Fourteen-man Portroe show defiance to battle past Borrisokane challenge

Kelly’s Fantane North Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Semi-Final 

Portroe 3-22 

Borrisokane 1-23

By Liam Hogan at MacDonagh Park

Rumours that all was not well in Portroe are well off the mark as evidence proved when their fourteen-man team defeated Borrisokane in a highly entertaining North Tipp Semi-final played at Nenagh last Sunday afternoon.

Portroe’s first goal came in the fifth minute as Sam Madden crept inside the Borris cover to receive a great pass from John Sheedy. Port led 1-2 to 0-4 at the time and it was necessary as Borris looked the livelier with Michael Heenan and Brian Davis scoring one point each while Oisin Larkin added two including one from a free. 

With the experienced Gleeson in goals, there was the added experience up front where John Sheedy led the way for Portroe. He scored three frees as well as assisting Madden for the goal.  

Borrisokane had their standard bearer in Oisin Larkin. He had four points to his credit by then – two points from play – as his side kept going toe to toe with Port who had their goal to claim a 1-7 to 0-7 lead after fourteen minutes. 

Borrisokane’s Liam Cleary along with Conor Ryan, Michael Heenan and Oisin Larkin were busy trying to break down the Port defence but in the 17th minute, Cleary’s latest run resulted in winning a penalty when he was hauled down by Robert Byrne in the large square. 

Oisin Larkin faced Darren Gleeson but the Port goalie Gleeson produced a great save. The rebound fell to the in-running Philip Austin who fired the first time but his shot came back from the butt of the upright and Port survived momentarily before Ciaran Foley bisected the post to leave Borris two in arrears. 

Three minutes later the pendulum swung back in Port’s when Robert Byrne’s clearance reached John Moloney who raced through for Portroe’s second goal. Two Sheedy frees followed and Port led 2-9 to 0-8 lead after 22 minutes. 

But, Borrisokane refused to let Port out of sight and three unanswered points, two from Oisin Larkin, either side of a Liam Cleary score from play kept them close but Sheedy’s double (one free) moved Portroe six clear with four minutes to the break. 

It was end to end and Borris came forward again as Bryan Davis, Oisin Larkin and Gary Ryan bisected the posts to half the lead. Meanwhile Port lost Mark Gennery for an off-the-ball incident with Jimmy Hough as referee Gerry Treacy consulted with his umpires and his fourth official. 

With three minutes of added time allowed the scores continued to reign in and both John Sheedy (free) and Oisin Larkin (65) swapped scores before Oisin Connors made it 2-13 to 0-15 at half time. 

The teams shared six points in the opening eight minutes of the second half with Portroe scoring first each time beginning with a John Sheedy score after sixteen seconds aided by Robert Byrne’s long-range free before Sam Madden grabbed the third. Oisin Larkin, Shane Nevin and Michael Heenan were on target for Borris with Heenan’s score the first of three unanswered points by the Lower Ormond side as Conor Foley and Oisin Larkin were on target, with Larkin’s shot travelling inches over the bar.

Port had a lucky escape but Oisin O’Connor’s point settled the nerves and those nerves settled ever more when Jack Moloney, despite being closely marked, managed Portroe’s third goal with a ground shot following Sam Madden’s high delivery.

With the extra man where Roan Murphy was very busy in his sweeping role and Shane Nevin provided god support, meant Borris were always good for a score and two quick points through Ciaran Foley and Oisin Larkin from a sixty five brought them four adrift. Oisin O’Connor replied with a quick score but Oisin Larkin’s free made it a four point margin again as the hour mark approached. 

Borris kept on plugging. Philip Austin was almost through for a goal but lost his footing at the wrong time. 

The Port defence, where Robert Byrne, Adrian O’Halloran and Jack O’Callaghan finished strong had survived and up front their attack kept the winter at bay as John Sheedy (out on the wing), Jack Moloney and Anthony Bourke with his first touch picked up three very valuable points to move them seven clear for the second time in the hour. 

Incredibly, the Borris boys were not prepared to let it go. Camped outside the Port thirteen metre line and a barrage of shots were saved by brave Port defenders but their efforts finally paid off when Eanna Dooley scored a great goal in the 63rd minute but it was too little too late for Borris’.

Portroe: Darren Gleeson; William Flood, Niall Gleeson, Adrian O’Halloran; Cian Hogan, Robert Byrne (0-1f), Jack O’Callaghan; Conor Byrne, Conor O’Brien (0-1); Eoin Quinn, John Sheedy (0-11, 0-7f), Jack Moloney (2-1); Sam Madden (1-3, 0-1 sl-cut), Mark Gennery (0-1), Oisin O’Connor (0-3).

Subs used: Brian Keating for Quinn (46); Niall Gleeson for C O’Brien (49, inj); Anthony Bourke (0-1) for C Byrne (60); Conor Byrne for Keating (63, inj). 

Borrisokane: Barry Ryan; Eddie O’Dwyer, Stephen Gavin, James Hough; Shane Nevin (0-1), Bryan Davis (0-2), Roan Murphy; Dylan Power, Michael Heenan (0-2); Ciaran Foley (0-3), Gary Ryan (0-2), Conor Ryan; Liam Cleary (0-1), Philip Austin, Oisin Larkin (0-12, 0-4f, 0-2 65s).

Subs used: Luke Quigley for Davis (blood, 11-14); Kevin Cleary for O’Dwyer (49); Luke Quigley for Heenan (49, inj); Peter Collins for Power (56); Eanna Dooley (1-0) for P Austin (61). 

Referee: Gerry Treacy (Borris-Ileigh)