February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mike Fitzpatrick
Connecticut 3-15, Tipperary 2-16
The lads from the ranks of junior hurling have become somewhat accustomed to playing at Gaelic Park this year, having been confined to Van Cortlandt Park for much of the season. The sides here took full advantage and gave the crowd a glance at what exactly they were capable of with a great contest of hurling in the sunshine of Gaelic Park Sunday.
Connecticut are the side many fancy for honors this season, and following this display, they did their position at the top of the heap no harm at all. They were in truly inspiring form when they came up against defending cup holders Galway in the recent final of the cup competition, a victory made all the sweeter considering it was the lads
from Galway who inflicted a heavy defeat upon them in the corresponding fixture last year.
Facing New Jersey a few weeks back, Connecticut again were awesome, and inflicted another defeat from their out-of-state rivals. Tipperary however, are not a team to be taken lightly. With their senior team residing at the top of the division, the second string sought to emulate their countrymen by clinching silverware themselves this season. It was Tipp who stormed into a healthy lead in the first half thanks to some great scores from Wayne Nash, Damian Sheehan and Paul Hogan.
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Connecticut took a little time to get into the groove of things, and managed only a couple of scores in the first half through Mike Curtin and the inspirational Musha Maher. Tipperary let go of the gas a little in the second half and let their rivals right back into the game. If the first half was all Tipp, the second certainly wasn’t. Connecticut stormed back, with a goal from Musha Maher, and others from Liam Byrne and Mike Curtin to climb right into the tie. Tipp fought back, and Damian Sheehan added to his personal tally to grab another few to finish up with seven points. Connecticut however, as we’ve seen on so many occasions before, simply could not stop scoring. Curtin added to his tally, as did Maher, and Martin Furlong grabbed another to add to his first half point. A close second half ensued, with both sides grabbing the lead from one another, but as in all sports, there can only be one winner. Connecticut were certainly given a shock by this gallant Tipp display, but their position as the top dogs of New York’s junior hurling division remains in place.
Tipperary: Joe Hogan, Donal Cummins, Jack O’Donnell, Damian Byrne, Willie Hackett, John Hyland, Declan Burke, Wayne Nash (0-3), Paul Casey, Mike Carey (0-1), Damian Sheehan (0-7), Ralph Callaghan (0-1), Paul Hogan (2-3). Sub: Kevin Madden (0-1).
Connecticut: Tony Power, Donal Leahy, Richie Purcell, JoJo Sullivan, Liam Byrne (1-0), Paul Rafter, Ronan O’Connor, Ollie O’Neill (0-1), Packie Roche, Mike Curtin (1-5), Cathal O’Sullivan, Musha Maher (1-6), Martin Furlong (0-2). Sub: Tony Brennan (0-1).