The Nenagh Éire Óg junior B hurling team struggled in their opening championship game against Lorrha at Moatfield on Friday evening. That said the Blues never gave up and offered supporters plenty of evidence that they can recover from this defeat and make a positive impact on this year’s competition.
Watch Centre North Tipperary
Junior B Hurling Championship
Nenagh Éire Óg 1-7
Lorrha-Dorrha 3-16
Despite playing against Lorrha on their home ground Éire Óg began in encouraging fashion. Indeed, as early as the third minute centre-back Kieran Duffy lashed over a free from inside his own ’65 to present the Blues with the lead. Two minutes later Paul Lillis converted a free following a foul on Christopher Ryan and Éire Óg led 0-2 to no-score.
Lorrha, however, proved themselves an exceptional junior B side thereafter and hit 1-3 without reply to take control on this encounter – the Lorrha goal materialised in the sixth minute.
A terrific right-handed point from Jack Sheedy in the 17th minute left three in it (0-3 to 1-3) and Éire Óg supporters were cheering three minutes later when ‘keeper Darragh Gleeson advanced bravely off his line to deflect a Lorrha shot onto the post. A terrific save.
Lorrha, however, added four more points (one ’65) to take a 1-7 to 0-3 lead before Paul Lillis (free) responded for the Blues in the 24th minute.
Lorrha’s second goal materialised in the 27th minute and although Alex Jones fired over an encouraging point during the concluding stages of the opening half the home side led 2-9 to 0-5 at the break.
Éire Óg re-structured their side during the interval and made an encouraging start to the second half, but, unfortunately, the Blues were not rewarded for their efforts on the scoreboard while Lorrha added three points to their tally and led 2-12 to 0-5 with twenty minutes to play.
Alex Jones set up Paul Lillis for a fine score in the 42nd minute, but Lorrha responded with a three-pointer to open a fifteen-point gap between the teams.
In the 47th minute Paul Lillis fired home a 21-yard free and the centre-forward added another from play in the 54th minute.
Despite the margin of the defeat it was more than encouraging to see the Éire Óg team battle right to the very end of this encounter. Nenagh Éire Óg would like to wish Lorrha all the very best for the remainder of the competition.
In the Watch Centre North Tipperary Junior B Hurling Championship Éire Óg have been drawn in group one alongside Lorrha, Toomevara, Shannon Rovers and Ballina. Moneygall, Portroe, Newport and Borrisokane make up group two. This year the Éire Óg team is managed by Cian Tucker (manager), Mark Long, John Paul King and Paddy Flynn. The junior B team would appreciate your support.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Darragh Gleeson, John Kelly, Lenny Ryan, Brian Duffy, Alex Jones (0-1), Kieran Duffy (0-1, 0-1 frees), Connie O’Reilly, Aodhán Geaney, Jamie Gallagher, Jack Sheedy (0-1), Paul Lillis (1-4, 1-2 frees), Michael Hynes, Brian Tuite, Michael Hallinan, Christopher Ryan. Subs: (37th) Niall McKeogh for Brian Tuite, (48th) Noel Tomlinson for Jack Sheedy, (48th) Liam Maher for Michael Hallinan, (52nd) Niall O’Gorman for Jamie Gallagher, (52nd) Brian Carr for Alex Jones, (55th) Eoghan O’Gara for Paul Lillis.
Referee: Shane Hodgins (Knockshegowna).
The Nenagh Éire Óg Club Lotto represents the club’s key fundraising initiative.
Please consider supporting the Blues by playing our club lotto online: click here!
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