Huge congratulations to our Under 21 hurlers who brought home their second trophy in 3 weeks as they captured the County U21 B title today in Templetouhy adding this to the Mid Title won on the 8th December. Join the team in celebrations later in Prouts Gortnahoe

Below report From Tipp Stars Brian McDonnell

Composed Gortnahoe-Glengoole are crowned county under-21B hurling champions following final win over Borrisokane

Brian McDonnell

22 Dec 2019

Email: bmcdonnell@tipperarystar.ie

A thrilled Gortnahoe-Glengoole captain Jack Moore pictured accepting the trophy from County Board vice-chairman Joe Kennedy at Templetuohy on Sunday afternoon.

A composed Gortnahoe-Glengoole side were crowned FBD Insurance county under-21B hurling champions at Templetuohy on Sunday afternoon following their three-point win over Borrisokane. There was very little between the sides in this entertaining contest, but with Keane Hayes and Fionn Cleary in outstanding form Gortnahoe-Glengoole proved themselves the marginally more efficient side when the chances presented themselves.

FBD Insurance County Under-21B Hurling Championship Final

Gortnahoe-Glengoole 0-17 Borrisokane 1-11

With the game up for grabs in the second half Borrisokane fired six wides while Gortnahoe-Glengoole were off target on just one occasion - county finals are often decided on small margins and on this occasion Keane Hayes’ expertise on the placed balls proved particularly significant.

Fionn Cleary also had an exceptional game in the middle of the field for Gortnahoe-Glengoole, but please note the performances of wing-backs John Kennedy and Karl Campion. Prior to this decider wing-forwards Michael Kelly and Michael Heenan had proven themselves as key to the Borrisokane cause, but both of these ball winners were marked out of it on Sunday and with that the North champions struggled to erect a platform based on their own re-start.

Philly Purcell, Brian Maher and Jack Atkinson-Lynch also had their moments for Gortnahoe-Glengoole while Ronan Murphy, Liam Cleary, Oisín Larkin and Conor Ryan shone brightly for Borrisokane.

FIRST HALF

Three Jack Larkin frees helped Borrisokane into an early 0-3 to 0-1 advantage before Keane Hayes picked out Fionn Cleary with a smashing stick pass in the eighth minute and the midfielder drilled over a smashing effort (0-3 to 0-2).

Three minutes later Liam Cleary intercepted a sloppy Gortnahoe-Glengoole clearance and left two between them before Keane Hayes and Jack Larkin traded placed balls.

Gortnahoe-Glengoole started to dominate, however, and between the 15th and 20th minutes the Mid champions landed four points without reply to take the lead for the first time (0-7 to 0-5).

Karl Campion dominated his man on a Borrisokane puck-out in the 15th minute, broke the ball to the impressive Fionn Cleary and the midfielder set up Keane Hayes for one of the points of the game. Jack Atkinson-Lynch turned over a Borrisokane defender four minutes later before landing another Gortnahoe-Glengoole point while two Keane Hayes frees ensured that the Mid champions led by two with twenty minutes played.

Gortnahoe-Glengoole almost scooted into a five-point lead in the 23rd minute - when Davy Nolan’s ambitious effort at a long-range point hit a post and fell to Aidan Ryan the misfortunate corner-forward found the side netting with the goal at his mercy. And, Gortnahoe-Glengoole were left cursing their misfortune seconds later when Liam Cleary raced through the centre of their defence and plundered a goal to reclaim the lead for Borrisokane (1-5 to 0-7).

Jack Larkin added a brace (one free) to the Borrisokane tally prior to the break, but Gortnahoe-Glengoole hit back thanks to efforts from Fionn Cleary and Keane Hayes. Cleary’s effort was particularly noteworthy in terms of its quality - in traffic Cleary beat his man with a jink, shortened and scored off his left from just inside the opposition 65-yard line. Meanwhile the source of Keane Hayes’ point was the dominance of the Gortnahoe-Glengoole half-back line when facing a Borrisokane re-start (1-7 to 0-9)

Champions: The Gortnahoe-Glengoole panel of players pictured celebrating their county final win over Borrisokane.

SECOND HALF

Two minutes into the second half Gortnahoe-Glengoole gobbled up another Borrisokane puck-out, John Kennedy provided the assist and Keane Hayes tied the game with a cracker.

Hayes and Larkin then traded frees before Keane Hayes took a quick free (while the Borrisokane lads were disputing a decision with referee Noel Cosgrave) and found the completely unmarked Fionn Cleary who drilled over his third from play (0-12 to 1-8).

Borrisokane were hurling reasonably well, but this particular incident seemed to infer quite a bit about this contest: Gortnahoe-Glengoole were just the marginally more composed side on this occasion.

Liam Cleary and Jack Larkin combined to set up Oisín Larkin for a superb point to tie the game in the 46th minute before Keane Hayes and Oisín Larkin traded placed balls.

Entering the final ten minutes the scores were level (0-13 to 1-10), but Gortnahoe-Glengoole seized the initiative when racing into a three-point lead thanks to efforts from Keane Hayes (two, one free) and Gearóid Fahey. Hayes’ point from play in the 55th minute was particularly classy while Gearóid Fahey did well to win a break and score in the 59th. And, Gortnahoe-Glengoole also created a notable goal-scoring opportunity in the 57th minute, but Borrisokane ‘keeper Luke Gleeson did especially well to save Fionn Cleary’s blistering shot.

An Oisín Larkin free closed the gap to two in the 60th minute, but Gortnahoe-Glengoole saw out the minute of injury time allowed in reasonable comfort before Keane Hayes scored his 12th point of the afternoon from a placed ball.

The victorious Gortnahoe-Glengoole team was managed by Michael Cleary, Philly Hogan, Johnny Guilfoyle and Kevin Slattery.

MATCH DETAILS

Gortnahoe-Glengoole: Robbie Gleeson, Charlie Tobin, Philly Purcell, Cormac Moloney, John Kennedy, Davy Nolan, Karl Campion, Fionn Cleary (0-3), Jack Moore, Brian Maher, Keane Hayes (0-12, 0-8 frees), Jack Atkinson-Lynch (0-1), Aidan Ryan, Gearóid Fahey (0-1), Oisín Cleary. Subs: (42nd) Eamon Fogarty for Oisín Cleary, (54th) David Butler for Aidan Ryan.

Borrisokane: Luke Gleeson, Kevin Harding, Eddie O'Dwyer, Dylan Slevin, Ronan Murphy, Stephen Gavin, Jack Mahoney, Conor Gavin, Liam Cleary (1-1), Michael Heenan, Dáire Madden, Michael Kelly, Conor Ryan, Jack Larkin (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 '65s), Oisín Larkin (0-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: (42nd) Padraig Quinn for Michael Kelly, (54th) Dylan Power for Dáire Madden.

Referee: Noel Cosgrave (Marlfield).