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Back to the drawing board

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

So after 90 scintillating minutes of hurling action, they will do it again next Sunday at Gaelic Park.
The thrilling finish looked unlikely as Tipperary stormed out of the gate determined to defend their senior hurling title. Referee Barney Breen cautioned Tipperary’s John Madden and Connecticut’s Dennis Byrne after only 30 seconds, then Tipperary went to work.
Owen Cummins lofted a long free into the Connecticut goal mouth. John Byrne reached up and plucked the slithoar out of the sky, before turning and firing to the back of the Connecticut net.
Connecticut answered with a point from Dennis Byrne, but Tipp were playing much the sharper hurling. Full forwards Robbie Ryan and Brendan Murphy were dominating their markers just as the Tipp fullbacks Sean Quirke and Paul Curran had a tight grip on their men at the other end.
Everything was going Tipperary’s way as the defending champions pushed out to a 1-5 to 0-2 lead after 15 minutes. Liam England, Owen Cummins, and John Madden formed an airtight halfback line in the first half, frustrating Connecticut’s attack.
Bonnie Kennedy was badly missed by Connecticut, a forlorn figure on the sideline in a tracksuit, who could only watch as his stand ins missed several makeable frees. Connecticut showed signs of a revival with a 0-3 to 0-1 run featuring a point each from Dennis Byrne and Richie Purcell.
Tipperary were playing well with Murphy and Ryan continuing to stretch the Connecticut defense while Trevor Fletcher’s free taking was looking like the difference maker.
Tipperary closed out the half much like they’d started it when Byrne fielded another long Cummins free and this time fired over the lathe to send his side to the intermission with a 7-point lead, 1-10 to 0-6. Sevent points is not that big of a lead with 35 minutes of hurling still to play, but Tipperary were looking quite comfortable at the interval.
Ken Moore opened the second-half scoring with a Connecticut point but a revival for the challengers looked unlikely as two more frees sailed wide of the Tipperary goalposts. Aiden Power checked into the match at midfield for Connecticut and his athleticism would play a key role in their eventual comeback.
Connecticut began reeling Tipperary back in, led by an inspirational performance from halfback Richie Purcell. With just over 20 minutes played in the second half, Connecticut closed the deficit to a goal, 1-12 to 0-12, on an Aiden Power point.
Then with the Tipperary sideline screaming for a foul behind the play as midfielder John Treacey lay sprawled on the pitch, Aiden Powers’ pass found Michael Jacobs. Jacobs, the Wexford star brought in to pick up the slack from Bonnie Kennedy’s absence, had been held in check to that point. This time Jacobs raced at the Tipperary defense and buried the equalizer.
Connecticut missed consecutive scoring chances and Tipperary regained the lead when veterans Mike Kennedy and John Madden combined on Madden’s 28th minute point. Tipp had a chance at the back breaking score when Fletcher earned a penalty as he was dragged down by keeper Donal Leahy.
Fletcher missed his penalty shot, although Cummins pointed from the resultant 70. With five minutes left, Tipperary sought to hang on for a second consecutive Senior Hurling Championship. Dennis Byrne pointed a free and the lead was one.
Tipperary goalie Tim Cullen had missed the last couple of games and Tipp might not have survived without him on Sunday. Twice in the last tense minutes of regulation, Cullen came off his line to snuff out potential match winners for Connecticut. Then with 30 seconds to go, Ollie O’Neill was Connecticut’s hero, pointing to send the match to extra time.
The two 10-minute periods were all a hurling fan could ask for. The sparsely populated bleachers shook as the two fine clubs went toe to toe. Purcell placed Jacobs for Connecticut’s first score and Fletcher responded with yet another perfectly struck free.
Owen Cummins showed that he was all the way back after sitting out most of Tipperary’s league campaign, with a powerhouse display in the extra time. Cullen robbed Ken Moore but he could do nothing with Byrnes’s peno just before the break. Jacobs pointed from a free just after the changeover to put Connecticut ahead 2-18 to 1-8 and now it was their turn to hang on.
Leahy made a great save for Connecticut, coming out of nowhere to rob Murphy of a sure goal. Cummins, Fletcher, and Mike Kennedy pointed and it was all level with only four minutes to play. Purcell limped off a minute later and Tipperary were pressing for the winner. Kevin Moore, Dave Coleman, and Aiden Kiely each stepped up to make big defensive plays and then Tipperary won a sideline ball.
The clock ran out as John Madden begged someone to supply him with a slithoar. Finally with the last puck of the match, Madden’s cut came tantalizingly close, dropping into the square as the game ended.
Man of the Match: Richie Purcell
Tipperary: Timmy Cullen, Sean Quirke, Paul Curran, Liam England, Owen Cummins (0-3, 2 fr, 1-70), John Madden (0-1), Mike Kennedy (0-1), John Treacey (0-1), Brendan Murphy (0-3), John Byrne (1-1), Trevor Fletcher (0-8, 4 frees), Kevin Kennedy, Robbie Ryan (0-2). Subs: Willie Hackett, Alan Slattery, Mickey Maher (0-1), Philip Bennett.
Connecticut: Donal Leahy, Philip Wickham, Aiden Kiely, Richie Purcell (0-1), Kieran McGann (0-1), Dave Coleman, Philip Doyle (0-1), Keith Hennessey, Michael Jacobs (1-4, 3 frees), Ollie O’Neill (0-2), Ken Moore (0-2), Dennis Byrne (1-5, 1 penalty), Damien Mason (0-1). Subs: Liam Walsh, Aiden Power (0-1), Declan Power.

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