St Joseph’s lose out in U-15B final

Clonmel CBS  3-11   St Joseph’s Tulla  2-4

ST Joseph’s, Tulla were defeated in the Munster U-15B hurling final played in Templemore last Wednesday. Despite a great start with a Mark Lynch goal after two minutes, they had no answer for a physically stronger Clonmel CBS outfit, who possess some outstanding hurlers throughout their panel.

Tulla got a dream start with a well-finished Lynch goal but gradually the Tipperary side took over. Eoin Kehoe, Tom Kirwan, Ross Mulcahy and Tomás Cooney were rampant through the middle and a rout looked on the cards as they scored 2-4 without reply. Tulla dug in for the last few minutes of the first half and another fine Lynch goal, after a great Sean Shanahan pass, left the half-time score at 2-6 to 2-2 with the wind to come for Tulla.
Tulla piled on the pressure after half-time but this failed to translate into scores. Clonmel, though not pulling away and having scored only two pointed frees by the 20th minute of the second half, were able to easily absorb the Tulla threat.
With 10 minutes to go, the score was 2-9 to 2-4 and in a last desperate effort to win the game Tulla moved Damian Kiniry, their outstanding defender of the match, to centre-forward. The move didn’t work.
Despite Tadhg Lonergan in the Clonmel goal being forced to bring off fine saves from Sean Shanahan and Colin Corbett and Diarmuid Moloney having a goal disallowed, the floodgates opened at the other end and Clonmel finished with 1-4 in the last six minutes. The scoreline flattered the winners a little but there was no doubting their superiority on the day.
Team captain Tom Kirwan was outstanding in the centre of the field. He played on the school’s All-Ireland winning senior football team the previous week. He was ably assisted by the goalie Tadhg Lonergan, Kehoe at centre-back, Ross Mulcahy and Tomás Cooney.
For a battling Tulla side who never gave up, Damien Kiniry, Shane Taylor, Mark Lynch and Oisin Donnellan were best.
St Joseph’s, Tulla: Michael Burke (Feakle); Mark Perrill (Crusheen), James Noonan (Feakle), Oisín Donnellan (Feakle); Shane Taylor (Broadford), Niall Bolton (Tulla, 0-2f), Damien Kiniry (Broadford, captain); Eoin Touhy (Feakle, 0-1f), Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin); Diarmuid Moloney (Broadford), Conor Clune (Clooney-Quin), Colin Corbett (Tulla); Diarmuid Bane (Feakle), Sean Shanahan (Clooney-Quin), Mark Lynch (Tulla, 2-1).
Clonmel CBS: T Lonergan; J Ryan, D O’Mahoney (0-1), P Morrissey; M Meagher, E Kehoe, K Guiry; T Kirwan (captain), D Ryan; M Connolly, R Mulcahy (0-8, 5f), L Boland; C Gleeson, T Cooney (3-2), D Collins.
Referee: M Meade (Limerick).