The Blues required a win over Burgess in Kilcolman on Saturday evening, but had to content themselves with a draw – the lads’ attention now turns to the up-coming championship.
North Tipperary Junior A Hurling League
Nenagh Éire Óg 0-15 Burgess 0-15
Nenagh Éire Óg relinquished their north Tipperary junior A hurling league title at Kilcolman on Saturday evening – the Blues required a win over Burgess to progress to the knock-out stages, but had to content themselves with a draw. The Éire Óg club would like to wish Burgess all the very best of luck in the knock-out stage of the competition.
Points from John Cahalan and Mark Tuite helped Éire Óg into a 0-2 to no-score lead inside the opening four minutes. To their credit Burgess responded with three consecutive points to edge into a 0-3 to 0-2 lead by the ninth.
A David Hackett free levelled matters and although Burgess hit back almost immediately Éire Óg streaked into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead thanks to points from Adam Grattan and a David Hackett brace (one free).
Burgess responded with a point, but an effort from John Cahalane and a cracker from wing-back Eoin Fitzgibbon saw the Blues into a 0-8 to 0-5 lead by the 20th minute.
Burgess then converted a ’65, but smashing points from David Hackett and Mark Tuite forced Éire Óg four clear before Burgess closed out the half with a brace of their own – half-time: Nenagh Éire Óg 0-10 Burgess 0-8.
Burgess dominated the opening eleven minutes of the second half and out-scored Éire Óg 0-4 to 0-1 with David Hackett accounting for the Nenagh effort from a placed ball.
Burgess now led 0-12 to 0-11, but Éire Óg hit back with a David Hackett free before points from John Cahalan and Mark Tuite forced the Blues into a 0-14 to 0-12 lead by the 48th minute.
A converted Burgess free left a point in it as this game entered the final ten minutes.
Éire Óg created a goal-scoring opportunity in the 53rd minute of real note, but the Burgess ‘keeper saved brilliantly from the raiding Mark Tuite.
To their credit Burgess fired over two consecutive points thereafter to edge into a 0-15 to 0-14 lead and although Mark Tuite notched a late equaliser a draw was not sufficient to propel the Blues into the knock-out stages of the competition.
The junior A team will now focus their attention on the Watch Centre North Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship which the Blues last won in 2012.
Eleven teams will take part in this year’s championship – the format for the competition is two groups of six with the group winners progressing to the semi-finals while the second and third-placed teams progress to the quarter-finals. The north finalists will also progress to the county quarter-finals.
The draw for Group A is: Knockshegowna (defending champions), Templederry Kenyons, Borris-Ileigh, Toomevara, Kilruane MacDonagh’s & Moneygall.
The draw for Group B is: Roscrea, Kildangan, Burgess, Silvermines & Nenagh Éire Óg.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Lenny Ryan, Aodhán Geaney, John O’Donoghue, Brian Flynn, Donnacha Heffernan, Seánie Geaney, Eoin Fitzgibbon (0-1), Alan Kelly, Adam Grattan (0-1), John Cahalan (0-3), Niall Cahill, Christopher Ryan, Michael Hallinan, Mark Tuite (0-4), David Hackett (0-6, 0-4 frees). Subs: (44th) Conor Kirwan for Michael Hallinan, (54th) Gavin O’Connor for Christopher Ryan.
Referee: Tommy Ryan (Kildangan).
Lotto: This week’s lotto jackpot of €3,000 was not won. Lucky dip winners: Damien Martin (Moneygall), Pauline Hynes (New York – online winner!), Michael Quigley (Knigh), Kitty Chadwick (Yewston), Kit Madden (Rockford) – play online!
The Nenagh Éire Óg Club Lotto represents the club’s key fundraising initiative. Just watch how far we can stretch your €2!
If you need to contact Éire Óg please do so via our Contact page. You can also keep in touch by accessing our Facebook page or by following @nenagheireog on Twitter.
