Gritty Midleton retain crown

Dean Ryan Cup final

Midleton, inspired by inside forwards Chris Power and Liam Gosnell, clung on for a second successive crown as their opponents hit 14 wides.

Templemore shot eight of those wides in the second half and despite getting to within a point three times, they could never equalise.

Brian McGrath, younger brother of Tipperary senior star Noel, drove his side forward from centre-back but poor finishing was Templemore’s undoing.

In the first half, corner forward Lyndon Fairbrother banged over four fine scores but the JK Brackens starlet finished with five wides too, including three missed frees while McGrath was also off target from placed balls.

At the other end, Midleton kept the wide count down to a minimum, with just one in the second half.

That was due in main to the incessant pressure being applied on their defence but Templemore never looked like scoring an elusive goal.

Instead, it was the only goal of the game, from Power in the first half, that proved crucial.

Gosnell swung an attempted point effort from the left touchline but when the ball dropped short, Power pounced from close range to punish poor defending.

That goal was a tonic for Midleton as it was Templemore, with Fairbrother to the fore, who started better.

But Midleton, with Gosnell showing a dazzling first touch, recovered to lead by 1-6 to 0-7.

Templemore reacted by switching Eoghan Ryan to pick up Gosnell and that helped nullify the influence of the Carrigtwohill teenager.

But in a low-scoring second half, Gosnell still held his nerve to fire over two crucial points from placed balls.

McGrath, midfielder David O’Shea and wing forward Jamie Morrissey carried the fight to Midleton but the Cork boys would not be denied.

A brace of brilliant long-range O’Shea points in the 48th and 50th minutes reduced the deficit to a point, with Midleton 1-8 to 0-10 clear.

But the needless concession of a free was punished by Gosnell, before McGrath responded in kind for Templemore.

Midleton almost wrapped it up in the 57th minute but full-forward Conor Keegan was brilliantly denied by goalkeeper Paddy Cadell. Power pushed Midleton two points clear and while Morrissey claimed the final score of the game for Templemore, time ran out for the Tipperary outfit.

Scorers for Midleton CBS: C Power 1-2, L Gosnell 0-5 (2f, 1 65), C Terry 0-2, P O’Brien 0-1.

Scorers for Templemore: L Fairbrother 0-4, D O’Shea & J Morrissey 0-2 each, B McGrath (f), M O’Sullivan & S Nolan 0-1 each.

MIDLETON CBS: E Walsh; A Daly, S O’Leary Hayes, E Leahy; S O’Meara, J McDonnell, R McConville; D Crotty, B Twomey; P O’Briebn, A Leahy, C Terry; C Power, C Keegan, L Gosnell.

Sub: L O’Shea for Twomey (46).

TEMPLEMORE: P Cadell; D Byrne, N Quinlan, P Campion; E Ryan, B McGrath, D Ryan; D O’Shea, P Bergin; R McCormack, M O’Sullivan, S Nolan; J Morrissey, A O’Meara, L Fairbrother.

Sub: E McBride for Byrne (halt-time).

Referee: Paul Foley (Waterford)