Michael Corn Celtic Challenge Cup Final
Tipperary 1-28
Galway 0-27 AET
By Liam Hogan
There were plenty of thrills and spills and sweltering heat to match as two ten minute periods of extra time were needed to separate the sides as a fitter Tipperary side took over in extra time to win by four in a game that was level five times against Galway last Saturday in Birr.
Galway were the better side in the opening seven minutes as they registered five unanswered points before Cormac Fitzpatrick got Tipp on the board with a point in the eight minute.
It was 0-10 to 0-4 after Jake Keady scored for Galway in the 23rd minute but Tipp staged a quick response and were rewarded with a goal by the hard working Ciaran O’Shea leaving Tipp two adrift.
Yet Galway managed to keep their noses in front and were 0-15 to 1-8 in front at half time. The lead ebbed and flowed for the westerners but Tipp were slowly eating into the lead and when Tom Delaney scored in the 38th minute the margin was down to one 0-16 to 1-12.
It was score for score over the next seventeen minutes until two Cormac Fitzpatrick frees brought Tipp level in the 55th minute at 1-16 to 0-19.
Scores were level on three more occasions including the end of the hour after Cillian O’Shea’s equaliser made it Tipp 1-19 Galway 0-22.
This resulted in two periods of extra time. Scores were level on two more occasions in the first half of extra time before man of the match Cormac Fitzpatrick made it all square 1-21 to 0-24 at the final changeover.
From the resumption, Tipp began to pull away when scoring five unanswered points through Bobby Power, Cormac Fitzpatrick from a free along with two from Calum Poole before Fitzpatrick landed an eighty metre free. and that cushion was just about enough as Galway found strength somewhere to fight back by cutting the margin to three after their lead scorer Cillian Fahy and substitute Kieran Fallon scored a brace.
Galway needed a goal to salvage the game but an ever improving Tipp defence led by Conor Gleeson at full back plus Michael Ryan from Burgess kept the westerners at bay leaving Cormac Fitzpatrick’s 82nd minute sixty five to seal the win.
This was a great win for John Connors and his team and it eased the disappointment of the Tipperary minor hurlers who exited the Munster championship recently.
The players on last Saturday’s winning team are also Under 17 but seen as a development squad and they didn’t let the Tipp colours down and a lot of these players will be on view in the coming years as they strive to make the Tipp under 20 squads. There should be no doubt about that.
The Tipp defence may have taken a few minutes to settle but once they got the measure of the Galway attack, they really shone where Cathal England, Conor Gleeson, Charlie Ryan, Brian Manton, Darragh Landers and Cian Moyles stood tall.
Michael Ryan of Burgess was outstanding and the front six had great moments but none greater than Cormac Fitzpatrick at full forward.
The Drom & Inch player was top scorer with 0-18 including five points from play. Galway had plenty of heroes also.
Jake Keady at full forward, a son of the late Tony, was a constant threat to Tipp in the first half.
Portumna’s Callum Keane is a player to watch out for in the future while fellow forwards Darragh Kearney and Cillian Fahy also had their moments.
Galway cornerback Rhys Creaven caught the eye as did their half backline of Tom Fahy, Cathal Sweeney and Eoin Spelman plus the midfield partnership of Owen Earls and Ian Ward.
Scorers: Tipperary: C Fitzpatrick 0-17 (0-11f, 0-1 65); C O’Shea 1-1; T Delaney 0-3; S Dooley, B Power and C Poole 0-2 each; M Ryan 0-1.
Galway: C Fahy 0-11 (0-8f); C Keane 0-4; J Keady and D Kearney 0-3 each; Owen Earls 0-2; R Creaven, D Ganly, K Fallon and H Mitchel 0-1f each.
Tipperary: Jake Hackett (Toomevara); Cathal England (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Conor Gleeson (Drom & Inch), Charlie Ryan Boherlahan Dualla); Brian Manton (Cashel King Cormacs), Darragh Landers (St Marys), Cian Moyles (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Michael Ryan (Burgess), Billy Collins (Ballina); Ciaran O’Shea (JK Brackens), Bobby Power (Boherlahan Dualla), Tristan Kelly (Durlas Óg); Sam Dooley (Roscrea), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch), Tom Delaney (Borris-Ileigh).
Subs used: Sam Synnott (Roscrea), Calum Poole (Newport) and Ben Kirby (Boherlahan Dualla).
Galway: Harry Mitchel; Lucia Anjou, Ben O’Dwyer, Rhys Creaven; Tom Fahy, Cathal Sweeney, Eoin Spillane; Owen Earls, Tom Ward; Ethan O’Brien, Cillian Fahy, Darragh Kearney; Callum Keane, Jake Keady, Donnacha Ganly.
Subs used: Niall Jennings, Padraig Canole and Jack Jordan.
Referee: Matthew Farrell (Roscommon)
