Eoin Brennan reports from Nenagh as an Eoin Begley brace was critical to Ardscoil Rís defeating Thurles CBS 3-19 to 1-23 in the Munster Under 16.5A PPS Hurling Championship Final

SIX Clare natives played an integral part as Ardscoil Rís finally prevailed in a nervy finale to secure their first Dean Ryan Cup in six years in MacDonagh Park, Nenagh on Wednesday afternoon.

Having suffered heartbreaking back-to-back final defeats, the Limerick hurling powerhouse finally inched over the line at the third attempt, with the Banner once more central to that success as five different players contributed 2-10 of their side’s tally.

Clonlara’s Eoin Begley starred with two superb opportunist strikes to put clear daylight between the sides by the break at 2-10 to 0-10 while Michael Collins (3), Cillian Murphy (3) and Marc O’Brien (2) also chipped with timely points.

Joint-captain Eoin Carey arrowed over the clinching free from halfway to finally cement only Ardscoil’s third title at this level.

More than that, while Begley was lighting up the contest at one end, there were some excellent last ditch blocks at the other as centre-back Carey executed a perfectly-timed interception on David Costigan as he was bearing down on goal while Parteen’s Luke Tobin somehow blocked Jack Hayes’ goalbound shot only minutes later.

Having survived those mini-revolts, in truth it should have been much more comfortable for Niall Crowe’s (Ennistymon) side as only a minute into the new half, Eoin Begley teed up Patrick Kearney for their third goal to soar nine points clear.

Indeed, Ardscoil were still eight in front entering the final quarter but managed to leak a thoroughly preventable Costigan goal which provided Thurles CBS with a new lease of life for the remainder.

So while Ardscoil desperately clung to their advantage, a revitalised Thurles hit four unanswered points in the final ten minutes to slash the arrears to just one by the hour mark.

While the next score was pivotal, to their credit Ardscoil refused to panic and when Eoin Begley won a free at halfway, up stepped joint-captain Carey to convert his first free of the afternoon and send their relieved supporters and 14 strong Clare contingent into celebration mode.

Ardscoil Rís: Darragh Jordan (Na Piarsaigh); Conor Ryan (Adare), James Coughlan (Ballybrown) (Joint-Captain), Luke Tobin (Parteen); Jack Cosgrove (Ahane), Eoin Carey (Cratloe) (Joint-Captain), Eoin Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh); Darragh Horkin (Na Piarsaigh), Marc O’Brien (Cratloe); John O’Keeffe (Murroe-Boher), Michael Collins (Clonlara), Darragh Gleeson (Adare); Cillian Murphy (Sixmilebridge), Eoin Begley (Clonlara), Patrick Kearney (Adare). Sub: Malachy McKenna (Pallasgreen) for Tobin (54).
Scorers: Darragh Gleeson (0-7, 5f); Eoin Begley (2-1); Patrick Kearney (1-1); Michael Collins, Cillian Murphy (0-3 each); Marc O’Brien (0-2); Jack Cosgrove, Eoin Carey (f) (0-1 each)

Thurles CBS: Sean Dempsey (Drom-Inch); Keelan Dunne (Durlas Óg), Toby Corbett (Upperchurch Drombane), Kyle O’Dowd (Durlas Óg); Daniel McCahey (Loughmoure-Castleiney), Evan Morris (Holycross-Ballycahill), Colman Moloney (Galmoy); Ryne Bargary (Boherlahan Dualla), Jack Lahart (Holycross-Ballycahill); David Costigan (Moycarkey Borris), Euan Murray (Durlas Óg), Keith Loughnane (Durlas Óg); Jack Hayes (Moycarkey Borris), Robbie Ryan (Holycross-Ballycahill), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom-Inch). Subs: Killian Cantwell (Moycarkey Borris) for Hayes (35), Ronan O’Brien (Durlas Óg) for Moloney (45).
Scorers: Cormac Fitzpatrick (0-5f); Ryne Bargary, Robbie Ryan (1f) (0-4 each); Keith Loughnane (0-3); David Costigan (1-0); Jack Lahart, Euan Murray (0-2 each); Jack Hayes, Daniel McCahey, Ronan O’Brien (0-1 each)

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork)