Toomevara best rivals Nenagh in extra time thriller to clinch league title

North Tipperary Junior A Hurling League Final 

Toomevara 1-27 

Nenagh Éire Óg 0-26 

By Liam Hogan 

A goal by Alan Ryan in the ninth minute of the first half of extra time helped Toomevara secure their first North Tipperary Junior A Hurling League title in eight years when they defeated Nenagh Eire Og in a very entertaining league final played at Toomevara last Friday evening. 

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Ryan’s goal was the turning point in a game that saw scores level seven times; five in the first half, in a game there was never more than five points separating the teams in a fast free flowing game where shoot on sight was the major factor which resulted in a big number of wides, 22 to 16 in favour of the winners. 

First half 

Very little separated the sides in the first half and in the early stages both sides had four shots on goal in the opening nine minutes, both guilty of wides but more importantly each had two points each on the board with Shane Nolan and Michael Brislane scoring with Nenagh coming back to level after Darragh Welsh and Jamie Cottrell scored.

It was 0-3 each before Nenagh took a slender lead through Niall Madden in the 12th before Toomevara responded with promise, but efforts from out the field resulted in four wides in three minutes. At the other end, Gary Howard had a goal chance close in after Cathal Frend saved, and when Toome turned defence into attack, they levelled through Michel Brislane. 

Playing with the strong diagonal breeze, Toomevara displayed more potential, but Nenagh fought back to take a two-point advantage after Niall Madden (free) and Darragh Walsh scored. 

But, Toomevara, with Jack Doran busy making many clearances, came back for more and were rewarded with scores from Bob Delaney and Cathal Frend. Wing back Sean Geaney struck a great point from the wing to lead, but Toome equalised through Shane Nolan after a long puckout by Jack Hayes, and scores remained 0-7 each until the interval but the talking point at that stage was the amount of wides which reached 11 to 9 in favour of Toome.

Second half 

Nenagh would enter the second half happy in the knowledge of having the diagonal breeze at the backs but the direction of the wind seemed to change and become more favourable to Toome and they certainly had the umpires busy in the opening minutes as they strayed into a three point lead through Shane Nolan (two, one from play) plus another by Eoin Grace. Niall Madden responded from a free before Brislane had another score. Five scores in three and a half minutes.

The quick pace continued. Jamie Cottrell replied for Nenagh Toome, increasing their lead to four after back-to-back points by Eoin Grace, with the Nenagh goal lucky to escape.  With play much crispier, Toome were putting some nice passages of play together, but Nenagh were hot on their tails and two Niall Madden frees plus an Aodhan O’Connor score from play had the margin back to one after forty-two minutes.   

Points by Michael Brislane and Philip McIntyre had the margin at the minimum but substitute David Nolan and Conor O’Meara increased the Greyhounds’ lead to three after forty-six minutes. 

Another Madden free kept Nenagh in the loop, but the light blues would go empty over the eight minutes, and Toome began to turn the heat on as three Nolan frees in as many minutes had the margin out to five. The Greyhounds were looking like winners for the first time. 

The Toome sideline continued to empty the bench, but Nenagh began to regain lost ground and in the remaining minutes, they scored six unanswered points, three Niall Madden frees interspersed by points from play by Philip McIntyre, Cian O’Farrell and Darragh Walsh to see them in front for the first time since the 24th minute. 

The final minute plus two of added time produced tense moments as Toome searched for an equalising free, and it came eventually as Nolan scored from ninety metres to force extra time, 0-20 each. 

Extra Time 

Both Niall Madden and Shane Nolan resumed where they left off as they swapped frees inside the opening six minutes of extra time. Two minutes later, scored a free from halfway.  A minute later, a move involving Tim and Sean Flaherty saw Alan Ryan score a great goal with little room to operate in. Four points separated the teams but Emmet Jones responded before the teams changed ends for the last time, Toome 1-22 Nenagh 0-22.

After resumption, the very influential David Nolan scored after good work by the equally impressive Alan Ryan. However, two Madden frees kept in Nenagh in hot pursuit but Alan Ryan was involved again, first providing an assist for David Nolan before scoring himself to leave the Greyhounds four in front and three minutes remaining. 

Not to be denied, Nenagh hit back with a back-to-back points by Cottrell and Madden (free).  However, Toome were not going to be denied and they finished the game with two more points, the first by David Nolan (his fifth) with the evergreen David Young splitting the posts as the Carroll Cup was on its way to Toome. 

Scorers: Toomevara: Shane Nolan (0-10, 0-6f); David Nolan 0-5; Alan Ryan 1-0; Eoin Grace, Michael Brislane 0-3 each; Darren Delaney, Mark McCarthy, Bob Delaney, Cathal Frend, Conor O’Meara, David Young all 0-1 each. 

Nenagh Eire Og: Niall Madden (0-13, 0-11f); Darragh Walsh, Jamie Cottrell 0-3 each; Filip McIntyre, Cian O’Farrell 0-2 each; Sean Geaney, Aodhan O’Connor and Emmet Jones all 0-1 each. 

Toomevara: Darragh Hayes; Cathal Frend, Darragh Spillane, Jack Ryan; Niall O’Farrell, Colm Canning, Jack Doran; Eoin Grace, Darren Delaney; Mark McCarthy, Shane Nolan, Michael Brislane; Alan Ryan, Bob Delaney, Conor O’Meara. 

Subs used: David Nolan for B Delaney (40); Sean Flaherty for McCarthy (44); Dan Farrell for Doran (47); Tim Flaherty for O’Meara (55); Conor Delaney for Spillane (12th min e/t); David Young for S Nolan (17th min e/t); Jack Hogan for Alan Ryan (20th min e/t).  

Nenagh Eire Og: Scott O’Brien; Keelan Rice, Mark O’Farrell, Gavin Dooley; Sean Geaney, Cian Connolly, Tom Kennedy; Philip McIntyre, Emmet Jones; Darragh Walsh, Jamie Cottrell, Aodhan O’Connor; Niall Madden, Gary Howard, Cian O’Farrell. 

Subs used: James Mackey for Howard (36, inj); Conor Bonar for Kennedy (50); Stephen Hallanan for Jones (55); Daniel Quinn for A O’Connor (56); Aodhan O’Connor for C O’Farrell (6th min e/t); Conor Hodgins (9th min e/t). 

Referee: Mark Gennery (Portroe)

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