Borris-Ileigh goes to the well to banish extra time demons in an enthralling North final win

Ger Gavin North Tipperary U19A Hurling Championship Final

Borris-Ileigh 0-24  

Kilruane MacDonaghs  0-19

By James Hayden 

A battling Borris-Ileigh side were crowned North U19 ‘A’ hurling champions following an absorbing and thrilling extra-time decider in MacDonagh Park, Nenagh on Sunday afternoon last.

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Played in miserable, wet and windy conditions, Borris-Ileigh were forced to dig deep in extra-time to capture the Michal ‘Spike’ Nolan cup following a ding-dong battle between two excellent sides.

Borris-Ileigh came into this encounter gunning for their first North title at this grade having succumbed to Toomevara after extra time in last year’s decider. Kilruane MacDonaghs on the other hand were hoping to add the ‘A’ title to their U-19 ‘B’ title won 12 months previous.

Kilruane started brightly with Brian O’Meara setting up Michael Hennelly for Kilruane’s opening point inside ten seconds. Borris-Ileigh found it difficult to find their range in the opening stages and should have responded in the sixth minute but Patrick Ryan’s close-range free fizzed the wrong side of the Kilruane upright.

Kilruane doubled their advantage with an eighth minute free from close to the stand sideline before efforts from Michael Cleary (65’) and Shane Cleary fired Joe Whelan’s charges four points clear.

Borris-Ileigh were without the services of the injured Evan Ryan and Eamonn Groome and they found it difficult to settle into any real rhythm early on. A 12th minute Tom Delaney free from long-range served to open their account but the influential Michael Cleary responded with an exceptional effort for Kilruane midway through the half.

Borris’ added a second thanks to a close-range Patrick Ryan free less than a minute later but Kilruane’s rearguard ensured Borris-Ileigh’s attack was forced to feed off scraps in the opening quarter.

Kilruane surged four clear on the seventeen-minute mark with Cillian Healy booming over a fine point from range before Michael Cleary arrowed over a well-struck 20th minute free to put his side five in front, 0-7 to 0-2.

The men in maroon finally found their range from play in the 21st minute with Shane Ryan setting Jack Bevans up for Borris-Ileigh’s first score from play after 21 minutes of play. Borris’ almost found the back of the Kilruane net less than sixty seconds later with Tom Austin pulling off a point blank save from the stick of Shane Ryan. Referee, Peter Carroll pulled back play for a free in the build-up and Patrick Ryan duly obliged from close-range.

Kilruane responded with a sublime Shane Cleary effort before Charlie Kennedy tore through the heart of the Borris-Ileigh defence and fired over a sweet 27th minute point to stretch Kilruane’s lead to five once more.

Borris-Ileigh continued to struggle to manufacture anything of any real note in attack but a 29th minute Patrick Ryan free kept Borris-Ileigh in touch. Borris’ utilized the width of the pitch excellently in the opening half but the heavy rain caused problems for their attack with a physically stronger Kilruane defence thwarting Borris’ on numerous occasions.

Kilruane responded right on the cusp of half-time with a Michael Cleary close-range free to ensure they led by double scores at the break, 0-10 to 0-5.

Borris-Ileigh emerged determined to cut the deficit and within the opening two minutes of the second half the gap was whittled down to three thanks to a well-struck Patrick Ryan free from the toes of the stand sideline and a sublime Eoin Boyle effort from range.

With the driving rain now relenting somewhat and the wind starting to whip up once more Borris-Ileigh continued to reel in Kilruane with a fine Shane Ryan effort following a booming Tom Delaney clearance.

Kilruane eventually managed to get the scoreboard ticking once more when a difficult Michael Cleary point from a placed ball opened the gap out to three. Eoin Boyle responded with his second point of the game before Cillian Healy edged Kilruane three clear once more with his second point of the hour.

