyle Rovers needed an injury time levelling point from a Dara Ryan free to force the game into extra time. The free was brought forward by referee Tom Loughnane for dissent, but it probably made little difference, as Ryan’s radar was flawless throughout the game, finishing with twelve points from placed balls and two from play, from all angles and distances.

The score at the end of normal time was 3-13 to 1-19, but the Monroe side took over in the first period of extra time to outscore the Carrick men by five points to one for a commanding lead. But inspired by the brilliance of players such as Lee Mackey, Mikey Whelan and Luke Faulkner, Davins refused to buckle and an injury time Faulkner goal direct from a free brought the margin back to a single point.

However, the resulting puck-out was the last action of the game, as Rovers held on by the narrowest of margins. Mackey hit five superb points from play, with Faulkner scoring 1-10, but the Carrick side will bemoan a lot of other scores left behind, as their shooting from play and placed balls too often let them down.

Moyle Rovers raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after seven minutes, all four scores coming from Dara Ryan – two frees, a 65 and one from play – to a Davins response from Mikey Ryan, but by the end of the first quarter they found themselves two points behind, 1-3 to 0-4. Pa Harris scored a superb Davins goal when racing onto a loose ball and shooting past Ian Browne, and Brandon O’Sullivan and Faulkner from a free, added points.

However, then they were caught napping in midfield when Dean English turned over Davins possession and set up Anthony Phelan for a Rovers goal.

A Faulkner free levelled the scores again at 1-4 each and the sides were level three more times in the half before a Mikey Whelan free edged Davins in front in the 30th minute. But it was Rovers who led at the break, 2-7 to 1-8, when Dean English reacted quickest to a Dara Ryan free that fell short and shot to the net past Stephen Cronin.

And the topsy-turvy exchanges continued in the second half. A Dara Ryan free extended the Rovers lead, with Mikey Whelan from a free and Lee Mackey from play bringing it back to a one-point game again. Another Ryan free made it 2-9 to 1-10 but then in a purple patch Davins hit four in a row, from three Faulkner frees and a brilliant catch and point from Lee Mackey, for a two-points lead.

It was quickly wiped out when the Monroe side hit their third goal, Anthony Phelan setting up Kevin Grace for a shot that Stephen Cronin just failed to keep out. But again, Davins replied with a period of brilliant hurling, hitting four in a row through a Mikey Whelan free, Faulkner from play, a marvellous Pa Harris score and another great point from Lee Mackey to lead 1-18 to 3-9 with eight minutes to go.

Rovers replied with three of their own from a Dara Ryan free, Shane Ryan after a patient build-up and another Dara Ryan free to level again with a minute to go. It looked like it had slipped from their grasp when Faulkner restored the Davins lead but the unerring Dara Ryan split the posts to push the tie into extra time.

That reprieve appeared to give Moyle Rovers that extra bit of momentum in extra time. Points from Dean English, a Dara Ryan free and substitute Cathal McKeown pushed them three ahead in the first four minutes. Lee Mackey hit Davins’ first in extra time but back came Shane Ryan and Dara Ryan from a free to make it a four- points gap at half time in extra time, 3-18 to 1-20.

But giving up the fight isn’t in the Davins playbook, and a Luke Faulkner point from a free brought it back to a one- score game again. Shane Ryan’s third point from play for Rovers proved to be a hugely influential score a minute from the end of extra time, as it pushed it out to four points again, so when Faulkner’s late, late goal did come, it proved to be just too little too late.

Davins will be disappointed with the outcome, just failing to hold on for the win in normal time, hitting one more score than Rovers, 23 to 22, but in the end some of their shooting let them down. However, no blame can be attached to the brilliant Lee Mackey, who hit five superb points from play; Willie O’Dwyer, who battled to the end; Luke Faulkner for his accuracy from frees, while Adam Foran, Aaron O’Halloran and team captain Conor Mackey were resolute in defence.

Moyle Rovers had a much easier win over Davins in the earlier league stages but this time they had to dig deep and show their true battling qualities. Team captain Dara Ryan’s contribution was huge, with 0-12 from placed balls and 0-2 from play – he was the only Rovers player to score a point until three minutes from full time. That was when Shane Ryan had the first of his three crucial points from play. Anthony Phelan, Dean English and Kevin Grace took their goals well with Sean Keating, Ben Owens and Cillian Crowe all impressing.

Moyle Rovers: Ian Browne, Sean Hackett, Sean Keating, Nathan Croke, Michael O’Reilly, Shane Ryan 0-3; Ben Owens, Cillian Crowe, Brian McKeown, Kevin Grace 1-0; Dara Ryan 0-14, 0-11 frees, 0-1 65; Dara Luttrell, Dean English 1-1; Anthony Phelan 1-0; Luke Delahunty.

Subs: Cathal McKeown 0-1 for Brian McKeown, Conor McGrath for Kevin Grace, Danny Lyne for Anthony Phelan.

Carrick Davins: Stephen Cronin, Conor Corcoran, Adam Foran, Shane Cronin, Conor O’Leary, Aaron O’Halloran, Conor Mackey, Pa Harris 1-1; Mikey Whelan 0-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 65; Mark Roche, Lee Mackey 0-5; Willie O’Dwyer, Mikey Ryan 0-1; Luke Faulkner 1-10, 1-8 frees; Brandon O’Sullivan 0-1.

Subs: Jamie Houlihan for Shane Cronin, Mikey Cronin for Conor Corcoran.

Referee: Tom Loughnane (Gortnahoe-Glengoole).