Tipp SHC: Toomevara stand tallest to secure semi berth

TOP FORM: Toomevara's Darragh McCarthy makes a break past Jack Ryan of Clonoulty/Rossmore. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

TOOMEVARA 3-20 CLONOULTY-ROSSMORE 1-24 (AET)

Toomevara are into the last four of the Tipperary senior hurling championship for the first time in five years after standing tallest in this tense clash in FBD Semple Stadium.

Darragh McCarthy continued his sparkling streak of form, Adam Hall provided inspiration off the bench and Mark McCarthy assisted all three of their goals as Clonoulty-Rossmore now face into a battle to save their senior status.

Fittingly, it was Hall who arrested Clonoulty-Rossmore’s momentum with the final score of the game to bring his tally to 2-3. As was the case in normal time, Toomevara had looked vulnerable as Cathal Bourke ate into their lead but they held out for a deserving victory. 

Following up on a blocked Bourke free from 20 metres, Conor Hammersley found the net to send the game into extra-time, 1-19 to 2-16.

Toomevara were the better team in the first half of normal time. Substitute Kenny Ryan produced their third goal after Mark McCarthy turned over the ball and put the ball his way. McCarthy added a point before the interval to give Toomevara a four-point cushion.

It was substitute Adam Hall who had given Toomevara the lead for the first time in the 35th minute. Mark McCarthy broke forward and Hall collected his pass perfectly and his finish was as clinical.

Hammersley responded quickly with a point but Toomevara were in the ascendancy and Hall pushed them three up in the 41st minute. The sterling efforts of Michael Ryan were keeping Clonoulty-Rossmore in touch, though. He scored four points in the last quarter, the third of them squaring the game in the last minute of normal time.

In the second minute of additional time, Hall sent over his second point before he appeared to have applied the coup de grace with another goal. Referee Joe Leahy allowed good advantage as Mark McCarthy was fouled but he was still able to set Hall free and Jason O’Dwyer could only deflect his shot over the goal-line.

Michael Ryan refused to be beaten, putting over his sixth point prior to the dramatic finish when Hammersley forced extra-time.

Converting just 10 of 19 scoring opportunities in the first half, Clonoulty-Rossmore were smarting having seen a six-point advantage shrink to two, 0-10 to 0-8.

Toomevara’s revival in the second quarter was largely courtesy of Darragh McCarthy’s placed balls. Nevertheless, they were far more cohesive than the opening 19 minutes when Clonoulty-Rossmore were men in space time after time.

The scoreboard read 0-5 to 0-1 in their favour in the 12th minute when Rory Brislane was level to a Stephen Ferncombe strike. Jack Ryan, who Clonoulty-Rossmore were using to good effect as a target man, had gathered the ball to assist his inside forward.

The West Tipperary men remained in fine fettle, though. 

In less than five minutes, Bourke struck three points from play to push his side six points up. The gap was six again in the 21st minute before Toomevara found their feet, their first point from play coming in the 22nd minute through Kevin McCarthy.

Darragh McCarthy’s jinking skills were causing difficulty for the Clonoulty-Rossmore defence and he was punishing them with placed balls. 

At the other end, Hammersley pushed a low shot wide before the end of regulation time. One regret among a few for the 2018 champions.

Scorers for Toomevara: D. McCarthy (0-12, 10 frees); A. Hall (2-3); K. Ryan (1-0); S. Nolan (frees), M. McCarthy (0-2 each); K. McCarthy (0-1).

Scorers for Clonoulty-Rossmore: C. Bourke (0-10, 6 frees); M. Ryan (0-6); C. Hammersley (1-2); Jack Ryan (0-2); R. Heffernan, R. Doyle, James Ryan, J. O’Keeffe (0-1 each).

TOOMEVARA: R. Brislane; L. Ryan, A. Ryan, S. O’Farrell; Jake Ryan, J. McCarthy, Jack Ryan; R. Quirke, D. Delaney; K. McCarthy, S. Nolan, M. McCarthy; J. Delaney, C. Canning, D. McCarthy.

Subs for Toomevara: J. McLoughney for Jake Ryan (inj 26); A. Hall for S. Nolan (h-t); K. Ryan for C. Canning (48); D. Nolan for Jack Ryan (58); J. Powell for S. O’Farrell (60+2); K Ryan for R. Quirke (e-t); P. Grace for D. McCarthy (76).

CLONOULTY-ROSSMORE: J. O’Dwyer; T. Ryan, E. Heffernan, D. Slattery; C. Quirke, J. O’Keeffe, S. O’Connor; R. Heffernan (c), M. Ryan; S. Quinn, C. Hammersley, C. Bourke; S. Ferncombe, Jack Ryan, S. Quinn.

Subs for Clonoulty-Rossmore: James Ryan for S. Ferncombe (39); A. Ryan for S. Quinn (53); S. Quinn for C. Canning (e-t h-t); J. Hammersley for S. Quinn (79).

Referee: J. Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).