1999 West U21A Hurling Final & Replay
1999 West U21A Hurling Final
Tipperary Star 9/10/1999
DEVANE RESCUES CLONOULTY ROSSMORE
Cappawhite 2-9
Clonoulty Rossmore 2-9
A Clonoulty goal in added time, from a Conor Devane free, grabbed a late and controversial equaliser in a thrilling O’ Dwyer Steel West Tipperary U21 ‘A’ hurling final played in appalling conditions at Cashel on Saturday last.
A torrential downpour, laced with hail, preceded the game and created mud bath conditions for this final which brimmed with potential. The playing of the game at all must have been in serious doubt but to eternal credit of both sides they produced a cracking display that would put many mid-summer game in the shade.
Clonoulty were without the suspended ‘Bonny’ Kennedy and that would have tilted the favouritism Cappa’s way. It was a rating Cappa’ seemed to endorse as they took a five point lead to the break, subsequently extended it to seven and were still as the game entered the final quarter. But Clonoulty’s dogged spirit kept them chasing the match and they were rewarded with a leveller at the end.
The opening quarter fluctuated with both sides enjoying spells of dominance. Clonoulty were first to inch clear when Conor Devane pointed a free and Liam Kearney added a ’65 and then followed with another free. It was crisp shooting in such soggy conditions. Then Cappa’, through a sequence of Eugene O’ Neill frees, levelled the game for the first time after ten minutes.
Back came Clonoulty into the with points from John Devane, Conor Devane (free) snd Padraig Coen to nose three clear one more. But again Cappa’ found the response with Eugene O’ Neill (free) and John Ryan (P) finding the target once more. Already it was shaping up to be a ding-dong tussle but before half time Cappa had set a target that Clonoulty had to chase for the rest of the game.
The rain and hail once again played spoil sport as we neared half time but it didn’t prevent Cappa’ from bagging a pair of goals before the interval. Neil Riall put in the first after Brian Lyons dropped a Eugene O’ Neill delivery from outfield – it was to be a difficult day for goalies. Then in added time before the interval O’ Neill was again the provider of a centre from the right and when the breaking ball fell to corner forward Brian Mullins, he tucked it away in Clonoulty’s net for a second Cappa’ goal. They led 2-6 to 0-7 at break time.
Clonoulty had the wind in the second half but made little use of it in the third quarter. In fact points from Sean Ryan and Neil Riall stretched Cappa’ into a seven-up lead and the game was slipping from Clonoulty by the minute. But in a match of Herculean effort Clonoulty refused to yield. They sent Liam Kearney to full forward and brought John Devane back to wing back. The move worked on the double. Kearney an obvious threat in attack but even more significantly, Devane excelled at half back where he and Michel Heffernan began to dominate.
Clonoulty got an edge and the play began to flow towards Cappa’s goal with ominous regularity. Two Conor Devane points from frees cut the margin to five points but it was Clonoulty’s first goal that really ignited their rally. Again, it was a goalkeeping error which James Ryan availed of and there were at least seven minutes left to play.
Clonoulty missed a few chances to level it up and then Cappa counter-attacked. Sean Ryan setting Johnny Ryan for an excellent point that stalled the Clonoulty surge. The game was in added time when Conor Devane faced up to a free near the Cappa 65 meter line. The trajectory was perfect, dipping to the goal-line where it was stopped, fell to the ground and a scrum of bodies piled in. The referee consulted long and carefully with both umpires before the goal was finally awarded – Clonoulty had salvaged what had seemed an unlikely draw ten minutes earlier.
Clonoulty were naturally the happier at the end. They’d stared defeat in the eye and lived to fight another day. Con O’ Keeffe was outstanding in their full back line with Liam Manton also catching the eye especially in the second half. Michael Heffernan impressed throughout at number six and Liam Kearney too was in great form before John Devane slipped back and put in a great finish, his lengthy deliveries invaluable in that last quarter. Alan Kennedy hurled influentially at midfield while the attack had more wholehearted effort than individual sparkle on a day more suited to defenders. Conor Devane’s free taking was crucial to the outcome.
It was a game Cappa’ seemed to have won. Shane McDermott improved in the second half at number six and Thomas Costello and Stevie Grisewood often caught the eye too. Eugene O’ Neill was central to their effort, impressing throughout while in the attack Johnny Ryan (P) and Sean Ryan showed up well with Paddy Julian working as bravely as ever and Neil Riall having some good moments including one fine second half point.
In the end it was hats off to both sides for defying such quagmire conditions and treating spectators to a memorable contest with more, hopefully in better weather, to follow in the replay.
Scorers for Cappawhite:
Neil Riall 1-1, Brian Mullins 1-0, Eugene O’ Neill 0-4 (all frees), Johnny Ryan (P) and Sean Ryan 0-2 each.
Scorers for Clonoulty/Rossmore:
Conor Devane 1-5 (all frees), James Ryan (H) 1-0, Liam Kearney 0-2 (a free and a ‘65’), John Devane and Padraig Coen 0-1 each.
Cappawhite:
Ritchie Barry, Damien O’ Neill, Thomas Costello, George Furlong, William O’ Neill, Shane McDermott, Stevie Grisewood, Eugene O’ Neill and Eddie Walsh, Paddy Julian, Johnny Ryan (P), John Coyle, Sean Ryan, Neil Riall, Brian Mullins.
Sub: Robbie Fitzgerald for Brian Mullins.
Clonoulty/Rossmore:
Brian Lyons, Paddy Flynn, Liam Manton, Con O’ Keeffe, Barty Flynn, Michael Heffernan, Liam Kearney, Paddy O’ Brien and Alan Kennedy, Padraig Coen, John Devane, Conor Devane, David Kennedy, James Ryan (H), Tom Butler.
Subs: Edmund Maher for Paddy O’ Brien and Kieran Ryan for Tom Butler.
Referee: Willie Morrissey, Kickhams.
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1999 West U21A Hurling Final – Replay
23/10/1999
CAPPAWHITE TRIUMPH IN THRILLER
Cappawhite 1-13
Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-12
For the second time in three years Cappawhite are O’ Dwyer Steel West U/21 ‘A’ hurling champions following a four point win over Clonoulty/Rossmore after a memorable replay at Cashel on Sunday last. After being caught by a late and levelling goal in the drawn game, Cappa’ made no mistake this time as they exacted sweet revenge for minor defeat to the same opposition three years ago.
On a pleasantly mild autumn day the attendance was served up a treat of hurling by a pair of evenly matched sides. The play was high quality and the contest throbbed with interest as Cappawhite got a glorious start but were then reeled in before half time. It all came down to a finely balanced second half where Cappa’s sticker play deservedly won them the Tony Brennan Cup.
With ‘Bonny’ Kennedy still on suspension Cappawhite made a lightning start that threatened to swamp Clonoulty. Eugene O’ Neill won and pointed a free in the opening seconds and the county u/21 was the supplier two minutes later when Robbie Fitzgerald latched onto his delivery to shoot the game’s only goal. O’ Neill was dominating at midfield at this early stage and his influence carried Cappa’ into a 1-3 to nil lead before a long-range Liam Kearney free opened Clonoulty’s account.
But if Cappa showed the early form Clonoulty gradually settled, and any notions of a one-sided game were banished. Alan Kennedy began to shift a lot of midfield ball for Clonoulty and his brother David at corner forward put his stamp on the game in the second quarter scoring three valuable points and being fouled for a fourth. Clonoulty gradually drew level and the change in pattern forced Cappawhite to bring Thomas Costello to number six in a swap with Shane McDermott. Cappawhite were second best in this spell and were fortunate that Clonoulty blew a wasteful ten wind-carried wides in the first half hour. Cappawhite led 1-7 to 0-9 at half time. The lead point coming from Eugene O’ Neill just on the half hour when many felt he had missed the target, but the umpires thought otherwise.
It was perfectly poised then for a cracking second half with Clonoulty sure to test the fibre of the match favourites. The second period remained close and low scoring but any edge there was went Cappa’s way. Unfortunately for Clonoulty, Alan Kennedy was twice on the deck nursing injuries that inhibited his contribution thereafter. He initially switched to wing back but then ended on the full forward line, his absence from the midfield area depriving Clonoulty of valuable leverage.
Cappawhite kept their focus and the lead. Paddy Julian produced a dynamic display full of boundless energy and fearlessness that at times bordered on the reckless. His persistence and tenacity won valuable ball for Cappawhite and beside him Eugene O’ Neill continued to exert a strong influence on the game. Thomas Costello was steady at number six and beside him, John Paul Bourke, a replacement for the injured Damien O’ Neill, grabbed his opportunity impressively. Elsewhere Johnny Ryan (P) had another strong game with Sean Ryan having his moments and Robbie Fitzgerald taking the game’s only goal with some aplomb.
Clonoulty needed a second half goal to save the day and it never looked likely even when Liam Kearney was once again dispatched to full forward. Once more they defended well with Liam Manton and the half line trio of John Devane, Michael Heffernan and Liam Kearney (until switched) playing their parts effectively. Alan Kennedy until injured and Paddy O’ Brien sustained the midfield challenge while in attack David Kennedy and Conor Ryan were best.
Afterwards, winning captain Thomas Costello accepted the cup from Board chairman Denis Ryan and expressed his delight to be taking it from a Clonoulty man. The trophy carries the name of a famous Clonoulty hurler, the late Tony Brennan, who was named full back on the Tipperary’s team of the millenium.
Scorers for Cappawhite:
Robbie Fitzgerald 1-0, Eugene O’ Neill 0-10 (0-8 from frees, 0-1 from a ‘65’), John Ryan (P) 0-2, Sean Ryan 0-1.
Scorers for Clonoulty/Rossmore:
Liam Kearney 0-4 (0-3 from frees), Conoe Devane 0-3 (0-2 from frees), David Kennedy 0-3, Paddy O’ Brien and James Ryan (H) 0-1 each.
Cappawhite:
Ritchie Barry, William O’ Neill, Thomas Costello, George Furlong, Steven Grisewood, Shane McDermott, John Paul Bourke, Eugene O’ Neill and Eddie Walsh, John Ryan (P), Neil Riall, Paddy Julian, Sean Ryan, John Coyle, Robbie Fitzgerald.
Subs: Cian Creedon for Eddie Walsh, James McCarthy for John Coyle and Brian Mullins for Cian Creedon.
Clonoulty/Rossmore:
Brian Lyons, Paddy Flynn, Liam Manton, Con O’ Keeffe, John Devane, Michael Heffernan, Liam Kearney, Alan Kennedy and Paddy O’ Brien, Padraig Coen, Conor Ryan, Conor Devane, David Kennedy, James Ryan (H), Tom Butler.
Subs: Edmund Maher for Tom Butler and Paddy Sadlier for Conor Devane.
Referee: Willie Morrissey, Kickhams.
L-R; Denis Ryan, West Board Chairman presents the Tony Brennan Cup to Thomas Costello, Cappawhite captain after victory over Clonoulty in Cashel. On the right is Matthew Ryan representing sponsors, O’ Dwyer Steel.
