Burgess claims U21B North title in an absolute thriller in Dolla

North Tipperary U21B Hurling Championship Final 

Burgess 3-15 

Newport 3-14

By Liam Hogan 

Joe O’Dwyer’s 63rd-minute goal earned Burgess their second North Tipp U21B Hurling title in three years following a highly exciting win over a game Newport side which contested the final played at a showery Dolla last Sunday at noon.

The goal provided Burgess with the win but two minutes earlier it looked as if Newport had the title in their hands when Brian Tobin’s great goal came against the run of play and it moved Newport two points to the good and in a title-winning position. 

But such is sport and in a sea saw battle we saw Newport having the better of the exchanges in the first half in terms of scores which helped them to a 2-8 to 1-9 half-time lead. 

However, Burgess had the breeze in the second half and they took the game to Newport but it took them until the 49th minute before Joe O’Dwyer’s goal had them 2-13 to 1-13 in front. They should have been more in front by then but for some wides which increased to twelve by the end of the hour as opposed to six for the vanquished.

With the second goal, Burgess seemed to be hurling with more composure up front as they added two more points to lead by three for the second time but the concession of frees kept Newport in the hunt and Burgess almost paid a price when Tobin scored the goal before O’Dwyer became a hero. 

This was a very entertaining game despite the intermittent rain that fell for much of the first half and the opening six of the second which made underfoot conditions on the slippy side.

But the thirty players deserve much praise for the entertainment provided with Burgess well served by a full backline led by Conor Grace and Diarmuid O’Donoghue, who were prominent in the corners, keeping a close eye on Aidan O’Dwyer at full-back as the trio conceded just 1-0 from play. 

After a shaky start, Michael Ryan really led the way at six in the company of Liam Grace and Tomas Ryan on the wings. Kieran Grace was excellent at midfield and was well supported by Conor Cooney who came more into the game in the second half. 

The Burgess attack was led by man of the match Eoin Grace who helped himself with five points from play and the club’s second top scorer behind the speedy David Nealon who scored 0-10 and all bar one from placed balls. 

Michael Ryan, Jack O’Sullivan, and Luke Conneally had their moments with Conneally’s goal the start of a Burgess fight-back in the first half, and along with Joe O’Dwyer and David Nealon, the full forward line scored 3-10 in total. A good day’s work. 

Shane Flanagan was Newport’s best player and very close to Eoin Grace for man of the match. Callum Poole and Brian Tobin stood out in attack while Killian Collins did well from frees but was not as prominent in general play as he was in the semi-final win over Kilruane. Meanwhile, Damien Brien, John Lee, and Cathal Hannan did a lot of hurling in defence. 

Newport won the toss and decided to play with the strong breeze in the first half. Scores were level at 0-1 each after two minutes as the game began at a fast-moving pace before Newport took a commanding 1-3 to 0-1 lead after Stephen Coffey scored a goal from close in after Brian Tobin and Shane Flanagan had cut the Burges defence in two. 

In the 11th minute Burgess were back in the game when full forward Luke Connelly got the vital overhead touch to David Nealon’s free from fifty metres out near the sideline. 

A Killian Collins free had Newport two in front but Burgess were soon level at 1-4 each after David Nealon pointed twice the first from play. Newport replied with a Callum Poole point from play and Newport’s new dominance was enhanced by a Shane Flanagan goal after Brian Tobin initiated the move in the 19th minute. 

The remaining ten minutes of the half became a battle of the free takers as Burgess outscored Newport 0-5 to 0-3 thanks to four Nealon frees aided by an Eoin Grace point from play. Calum Poole was the Newport scorer from play as Newport led 2-8 to 1-9 at half-time. 

The second half was five minutes old before Newport had their lead stretched to three points after Killian Collins pointed his fifth free and the first of five in the second half. However, Burgess responded and two Eoin Grace points, inside sixty seconds, had Burgess back in the game.

As the rain cleared, both sides toiled with each other with Kieran Grace and Shane Flanagan leading their respective teams. It was in the 40th minute Eoin Grace broke the deadlock with his fifth point bringing parity for the third time in the game and the first in the second half. But both defences were on top and scores were limited until Killian Collins and David Nealon swapped frees to see parity and sixteen minutes remaining. 

Excitement levels were increasing with Burgess slowly gaining the advantage but their tally of wides ruined their chances of taking an outline lead until Joe O’Dwyer took advantage of a poorly executed puckout with the corner forward finding the net and the lead for only the second time since the first score of the game. 

The concession of frees by the Burgess defence allowed Killian Collins score back to back frees but Nealon did likewise in the 56th and 58th minutes giving Burgess a three-point lead. 

Play had now passed the hour mark and it was Newport’s turn to attack in the 61st minute when substitute Dan Ryan set up Brian Tobin for a goal which gave the Newport supporters a sense of victory. 

However, their joy lasted but 30 seconds when a Burgess delivery dropped outside the Newport goal area and Joe O’Dwyer won possession before finding courage and calm to find the net. 

It was Newport’s turn to try and save the game and in the 63rd minute, a close free by Dan Ryan was sent over the bar in the hope his side had enough time to find an equaliser.

They had another ninety seconds to do so but they were unable to break down the Burgess defence and Burges had won. With a lone North Premier Intermediate already won last August the addition of county Junior Football the year and now this makes the year look brighter for Burgess.

Scorers: Burgess: David Nealon (0-10, 0-9f); Joe O’Dwyer 2-0; Eoin Grace 0-5; Luke Conneally 1-0.

Newport: Killian Collins 0-9f; Brian Tobin 1-2; Shane Flanagan, Stephen Coffey 1-0 each; Calum Poole 0-2; Dan Ryan 0-1. 

Burgess: Oisin Tucker; Conor Grace, Aidan O’Dwyer, Diarmuid O’Donoghue; Liam Grace, Michael Ryan, Tomas Ryan; Conor Cooney, Kieran Grace; Michael Ryan, Eoin Grace, Jack O’Sullivan; Joe O’Dwyer, Luke Conneally, David Nealon.

Subs used: Conor Ryan (6) for L Grace (56). 

Newport: Ryan Shinners; Damien O’Brien, Luke Kennedy, Tom Allen; Adam Power, John Lee, Cathal Hannan; Shane Flanagan, Niall Duffy; Callum Poole, Diarmuid O’Riordan, Brian Tobin; Stephen Coffey, Jack Ryan, Killian Collins. 

Subs used: Dan Ryan for Duffy (39); James Moloney for Power (52). 

Referee: John Cleary (Knockshegowna)