Nenagh Éire Óg recovered from falling four points behind in the opening eleven minutes to beat Kilruane MacDonagh’s in a superb junior A hurling championship clash at Toomevara this evening.
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Junior A Hurling Championship
Nenagh Éire Óg 0-16
Kilruane MacDonagh’s 0-14
Despite taking an initial lead thanks to a Conor Ryan point in the opening minute Éire Óg then shipped five consecutive Kilruane scores to trail 0-1 to 0-5 by the eleventh minute.
Successive points from Gary Howard and Paul Ryan in the 16th and 18th minutes dragged the Blues back into contention while a Kilruane free left three between them in the 21st – 0-3 to 0-6.
A terrific long-range effort from Niall Madden and a Bob O’Brien point reduced the deficit to a single point by the 24th minute. Once more Kilruane responded, but a David Hackett brace levelled it up at 0-7 apiece in the 29th minute. A late Kilruane point handed the MacDonagh’s a slender (0-8 to 0-7) interval lead. Unfortunately Bob O’Brien found the side netting following some fine work in the 32nd minute.
Two minutes into the second half David Hackett left the sides all square. Éire Óg, however, then fired four consecutive wides before Kilruane reclaimed the lead in the 39th minute.
Éire Óg were hurling well now and points from Paul Ryan, David Hackett, Darragh Walsh and a superb Brian Maxwell point from distance handed the Blues a 0-12 to 0-10 lead with fifteen minutes to play. To their credit Kilruane responded with two points to leave nothing between the sides entering the final ten minutes. Indeed, Kilruane were unfortunate not to goal in the 49th minute when Éire Óg’s Kevin Flynn made a telling save.
In the 52nd minute Paul Ryan forced Éire Óg back into the lead. Kilruane fought back however and thanks to two points took a vital lead (0-14 to 0-13) with just four minutes to play. Éire Óg, however, closed out the game in emphatic fashion. A Paul Ryan point in the 57th minute levelled matters before Michael Hackett won a terrific free on the hour mark which David Hackett converted. Kilruane poured forward in search of a late equaliser, but Gary Howard fired the Blues two clear in the 62nd minute.
Nenagh Éire Óg’s remaining group games see the Blues take on Roscrea, Toomevara and Moneygall.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Kevin Flynn, Donnacha Heffernan, John O’Donoghue, Michael Collins, Niall Madden (0-1), Niall Cahill, Eoin Fitzgibbon, Brian Maxwell (0-1), Aodhán Geaney, David Hackett (0-5, 0-1 free), Paul Ryan (0-4), Conor Ryan (0-1), Bob O’Brien (0-1), Gary Howard (0-2), Darragh Walsh (0-1). Subs: (52nd) Michael Hackett for Conor Ryan.
Referee: Kieran Delaney (Toomevara).
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