Garda College claim Ryan Cup title as they power past TUD

FITZGIBBON HURLNG: Garda College claim the Ryan Cup title and secure their return to the Fitzgibbon Cup. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Electric Ireland Ryan Cup final: Garda College 0-19 TUD 1-13

TUD’s landslide 12-point win over a highly-fancied SETU Carlow side proved to be a poor form guide for this afternoon’s Ryan Cup final at the Connacht Centre of Excellence, where Garda College secured their return to Fitzgibbon hurling with a three-point win that was powered by their defensive strength.

The Templemore college were huge outsiders before a ball was struck in Bekan, but two early points from top marksman Cian Bohan and a stunning strike from out on the right-hand sideline from Dylan Walsh made it clear that TUD were in for a very different type of encounter.

TUD rebounded well to lead by 0-5 to 0-4 with a quarter of an hour played, when it looked like they might start to flex their muscles and power ahead. Tomás Kinsella picked off a couple of fine scores with Finbarr Wardick acting as the target man at the head of their attack, but once Mark O’Connor switched over to bring his watertight marking game to that corner, that outlet was shut down and Garda College took over again.

Kinsella struck a goal against the run of play for TUD but O’Connell and the Galway duo of Keith Dervan and Shane O’Brien were dominant in their respective battles, while Garda College also had a much more potent and varied threat up front.

Ciarán Kirwan was a dominant presence in the air, Cian Boyle quietly ghosted into good positions to snap some excellent points and Dylan Walsh was sharp from frees and from play.

By the second half, Watergrasshill attacker Daire O’Leary got into the swing of things with a couple of excellent scores while the introduction of team captain Podge Delaney off the bench added ballast and solidity to the trainee guards at midfield.

On soft ground where controlling the ball wasn’t easy, TUD were never completely out of sight but their only clearcut goal chance in the first half was well-saved by Daryl Ryan, and the Roscrea club man was equally dependable in the closing minutes when he dealt with two hit-and-hope high deliveries to see his team over the line.

Scorers for Garda College: D Walsh (0-7 ,0-5f), C Boyle (0-4), C Kirwan (0-2), C McCormack (0-2), D O’Leary (0-2), R Molloy (0-1), D Ryan (0-1f).

Scorers for TUD: T Kinsella (1-3), L Kavanagh (0-6, 0-5f, 0-1 65), J O’Brien (0-2, 0-1f), C Heary (0-1), C Regan (0-1).

GARDA COLLEGE: D Ryan (Roscrea, Tipperary); K Dervan (Tommy Larkins, Galway), M Carey (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary), M O’Connell (Dripsey, Cork); S O’Brien (Loughrea, Galway), S Wiley (Bodyke, Clare), J Cooper (Naomh Éanna, Wexford); D Hayes (Ballingarry, Tipperary), D O’Leary (Watergrasshill, Cork); D Walsh (Ballingarry, Tipperary), R Molloy (Tulla, Molloy), D Dooley (Conahy Shamrocks, Kilkenny); C McCormack (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary), C Kirwan (Glenmore, Waterford), C Boyle (Castleknock, Dublin).

Subs: P Delaney (The Harps, Laois) for Cooper (38), J Dillon (De la Salle, Waterford) for Molloy (44), S Ryan (Éire Óg Annacarty, Tipperary) for Dooley (58), D Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy, Tipperary) for S Ryan (60, inj.).

TUD (Dublin unless stated): D Mahon (HWH Bunclody, Wexford); B Dunne (Raheny), F Murphy (Naomh Olaf), S O’Brien (Faughs); C Browne (Naomh Éanna, Wexford), R Malone (Cuala), L Schokman (St. Anne’s, Wexford); L Garrigan (Lucan Sarsfields), J O’Brien (Faughs); C Heary (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny), T Kinsella (Askamore, Wexford), B Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes); C Regan (HWH Bunclody), C Derwin (Craobh Chiaráin), F Wardick St. Jude’s).

Subs: C Lohan (Kilmacud Crokes) for Regan (43), C Murphy (Taghmon Camross, Wexford) for Malone (49).

Referee: Niall Malone (Clare).