Despite trailing 0-2 to 1-6 after nine minutes Nenagh Éire Óg recovered to register a fine four-point junior A league semi-final win over Burgess at a sunny Cloughjordan this evening.
Saturday, June 8th
North Tipperary Junior A Hurling Semi-Final
Nenagh Éire Óg 1-19 Burgess 1-15
Despite trailing 0-2 to 1-6 after nine minutes Éire Óg recovered to register a fine four-point junior A league semi-final win over Burgess at a sunny Cloughjordan this evening.
Éire Óg started very poorly with Burgess taking full advantage. Burgess led 0-5 to 0-2 after seven minutes when a long-range free found the Éire Óg net. Burgess added to their tally a minute later and Éire Óg looked in real trouble – 0-2 to 1-6.
Éire Óg responded to the challenge with points from Donnacha Quinn, David Hackett (two frees), Darragh Walsh and Brian Maxwell reducing the deficit to three points by the 20th minute. Burgess hit back with a point of their own, but Éire Óg were hurling much the better now and deservedly hit the net in the 22nd minute when Gary Howard grabbed Davy Hackett’s delivery and beat the Burgess ‘keeper with a rasper – 1-7 apiece.
The sides traded points prior to half-time and retired all square – Éire Óg 1-9 Burgess 1-9.
It was tit-for-tat in the opening minutes of the second half and even though Éire Óg now looked the better side they struggled to shake off the challenge of a dogged Burgess outfit.
In the 44th minute a Niall Madden free from long-range handed Éire Óg a 1-13 to 1-12 lead, but the Blues then fired five consecutive wides. In the meantime Burgess stole in for two points which helped them into a 1-14 to 1-13 lead by the 50th minute.
Two minutes later a David Hackett free levelled it while a Paul Ryan point with five minutes to play handed Éire Óg the lead. To their credit Burgess responded with a point (1-15 apiece), but Éire Óg would not be denied and surged toward the final whistle with points from Alan Kelly, Andrew Coffey, Brian Maxwell and David Hackett (free) sealing this win in emphatic terms.
Éire Óg will face Borris-Ileigh in the final – Borris-Ileigh saw off Toomevara in their respective semi-final this evening.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Kevin Flynn, Donnacha Heffernan, John O’Donoghue, Michael Collins, Niall Madden (0-1, 0-1 free), Niall Cahill, Eoin Fitzgibbon, Alan Kelly (0-1), Darragh Walsh (0-1), Bob O’Brien, Brian Maxwell (0-4), David Hackett (0-8, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘65), Donnacha Quinn (0-1), Gary Howard (1-0), Brian Quinn. Subs: (HT) Andrew Coffey (0-2) for Darragh Walsh, (37th) James Mackey for Donnacha Quinn, (42nd) Paul Ryan (0-1) for Bob O’Brien, (54th) Philip Hickey for Gary Howard, (61st) Conor Ryan for Brian Quinn.
Referee: Dan Darcy.
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