Tallow edge ill-tempered Munster IHC thriller against Garryspillane in extra time

41-year-old Paul O’Brien hit the net twice for the Bridesiders, while Tommy Ryan, in his 18th season at senior, gave one of his best displays yet in blue and yellow

Garryspillane goalkeeper Adam Sheehan. File picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Munster Club IHC quarter-final: Tallow (Waterford) 3-18 Garryspillane (Limerick) 3-16 (aet)

Veteran forwards Paul O’Brien and Tommy Ryan rolled back the years for Tallow as they progressed past Limerick’s Garryspillane in an ill-tempered thriller that required extra-time.

41-year-old O’Brien hit the net twice for the Bridesiders, while Ryan, in his 18th season at senior, gave one of his best displays yet in blue and yellow. Limerick panellist Hugh Flanagan was outstanding in defeat for Garryspillane - firing a whopping 3-11.

O’Brien caught a long delivery from Ian Beecher and found the net as he so often does after just 55 seconds, before Ryan Tobin opened the visitors’ account. The game took a long time to light up - Darah Buckley and Flanagan traded three dead balls apiece, before Calum Sheehan got the first point from play in 18 minutes when making it 1-3 to 0-5 approaching the interval.

Another Buckley free was quickly cancelled out by Colin Ryan before Robbie Geary delivered Tallow’s first point from play in added time - they led 1-5 to 0-6 at half time, as Garryspillane rued nine first-half wides.

A Tommy Ryan special opened the second half scoring before he traded two further blows with Flanagan - and it was that man who brought the sides level for the first time on 45 minutes when Dylan O’Shea offloaded to him in space, and he drove the sliotar to the roof of the net making it 1-8 apiece.

John English gave Garryspillane the lead for the first time before Buckley levelled from play - and on 49 minutes, Tommy Ryan provided a moment of magic. Ian Beecher lorded the skies to catch Murphy’s puckout, and spotted Ryan on the run, he put the burners on and unleashed a rocket from 21 yards that lifted the roof off Fraher Field.

A brilliant effort from the excellent Jordan Henley further buoyed Tallow - although it was soon 14 each numerically, Callum Sheehan and Mark O’Brien both sent off for an off-the-ball incident on 53 minutes. A Ryan free gave Tallow a five-point cushion as tempers flared, Robbie Geary and Ciaran Sheehan got too familiar with one another and suffered a similar fate four minutes later as it became 13 v 13.

Seven minutes of added time were bemoaned by the Tallow supporters, and they were sweating even more as a short effort from Dylan O’Shea bounced off the stick of Murphy straight to the onrushing Flanagan for his second goal of the afternoon. Game on. He knocked over another free and it was a one-point affair, before referee Patrick O’Mahoney harshly penalised Jake Beecher for overcarrying to the surprise of all present - and Flanagan sent us to extra-time.

At 13 apiece, it was wide open for the additional 20 minutes - a superb touch and score from Ryan put Tallow in the ascendancy before Ian Beecher popped over another, and Tallow were seemingly home and hosed when Henley marauded upfield and found O’Brien to step inside Robert Sampson for his second goal on 66 minutes.

Hugh Flanagan wasn’t prepared to lie down however, trading two more scores with the Waterford side before finding the net again for his hattrick and that set up a frantic finish. Declan Heavey made it a one-point game as talk of penalties began to appear, but Stephen Murphy’s insurance effort helped Tallow over the line. Michael Donovan’s frustrations saw him receive red card number five - but it mattered little, as the Bridesiders won in Munster for the first time in their history. A game to remember, the usual suspects delivering for the winners.

Scorers for Tallow: T Ryan (1-7, 0-4f, 0-1 ‘65); P O’Brien (2-1); D Buckley (0-5; 0-3f; 0-1 ‘65); I Beecher (0-2); J Henley, R Geary, S Murphy (0-1 each). 

Scorers for Garryspillane: H Flanagan (3-11; 0-8f; 0-2 ‘65); D Heavey, J English, C Ryan, R Tobin, C Sheehan (0-1 each). 

TALLOW: B Murphy; E McGrath, K Kearney, J Beecher; J Henley, J McDonnell, M O'Brien; R Geary, K Geary; I Beecher, T Ryan, C McCarthy; D Buckley, P O’Brien, S Murphy.

Subs: K O’Brien for K Geary (47); S Martin for C McCarthy (52); C Henley for D Buckley (60). 

GARRYSPILLANE: A Sheehan; J O’Sullivan, R Sampson, C Sheehan; D Heavey, D O’Shea, E O'Mahony; J Morrissey, J Dineen; R Tobin, M Donovan, J English; C Sheehan, Colin Ryan, H Flanagan.

Subs: S Ryan for M Donovan (57); Cian Ryan for R Tobin (57); R Tobin for J English (60); M Donovan for Colin Ryan (60). 

Referee: Patrick O’Mahoney (Cork).