Patrick Ryan (free) narrowed the gap to two on the 41 minute mark but Kilruane were noticeably  struggling to find their scores against the breeze before Tommy O’Meara broke clean through on the Borris-Ileigh goal. O’Meara shot low but Eoghan Anderson managed to get his right boot to the sliotar to deny Kilruane an almost certain goal. Anderson caught the resultant 65’ and cleared from right under his own crossbar to deny Kilruane once more before Kilruane raided again with Shane Cleary setting up Michael Cleary for Kilruane’s thirteenth point of the game.

Borris-Ileigh responded in exquisite style with Patrick Ryan arrowing over a delightful score from play and a second from a placed ball before the outstanding Tom Delaney surged upfield from centre-back to level proceedings with a rousing effort from way out the field; 0-13 apiece with 12 minutes of normal time remaining.

Borris-Ileigh hit the front seconds later with Tom Delaney stepping up to convert a sublimely struck sideline cut from the stand side of the pitch. The momentum was well and truly with the Borris’ men at this stage and Darragh Chute doubled Borris-Ileigh’s advantage in the 53rd minute to leave Kilruane searching for a way back into proceedings.

Cathal McIntyre almost handed Kilruane an immediate return to the lead but his fizzing effort at goal was excellently saved by Eoghan Anderson in the Borris-Ileigh goal. Michael Cleary flighted over the resulting 65’ to narrow the gap to two before a close-range 56th minute free again from the stick of Cleary brought Kilruane back upsides.

Shane Cleary and Michael Cleary combined well to fire Kilruane back in front seconds later with Shane Cleary bisecting the uprights with a fine point. With a grandstand finish well and truly in store Patrick Ryan levelled proceedings again with a close-range free right on the 30-minute mark before Cathal McIntyre edged Kilruane back in front once more.

With the clock now in the red Borris-Ileigh dramatically levelled proceedings with a Patrick Ryan free and were afforded not one but two chances to snatch the title but wides from both Tom Delaney and Cathal Kennedy thwarted their efforts before referee, Peter Carroll sent the game to extra-time with a shrill blow of his whistle.

The first period of extra-time saw Patrick Ryan and Michael Cleary trade pointed frees before Kilruane, with the breeze at their backs, squandered three big chances to seize the initiative. Borris-Ileigh seized the initiative thanks to a sublime Patrick Ryan point from a tight angle and an absolutely cracking Shane Ryan effort from close to the bank sideline. Borris’ surged three clear right on the whistle to see them deservedly lead by 0-21 to 0-18 at half-time in extra-time.

Borris-Ileigh enhanced their lead straight from the throw-in with a Darragh Chute point before Kilruane cut the deficit to three with a Shane Cleary effort. Eoin Boyle restored Borris-Ileigh’s three-point lead with three minutes remaining before Patrick Ryan’s late free copper-fastened a hard-earned, hard-fought and fully deserved victory for an impressive Borris-Ileigh side.

Borris-Ileigh: Eoghan Anderson; David Rabbitte, Daniel Groome, Jack Gould; Lar Stapleton, Tom Delaney (0-3, 0-1f, 0-1 sl-cut), Michael Ryan; Razuk Atik, Darragh Chute (0-2); Jack Bevans (0-1), Eoin Boyle (0-3), Eoin Ryan; Shane Ryan (0-2), Cathal Kennedy, Patrick Ryan (0-13, 0-11f).

Subs used: Evan Ryan for Stapleton (51).

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Tom Austin; Paul Molloy, Cathal England, Cormac Kennedy; Hugo Healy, Cian Moyles, Eamonn Coonan; Brian O’Meara, Charlie Kennedy (0-1); Cillian Healy (0-2), Tommy O’Meara, Shane Cleary (0-4); Cathal McIntyre (0-1), Michael Cleary (0-10, 0-6f, 0-2 65s), Michael Hennelly (0-1).

Subs used: Jack Quinlisk for Kennedy (38).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess)

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