The Éire Óg senior hurlers drew with Portroe in the senior hurling championship while the junior B Camogie team made history at The Ragg in a dramatic day for the Blues.
HISTORIC CAMOGIE WIN
The Nenagh Éire Óg senior Camogie team made history on Sunday afternoon when winning a first-ever County Junior B League title – in the decider Éire Óg beat Portroe 8-5 to 1-4 at The Ragg.
Following a Holly O’Brien point goals from Michelle Collins, Danielle Harrington and Aileen Duggan helped Éire Óg into a 3-1 to 0-3 lead by the 17th minute. A Louise Hickey strike and three further Danielle Harrington goals saw Éire Óg lead 7-1 to 0-4 at the interval.
A fifth Danielle Harrington goal and points from Ciara McGrath (two) and Rachel Maher forced Éire Óg into a 8-5 to 0-4 lead before Portroe struck for a late consolation goal.
Well done to everyone involved and our thanks go to the management team of Denise Morris, Paul Henry and Shane Connolly who have put a lot of work into this group of players.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Cliona Curran, Alice Darcy (captain), Mary Dillon, Zoe Grattan, Rachel Maher (0-1, 0-1 free), Michelle Collins (1-0), Ciara McGrath (0-2), Alanna Morris, Aileen Duggan (1-1), Danielle Harrington (5-0), Holly O’Brien (0-1), Louise Hickey (1-0). Subs: Amy Heffernan for Michelle Collins, Brenda O’Sullivan for Holly O’Brien, Paula Ryan for Mary Dillon.
SENIOR HURLING
Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
Portroe 0-13 Nenagh Éire Óg 1-10
A draw with Portroe ensured that Éire Óg won group three of the Hibernian Inn-sponsored North Tipperary senior hurling championship at a soaking wet Dolla on Sunday afternoon.
Kevin O’Halloran set the tone for Portroe in the fifth minute when the youngster fired over a smashing effort to give his side the lead. Michael Heffernan responded for Éire Óg before John Sheedy and Donnacha Quinn (free) traded efforts to leave the sides locked at 0-2 apiece by the seventh minute.
In the ninth Kevin O’Halloran swung over a terrific sideline ball to re-claim the lead for Portroe, but Michael Heffernan responded for Éire Óg almost immediately before a Killian Gleeson point presented the Blues with the lead for the first time in the 12th – 0-4 to 0-3.
Six minutes later Kevin O’Halloran levelled it up with another excellent effort before John Sheedy (’65) gave Portroe the lead in the 19th minute. Three minutes later a Donnacha Quinn free tied it up as the tit-for-tat nature of this encounter persisted while a superb Jimmy Creamer point re-claimed the lead for a highly-motivated Portroe side in the 23rd minute – 0-6 to 0-5.
Éire Óg closed out the half in robust fashion however with a long-range Barry Heffernan free and a Donnacha Quinn effort from a placed ball handing Liam Heffernan’s men a narrow 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead.
Three minutes into the second half Portroe were level thanks to a John Sheedy free. Seconds later Justin Conroy set up Kevin O’Halloran to lash over a brilliant long-range effort (0-8 to 0-7) and it was all looking a little ominous for Éire Óg.
The Blues stuck to their task however and were unlucky not to plunder a goal in the 35th minute when Darren Gleeson denied Hugh Maloney with a fine save. Portroe were not as fortunate however in the 37th minute when Éire Óg conjured a fine goal to force themselves into a 1-7 to 0-8 lead – Pearse Morris won the ball in the middle of the field and worked it to Killian Gleeson who in turn found Tommy Heffernan who played a clever one-two with Michael Heffernan before beating Darren Gleeson with a neat left-hand shot.
Portroe responded to that set-back magnificently however. A John Sheedy ’65 and a David Gleeson point levelled matters with twenty minutes to play before John Sheedy (free) fired his side back into the lead in the 44th minute.
Michael Heffernan notched Éire Óg’s first point of the second half in the 46th minute to draw the sides level (1-8 to 0-11). Three minutes later Michael Heffernan was fouled for a free which Kevin Tucker converted and Éire Óg led 1-9 to 0-11 with time fast running out. A Kevin Tucker free in the 55th minute then extended Éire Óg’s lead to two.
Prior to this effort Portroe, who were hurling much the better, had fired three consecutive wides and were denied a goal in the 57th minute when Michael McNamara made a fine reaction save from Kevin O’Halloran. It is also worth noting that Noel Maloney did especially well to block a Dinny Hogan effort seconds later.
With a minute to play Darren Gleeson worked a free short to the completely unmarked Jimmy Creamer who landed a fine point from the middle of the field to reduce the margin to manageable proportions – 0-12 to 1-10.
Then, in second half injury time, Éire Óg’s Hugh Maloney was adjudged to have over-carried, perhaps harshly, and the ever-reliable John Sheedy fired over the resultant long-range free to earn Portroe a share of the points.
Portroe: Darren Gleeson, Christopher O’Riordan, Noel O’Halloran, Dermot O’Halloran, Michael Creamer, Colm Gleeson, Simon Kelly, Justin Conroy, Jimmy Creamer (0-2), John Sheedy (0-6, 0-3 frees, 0-2 ‘65s), Kevin O’Halloran (0-4, 0-1 sideline), Mark Gennery, David Gleeson (0-1), Dinny Hogan, James Ryan. Subs: (23rd) Jack Keating for Mark Gennery, (50th) Conor Leo for Justin Conroy.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Michael McNamara, Adam Grattan, Noel Maloney, John Brennan, Daire Quinn, Barry Heffernan (0-1, 0-1 free), Billy Heffernan, Alan Kelly, Pearse Morris, Killian Gleeson (0-1), Hugh Maloney, Tommy Heffernan (1-0), Johnny Slattery, Michael Heffernan (0-3), Donnacha Quinn (0-3, 0-3 frees). Subs: (32nd) Kevin Tucker (0-2, 0-2 frees) for Johnny Slattery, (36th) Seán Geaney for Alan Kelly, (44th) James Mackey for Donnacha Quinn.
Referee: Pat Gibson (Burgess).
QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
On Sunday evening, following Toomevara’s play-off win over Lorrha at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh Éire Óg were drawn against the Greyhounds in the quarter-finals.
Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final draw: Nenagh Éire Óg v Toomevara, Templederry Kenyons v Kildangan, Roscrea v Borris-Ileigh, Silvermines v Portroe. All four matches are scheduled to take place on the week-ending Sunday, May 26th.
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