Nenagh CBS into final four of Dean Ryan Cup after defeating strong Ardscoil Rís outfit

TUS Dean Ryan Cup U17A Hurling Quarter-Final

Nenagh CBS 3-15

Ardscoil Rís 0-21

Nenagh CBS withstood intense late pressure from Limerick school Ardscoil Rís in Newport to book their place in the last four of this year's Dean Ryan Cup and move one step closer to defending their title won last year.

A strong first half performance from Nenagh set the building blocks for this victory and as usual, they had the aid of a strong breeze present in Newport, scoring three goals in the first 30 minutes that would prove to be crucial to the final result.

Charlie Kennedy provided the finish for two of the trio of green flags, his first coming in the 13th minute which was the pick of the goals, latching onto a dropping ball and - from an angle inside the 21 - he pumped his effort into the far corner.

His second was a scrappier effort but no less important as Eoin Grace challenged well for a dropping ball in around the goalmouth and Kennedy was quick to the break to pull on the ball close to goal and rattle the net.

The first Kennedy goal kicked Nenagh into gear as they struggled to find form in the opening quarter and - with the wind present in their favour - they needed a substantial lead at the break, and that 13th minute effort from the Kilruane MacDonaghs man sparked the Nenagh charge.

The second Nenagh goal was sandwiched between the Kennedy three-pointers and this had more than an element of luck to it, with goalkeeper Paddy McCormack coming out the his own 45 to lamp a free downfield, and in the cluster of bodies contesting the high ball, it bounced in the square and zipped past the Ardscoil Rís goalkeeper.

Eoin Grace and Paddy Hackett punished any and all Ardscoil Rís indescretions from placed balls and despite late scores from Alex Kearns, David O'Keeffe and John Ross O'Reilly late in the half, Nenagh were in nick going in at half-time leading by 3-9 to 0-9.

That nine point lead was far from a game winning one considering the strength of the wind present in Newport, and despite Ardscoil availing of it second half, Nenagh competed well in the third quarter and had four of the nine points scored by thr 45th minute thanks to three Eoin Grace frees (two of which were won through hard work from Paddy Hackett) and a fine effort from Mikey McLoone. Nenagh maintaining their three goal lead at 3-13 to 0-13 with 15 minutes left.

Ardscoil Rís were struggling for scores from play in that period and had Alex Kearns frees to thank for keeping them in touch as he hit seven points from placed balls in a row for his team, a few of which reduced the gap to six points by thr 48th minute as Nenagh fouled relentlessly.

Nenagh struggled in a big way to maintain possession from restarts into the face of the wind and when Ardscoil hit their first two points from play in the half in the 53rd and 55th minute respectively through David O'Keeffe and David Moran, the Nenagh panic was setting in as the Limerick school were now just three point in arrears with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Taking on water, Nenagh were relieved to end their 11 minute scoring drought with a well executed Eoin Grace free a minute later but the tide was going toward their goalmouth now and two more Alex Kearns frees had the game back to two point with referee Tom McGlinchey indicating three minutes of added time.

Again though, Nenagh responded to the pressure and killed time after winning a free inside the Ardscoil 45. Eoin Grace converted the free with expert precision giving the pressure, and it was now goal or bust for Ardscoil.

They very nearly found the equalising goal late on when a long free deliver from Alex Kearns threatened the Nenagh goal, and with bodies and hurleys flying at the high ball in, Paddy McCormack reacted smartly to parry the dropping ball away from goal; almost a carbon copy of his first half goal.

In the end, Nenagh CBS held out for a brilliant win and will now go forward to the semi-final stage where they will be hoping to go one step closer to defending their crown.

Scorers: Nenagh CBS: Eoin Grace (0-8, 0-7f), Charlie Kennedy 2-0, Paddy Hackett 0-4f, Paddy McCormack 1-0f, Aodhan Tucker, Riain McGrath, Mikey McLoone 0-1 each.

Ardscoil Rís: Alex Kearns (0-13, 0-11f), David O'Keeffe 0-3, John Ross O'Reilly 0-2, Ian O'Brien, David Moran, Cathal O'Doherty 0-1 each.

Nenagh CBS: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); Rory Hackett (Kiladangan), Dan McKelvey (Silvermines), James Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg), Jack Bourke (Silvermines), Johnny Grace (Burgess), Cormac Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Aodhan Tucker (Nenagh Éire Óg), Mikey McLoone (Nenagh Éire Óg); Éanna Tucker (Nenagh Éire Óg), Paul Cahalan (Burgess), Paddy Hackett (Toomevara); Charlie Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Eoin Grace (Silvermines), Riain McGrath (Kiladangan).

No subs used.

Ardscoil Rís: Marcus Murphy (Na Piarsaigh); Rowan Collins (Adare), Eoin Hennessy (Patrickswell), Evan Ryan (South Liberties); Tom Slattery (Clarecastle), Sean Fitzgerald (Murroe Boher), Billy Gavin (Ballybrown); Shane Waters (Na Piarsaigh), Jack O'Halloran (Sixmilebridge); Alex Kearns (Na Piarsaigh), Cathal O'Doherty (Cratloe), David O'Keeffe (Na Piarsaigh); Ryan Hogan (Murroe Boher), Ian O'Brien (Cratloe), John Ross O'Reilly (Ballybrown).

Subs used: William Ryan (Murroe Boher) for Collins (25); Gavin O'Brien (Kilmallock) for Gavin (27); Conor Birmingham (Na Piarsaigh) for O'Reilly (38); David Moran (Ahane) for Waters (42).

Referee: Tom McGlinchey (Newport)