Tipp rebrand paying off for Roscrea

SHOT: Roscrea's Alan Tynan shoots for goal despite Inniscarra's Andrew McCarthy during the AIB Club Munster Intermediate Hurling semi-final at Semple Stadium, Thurles. Pic: Diarmuid Brennan/Sportsfocus

Munster Club IHC semi-final: Roscrea (Tipperary) 1-17 Inniscarra (Cork) 3-9 

Tipperary GAA’s decision to rebrand their senior B hurling championship to premier intermediate is paying off as Roscrea became the first Tipp team to progress to a Munster IHC final in nine years.

Their second-half blitz shook off Inniscarra, much like it did for Ballysaggart, outscoring the Cork champions by 1-10 to 0-1 between the 32nd and 58th minutes, turning a three-point deficit into a nine-point lead.

Two last-gasp consolation goals proved merely cosmetic as Inniscarra didn’t get the chance to try for a winner.

“When the change happened, anyone that was in premier intermediate in Tipperary would’ve said to themselves there is an opportunity there and we were one of those teams,” said Roscrea manager Liam England. “We’re doing our best to look ahead and it’s a great time, a unique time at the moment.” 

Limerick representatives Monaleen await in the final, a team, like Roscrea, bouncing back from relegation in 2021, managed by former Tipperary hurler Eoin Brislane.

It wasn’t a perfect performance as Roscrea struck 14 wides, double Inniscarra’s tally, and only converted one of their four shots on goal. But that equally underlines their dominance on puck-outs and turnovers to create such a weight of scoring chances.

Down by three when an Owen McCarthy free opened the second-half scoring, Roscrea, coached by Eddie Brennan, upped the tempo and improved their accuracy to blast 1-6 without reply.

Cashin accounted for 1-5 of their second-half total, his classy 41st-minute goal making it 1-12 to 1-7, while Alan Tynan added two points as the Roscrea defence, led by James Synnott, Darren O’Connor, and Darragh Tynan, totally nullified their opponents’ threats, helped by the work-rate of those further out the field.

Inniscarra threw everything at them in the four minutes of stoppage time, Roscrea keeper Daryl Ryan making saves from a Pádraig Holland free and McCarthy. They appeared ornamental but proved essential in light of goals for substitute Jerry Roche (64 minutes) and Seán O’Donoghue from a 66th-minute free that turned out to be the final puck of the sliotar.

Roscrea had charged out of the starting blocks, with Evan Fitzpatrick scoring after 11 seconds. They had nine shots in the first 11 minutes but only converted four with four more wides and John O’Keeffe saving from target-man Sam Conlon.

Inniscarra began to drop men deeper to choke that space the Roscrea forwards were so enjoying, with Liam Ryan influential at centre-back. The Tipp champions only had one shot in the next 10 minutes as Inniscarra struck 1-2. The goal came from their county final hero Colm Casey, pouncing on a dropped ball by the Roscrea free man in the 17th minute, bookended by Andrew McCarthy and O’Donoghue points to make it 1-4 to 0-4.

An Alan Tynan point settled Roscrea as they began to stretch Inniscarra again. There were goal chances for Conlon, blocked by David Keane, and Conor Sheedy, saved by O’Keeffe. Even as they trailed at the break, 1-6 to 0-7, there was a sense Roscrea’s race had yet to be run.

Scorers for Roscrea: L Cashin (1-8, 0-6 frees, 0-1 65); A Tynan (0-4); E Fitzpatrick (0-2); Daryl Ryan (free), C Sheedy, S Conlon (0-1 each).

Scorers for Inniscarra: O McCarthy (0-5, 4 frees); S O’Donoghue (1-1, 1-0 free); C Casey, J Roche (1-0 each); A McCarthy, J Enright (65), F O’Leary (0-1 each).

ROSCREA: Daryl Ryan; S Davis, K McMahon, J Synnott; D Tynan, D O’Connor, M Campion; Daniel Ryan, J Fitzpatrick; A Tynan, S Fletcher, E Fitzpatrick; C Sheedy, L Cashin, S Conlon.

Subs: K Lee for J Fitzpatrick (38), C Dooley for Conlon (49), J Gilmartin for Cashin (55), C Phelan for O’Connor (60+1), J Carroll for Synnott (60+4 inj).

INNISCARRA: J O’Keeffe; D Keane, B O’Mahony, J O’Sullivan; A McCarthy, L Ryan, S Sheehan; J Harrington, J Enright; F O’Leary, S O’Donoghue, C Casey; O McCarthy (capt), P Holland, D O’Keeffe.

Subs: K Rice for O’Leary (h-t), J O’Callaghan for O’Sullivan (49), C O’Leary for Harrington (49), J Roche for D O’Keeffe (55), M Nagle for Holland (60+1).

Referee: N Malone (Clare).