Hall contribution key for Toomevara in extra time thriller victory over Clonoulty Rossmore

FBD Insurance  Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Toomevara 3-20

Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-24 AET

By Michael Dundon

Toomevara subs won the day for them as they overcame Clonoulty Rossmore in extra time in a thrilling  FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling quarter-final at Semple Stadium on Sunday.

Adam Hall came on for Toome at half-time and proceeded to hit 2-3 for them while Kenny Ryan who entered the fray after 47 minutes also found the net - their goals tipping this finely balanced contest in favour of “The Greyhounds” while West champions Clonoulty Rossmore now face into a relegation battle to preserve their senior status.

The stakes were high on Sunday for Clonoulty Rossmore who finished bottom of their group in the round-robin series thereby landing them in the relegation play-offs. They qualified for the knock-out stages of the county championship by virtue of their West win and defeated Mullinahone in the preliminary quarter-final but they needed to win the Dan Breen Cup to avoid the relegation games.

Clonoulty looked well on course to make further progress as they raced into a 0-8 to 0-2 lead after 19 minutes, Cathal Bourke landing five of their points, three from play. Toome settled in the second quarter and with Darragh McCarthy “on song” from placed balls, they were just two points adrift at the break, 0-8 to 0-10. Clonoulty spurned two goal chances in the first half which were to prove costly, and could not have been happy with their slender advantage considering the monopoly of the play they enjoyed.

The West lads were 0-12 to 0-11 ahead after 35 minutes when Adam Hall, a half-time substitute for Toome, raced through for a Toome goal and the lead for the first time. That goal gave them the advantage and now it was Clonoulty who were doing the chasing. Toome still held a one-point advantage when Adam Hall pounced for his second goal in the 63rd minute and it looked as though Toome were safely through to the semi-final.

But in a remarkable recovery, Michael Ryan capped a fine game for Clonoulty with a 63rd minute point and 2 minutes later when Cathal Bourke’s free was parried, Conor Hammersely slammed home the rebound for a levelling goal (Clonoulty 1-19, Toomevara 2-16).

In extra time the sides swapped points but in the 7th minute, Mark McCarthy blocked down an attempted Clonoulty clearance and Kenny Ryan blasted to the net. Mark McCarthy added a point as Toome went 3-18 to 1-20 clear at the halfway stage.

At this stage, players were cramping up all over the field but somehow Clonoulty found the reserves to mount a great second-half rally. Darragh McCarthy had pointed for Toome but then Cathal Bourke(3) and John O Keeffe had Clonoulty points to leave just a point in it with time almost up and the possibility of a penalty shoot-out looming.

Toome survived the onslaught however, and fittingly, Adam Hall, whose influence on the game was immense, fired over an 80th-minute point for The Greyhounds to send them into the semi-final.

It was a hectic conclusion to a fine contest that really could have gone either way with both sides guilty of missed chances but credit to Toome for their resilience in the face of sustained Clonoulty pressure in those nail-biting final minutes.

Under manager Ken Dunne, they have made great strides this year and they will relish the opportunity to cross swords with North rivals Kiladangan in the semi-final. Outsiders they may be in many people’s opinions, but with their spirit and ability they are well capable of causing an upset.

Adam Hall was the star of the show for them with his 2-3 from play after coming on at half-time and he will surely be in the starting fifteen next time out. Darragh McCarthy’s points from play and frees were vital also while the work of Andrew Ryan, Jack Ryan, Mark McCarthy, Josh McCarthy, and Liam Ryan was also worthy of note.

Clonoulty Rossmore have little time to put this upset behind them as they bid to secure their senior status in the relegation play-offs. The positives are that they have the players and the spirit to survive, though how they react to Sunday’s setback will be a determining factor. Michael Ryan was their top performer but John O Keeffe, Enda Heffernan, Cathal Bourke, Conor Hammersley, and Ciaran Quirke also had big games

Toomevara: Rory Brislane; Liam Ryan, Andrew Ryan, Seamus O’Farrell; Jake Ryan, Josh McCarthy, Jack Ryan; Robbie Quirke, Darren Delaney; Kevin McCarthy (0-1), Shane Nolan (0-1f), Mark McCarthy (0-2); Jack Delaney, Colm Canning, Darragh McCarthy (0-13, 0-10f).

Subs used: Joey McLoughney for Jake Ryan (25); Adam Hall (2-3) for Nolan (HT); Kenny Ryan (1-0) for Canning (47); David Nolan for Jack Ryan (57); Paddy Grace for D McCarthy (75); Conor O’Farrell for D Delaney (79).

Clonoulty Rossmore: Jason O’Dwyer; Tommy Ryan, Enda Heffernan, Danny Slattery; Ciaran Quirke, John O’Keeffe (0-1), Sean O’Connor; Ronan Heffernan (0-1), Michael Ryan (0-6); Conor Hammersley (1-2), Cathal Bourke (0-10, 0-6f), Jack Ryan (0-2); Stephen Quinn, Robert Doyle (0-1), Stephen Ferncombe. 

Subs used: James Ryan (0-1) for Ferncombe (38); Aaron Ryan for Quinn (53); Jimmy Maher for T Ryan (HT, ET); Thomas Butler for Hammersley (70);  Quinn for Doyle (70); James Hammersely for M Ryan (78). 

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne Templetuohy)