Garryspillane celebrate Limerick U20 ‘A’ hurling final win after victory over Naomh Eoin-Cnoc Gaels:

By John Redington Limerick Leader Sport

“GREAT finish to the year, adding an U-20 county title to the premier intermediate championship,” was the jubilant reaction of manager TJ Ryan after Garryspillane emerged victorious 2-16 to 1-12 from the clash of South Limerick neighbours by defeating the Hospital-Herbertstown-Knockainey combination Naomh Eoin-Cnoc Gaels in the U-20 A hurling Final in Kilmallock on Saturday afternoon.

“We had the work done in the first half and it was a matter of retaining our lead after the break.”

Two early goals within seconds of each other set the tone for the game, giving the Knocklong side a lead they never subsequently lost as they fought off their opponents’ attempts to bridge the gap in the middle of the first half and in the opening minutes of the second.

Whenever the pressure came on, the experience of their premier intermediate regulars, Declean Heavey at the heart of the defence and Hugh Flanagan at the fulcrum of their attack, gave Garryspillane the shape not only to soak up the pressure but also to move the ball quickly from the back into the score zone.

Naomh Eoin-Cnoc Gaels gave as good as they got in most of the one-on-ones but struggled to take their chances from play, particularly during the first half when, despite having a steady breeze at their backs, they relied on Griffin McCarthy’s accuracy from the placed ball for all but one of their scores.

Garryspillane enjoyed the early possession but that was before their radar switched on as they racked up three wides while McCaffrey got Naomh Eoin off the mark from a free and a ’65’.

They had only minutes to enjoy their lead before the pendulum swung as Flanagan collected the clearance, ran up the heart of the opposing defence and laid off to Tiernan Ryan to pull first time on the volley to the net.

Then, before they had time to recover, the Hospital-Knockainey combo were zapped again as Cian Ryan won the puckout and found Ryan lurking at the corner of the square and made no mistake to bag his second goal inside a minute.

Still, Cnoc Gaels refused to lie down, drawing a free for McCaffrey to convert before Diarmuid Hurley added one from play but they were prevented from building on their response as it was matched by Cormac Ryan and Flanagan’s free.

Back they came again with another two McCaffrey frees going into the second quarter but the Bouncers’ ability to play out of defence led to Flanagan replying in kind at the other end of the field and, despite McCaffrey converting his fifth free, the Knocklong club tightened their grip in their run-up to half-time as Flanagan’s pointed free, Cian Ryan’s score and another pair of Flanagan frees left them leading 2-8 to 0-7 at the break.

Straight from the restart, Flanagan struck from play but that was overtaken by McCaffrey pointing after collecting the clearance and Rory Reale getting himself on the scoresheet before Ciarán Hyland’s full-stretch save stopped Hurley pulling the gap back to three.

Making the most of his side’s escape Jack Gallagher pointed at the other end and, as the Bouncers regained control in the middle third Tiernan Ryan and sub Olin Ryan with his first touch had them leading by nine going into the final quarter.

Giving it once last lash, Naomh Eoin piled forward in search of a goal but William Ryan’s screamer to the far corner was deflected over the crossbar and, after Flanagan replied by pointing off the puckout, Shane O’Dea’s shot on goal was also stopped on the line.

Another Flanagan free and the gap was back to there it was and, the Bouncers sent on the last of their subs with one of them, Jamie O’Shea, striking twice going into added time but the Hospital-Kmockainey team got the consolation of the game’s final scores as Michael Leo pointed from a tight angle and Reale blasted a 20-metre free through the wall of hurleys on the goal line just as referee John O’Halloran called time.

SCORERS: GARRYSPILLANE: Hugh Flanagan 0-9 ( 7 frees), Tiernan Ryan 2-1, Rory Reale 0-2, Cormac Ryan, Cian Ryan, Jack Gallagher, Olin Ryan 0-1 each; NAOMH EOIN-CNOC GAELS: Griffin McCaffrey 0-7 (5 frees, 1 ’65’), Rory Reale 1-1 (1-0 free), Diarmuid Hurley, William Ryan, Shane O’Dea Michael Leo 0-1 rach.

GARRYSPILLANE: Ciarán Hyland; Billy O’Keeffe, Jamie O’Sullivan, Dylan Moriarty; Cormac Ryan, Declan Heavey, Seán Gallahue; Bailey Ryan, Cian Ryan; Jack Gallagher, Hugh Flanagan, Jamie McGrath; Mikey O’Keeffe, Tirnan Ryan, Shane Ryan. SUBS: Jamie O’Shea for Jamie McGrath (47 minutes), Olin Ryan for Mikey O’Keeffe (47 minutes), Eoghan Beston for Jamie O’Sullivan (52 minutes), James Ryan for Bailey Ryan (57 minutes).

NAOMH EOIN-CNOC GAELS: Lorcan Costello (Hospital-Herbertstown); Daniel Buckley (Knockainey), Liam Burke (Knockainey), Kevin Hennessy (Hospital-Herbertstown); Cian McNamara (Hospital-Herbertstown), Shane O’Dea (Hospital-Herbertstown), Fionnán Leahy (Knockainey); Michael Leo (Knockainey), Cian Lonergan (Knockainey); William Ryan (Hospital-Herbertstown), Griffin McCaffrey (Hospital-Herbertstown), Craig O’Mahony Noonan (Knockainey); Christian Higgins (Hospital-Herbertstown), Diarmuid Hurley (Hospital-Herbertstown), Kevin Lynch (Knockainey). SUBS: Rian McNamara (Knockainey) for Craig O’Mahony Noonan (half-time), Rory Reale (Knockainey) for Kevin Lynch (half time), Christian Higgins (Hospital-Herbertstown) for William Ryan (58 minutes), Shane Burke (Knockainey) for Cian Lonergan (59 minutes).

REFEREE: John O’Halloran (Bruree).