Solohead 3-19 Emly 1-22
Solohead are the Arrabawn Tipperary Co Op Society Ltd
West Tipperary Junior B Hurling champions for the fourth time following their three-point victory over Emly at Annacarty. In doing so, they now have won three of the last four finals in this grade.
This was the first final in this grade between the sides, and what a game it turned out to be. It was by far the best final in this grade for many years and great credit is due to both teams, who never letup throughout. It was end to end stuff over the course of the hour with never more than four points separating the sides.
Emly will rue some wayward shooting, particularly during the opening half when they hit eight wides. They will also look back on the concession of three first half goals, two of which probably should have been prevented. Solohead will also look back on some missed chances, particularly late on when the game was in the melting pot.
They had two big match winners, Jack Redican in defence and Tristan Stokes who not only hit four points from open play, but was involved in the opening goal.
The sides were level seven times during a pulsating opening thirty minutes, with 18 scores in the first 18 minutes. The game ebbed and flowed, with both sides having their purple patches. Solohead went into a three-point lead at the end of the opening quarter but Emly were back on level terms by the 18th minute, 1-7 to 0-10.
They then pushed on to go three up before James Dee converted a penalty. The final three minutes, including two of added time, yielded four scores, including a second major for Solohead. After the restart the opening four scores were evenly shared before Emly got in for a goal on 39 minutes. Solohead hit a purple patch, which was probably the winning of the game, scoring six minors on the bounce. While Emly recovered, they were unable to make inroads and Solohead held out for their third title in four years.
Emly's John O’Brien opened the scoring after 20 seconds. Solohead equalised from a James Dee placed ball on their first attack. Conor Burke and Diarmuid Carroll eased Emly back in front before Anthony Owens beat Darragh McAuley from close range after Triston Stokes had opened up the defence with a run from midfield. Kevin McGrath and Triston Stokes traded minors before Conor Burke brought the sides level for the third time.
Emly moved into a two-point advantage before Solohead replied with four unanswered points coming up to the end of the first quarter, with two from James Dee and one each from Jack Redican and Stephen Dee. Emly upped their game and played their best hurling over the hour in a twelve-minute spell coming up to the 28th minute. They scored six points on the bounce and also had a cracking shot from Aidan O’Heney that came back off the crossbar, with John Joe O’Brien well beaten. During that period of supremacy, they also hit six wides.
A run at the defence by Tristan Stokes drew a penalty, which James Dee dispatched low and hard past Darragh McAuley to tie the game for the sixth time. Points from Paul and Aidan O’Heney eased Emly back in front but a long range free from his own 45-metre line by Jack Redican dropped into the Emly net, having taken a deflection. This was a blow to Emly, having made all the running during the second quarter. Conor Burke tied the game once more with a point from a converted free in added time to leave the half-time score Emly 0-16 Solohead 3-7.
After the restart, Tristan Stokes and James Dee hit two minors inside the opening minute, but again Emly replied through Conor Burke. Aidan O’Heney gave Emly a huge boost when he got the ball over the line after a double save from John Joe O’Brien on 39 minutes. However, Solohead moved up a gear over the next ten minutes, which was probably the winning of the game. Anthony Owens, James Dee and Anthony Redican all found the target before Emly's John O’Brien was just outside the post, with a goal for the taking.
Following that let-off, Solohead pushed on and struck the next three points to go four to the good. Aidan O’Heney and Jamie Carroll cut the deficit to two but Solohead held their composure, even though they hit a few bad wides late on, and went on to take the title in fine fashion.
After the game, West Board Vice Chairman Michael McCarthy presented the Jamise O’Donoghue Cup to the Solohead captain Stephen Dee. Solohead will now play the Mid runners-up in the county quarter-final, while Emly will take on the Mid champions.
Scorers: Solohead: James Dee (1-8, 1-0 pen, 3f), Jack Redican (1-5, 1-4f), Tristan Stokes (0-4), Anthony Owens (1-1), Stephen Dee (0-1).
Emly: Conor Burke (0-9, 7f), Aidan O’Heney (1-4), Jamie Carroll (0-3), Paul O’Heney (0-2), John O’Brien (0-2), Kevin McGrath (0-1), Diarmuid Carroll (0-1).
Solohead: John Joe O’Brien, Chris O’Connor, Edward Nolan, Noel Kennedy, Paul Ryan, Brendan Collins, Jack Redican. James Dee, Denis O’Shea, Tristan Stokes, Stephen Dee (captain), Damien Ryan (C), Declan Riordan, Anthony Owens, Philip O’Doherty.
Subs: Brian Gavin for Philip O’Doherty (HT), Eoin Riordan for Denis O’Shea (inj. 41), Philip O’Doherty for Damien Ryan (C) (55).
Emly: Darragh McAuley, Patrick McGrath, John Purcell, Bob McEneiry, Diarmuid Carroll, Brian Burke (captain), James Cunningham, Conor Phipps, Jamie Carroll, John O’Brien, Paul O’Heney, Conor Burke, Aidan O’Heney, Kevin McGrath, Shane Carroll.
Subs: Evan Hennessy for Kevin McGrath (44), Declan Hennessy for John Purcell (49), Seán Burke for John O’Brien (57).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams).
