PICTURE: Sportsfocus
FBD County Intermediate Hurling Preliminary Championship Quarter-Final
Borrisokane 3-20
Drom & Inch 0-13
By Liam Hogan
Despite a promising start, Drom Inch were knocked out of this year’s FBD County Intermediate Hurling Championship by a more organised Borrisokane when the sides met at Saint Flannan’s Park, Moneygall last Sunday afternoon.
Conditions were perfect for hurling as the Mid champions, who came third in their group could not live with the speed and all-round team approach displayed by the North men. Once Drom were at the wrong end of conceding two first-half goals which had them trailing 2-8 to 0-8 at half-time. Allied to the fact they were trailing, their team play was erratic when all too often their link play broke down or the wrong option was taken. In addition, their shooting in front of the goal was not up to scratch either as they shot 13 wides over the hour.
The opening five minutes produced five scores with Drom taking an early lead through Joey Maher after sixteen seconds. Michael Heenan levelled before midfielder John Ryan moved Drom in front from distance. Neither team could take a breath as Dylan Power had Borris level for the second time before Conor Ryan gave Borris the lead in the fifth minute.
From that moment on the wheels began to come apart for Drom as Borrisokane dominated the next seven minutes when scoring 1-5 without reply with the goal coming from Oisin Larkin after Philip Austin had led the charge before parting to the unmarked full forward.
Despite the setback, Drom kept in touch. Some nice defensive work by Liam Ryan, Darragh Kennedy, and Paul Mullen kept the supply lines going where John Ryan stood out at midfield. Ryan scored in the 13th minute and had a hand in supplying the ball to Joey Maher who scored next before Jack Lillis pointed a free to complete a three-point unanswered run in the 13th and 15th minute period making it 1-6 to 0-5.
Trailing by four, Drom looked as if they could live with the Northmen but the opposition had other ideas as the continuous running play of Michael Heenan, Conor Ryan, Peter Collins, and Oisin Larkin kept Drom busy at one end while the Borris defence play of Bryan Davis, Roan Murphy, and Liam Cleary kept the supply lines open.
And when Peter Collins got the Borris machine back on track with a point in the 17th minute it was all over two minutes later when Oisin Larkin was alert to a save by Drom keeper Paul Collins before the Borris full forward sent the rebound crashing to the net from close in. Borris were 2-7 to 0-5 in front.
However, John Ryan’s point from midfield in the 26th minute, aided by a Paudie Kinnane free two minutes later, kept Drom’s feint hopes alive but the half came to a close after Oisin Larkin pointed his second free to make it 2-8 to 0-8 at the break
The second half began with a succession of quick scores starting with a Paudie Kinnane free after 47 seconds. Joey Cleary replied with a well-taken point a minute later before Joey Maher replied to leave five separating the teams.
That was as far as it got for Drom because Borrisokane turned on the burners once more with Michael Heenan scoring two points either side of a Paudie Kinnane free before quick points by Conor Ryan and an Oisin Larking free left it 2-13 to 0-11 for Borris.
Brian Moore pulled one back for Drom but their effort to get back in the game was dampened by their erratic shooting as epitomised by three wides inside two minutes. At the other end, Borrisokane didn’t have such problems and in the 43rd minute, the result was out to bed when Conor Ryan had their third goal with Oisin Larkin adding a free to extend their lead to eleven points, 3-14 to 0-12.
Paudie Kinnane’s pointed free was just a mere consolation score because Borrisokane pretty much saw out the remainder of the game with five unanswered points through Conor Ryan, Larkin (free), Conor Ryan, Gary Ryan, and Bryan Davis.
Shane Hassett managed to supply one more score for Drom but Oisin Larkin had the final say with his first point from play to bring down the curtain on the game in what was a disappointing outcome for Drom. Full marks to Borrisokane who will be a handful for any team come quarter-final time.
Borrisokane: Barry Ryan; Shane Nevin, Stephen Gavin, James Hough; Liam Cleary (0-1), Roan Murphy, Bryan Davis (0-1); Dylan Power (0-1), Kevin Cleary; Mike Heenan (0-3), Peter Collins (0-2), Philip Austin; Conor Ryan (1-4), Oisin Larkin (2-6, 0-5f), Eanna Dooley.
Subs used: Joey Cleary (0-1) for P Austin (14, inj); Gary Ryan (0-1) for Dooley (46); Luke Quigley for Power (50); Eddie O’Dwyer for Nevin (50); Josh Chadwick for Heenan (57).
Drom & Inch: Paul Collins; Eoghan Kennedy, Liam Ryan, Michael Purcell; Paul Mullen, Darragh Kennedy, Conor O’Meara; John Ryan (Matt) (0-3), Paul Bergin; Brian Moore (0-1), Conor Gleeson, Jack Lillis (0-1f); Paudie Kinnane (0-4f), Joey Maher (0-4), Aidan O’Meara.
Subs used: Jamie Bergin for Lillis (20, inj); Colm Kinnane for C O’Meara (46); Jack Johnston for Moore (48); Shane Hassett (0-1) for Aidan O’Meara (50); Michael Clohessy for Maher.
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers)
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