Munster U16 Divisional Final 2011

North Tipperary 2-7
Mid Tipperary 1-7

North Tipp reclaim Munster title North Tipperary bridged a gap of three years in claiming back the Munster U-16 Inter-divisional hurling title when overcoming Mid Tipp in a thrilling final at Mallow on Monday afternoon.
In a well-contested game, North had to use all their guile to stave off Mid Tipp when a puck of the ball separated the sides.
Playing with the breeze in the first half, North Tipp got of to a good start when their captain, Cillian Gleeson led by example in providing the games opening point after sixty seconds. Playing with confidence North Tipp had the upper hand but failed to match their dominance with scores. In the fifth minute, Barry Heffernan missed a free when it was waved wide much to the consternation of those in the covered stand. However thirty seconds later he made amends with another free.
But as expected, Mid Tipp fought back. Two missed opportunities were soon put right with points by Colin O'Riordan and Conor Lanigan had the sides level after eleven minutes. Mid's next attack reaped a much bigger prize as Colin O'Riordan blasted to the net.
But a quick point from James Mackey helped settle the North side. More North pressure saw Christopher Fogarty force Mid keeper Robert Larkin to pull off an excellent save. Larkin was an excellent keeper and he produced another superb save from Robert McCarthy but James Mackey was well placed to sink the follow up from close in and North led 1-3 to 1-2.
Play was held up when Graham Maher required attention and had to depart the scene. Meanwhile both sides missed chances but before the half drew to a close, there was enough time for Barry Heffernan to increase his team's lead thanks to a neat handpass by Joey Knight. The half time score read: North 1-4 Mid 1-2.
Shortly after the resumption, North keeper Daryl Ryan had a lucky escape when he lost sight of the ball after it fell from his grasp. The ball was eventually cleared. North began to settle into a pattern and there reward came in the shape of two Barry Heffernan points, one each from a free and 65 with 27 of the forty minutes allotted gone.
But what North could do, the Mid side could match and within the next three minutes, the fourpoint safety cushion was quickly halved when Kevin Dunne pointed from play before Conor Lanigan added a free.
As expected, North came back full of voice as with Aidan Boyle pointing on his first touch as a substitute. Mid substitute Padraig Russell matched Boyle's effort with a point. Then in the 33rd minute Barry Heffernan secured a free to recover a threepoint advantage for North.
But the Mid responded and forced Daryl Ryan to come off his line to avert danger. Then Conor Lanigan reduced the margin with a free. Back came the North when Aidan Boyle put Heffernan through to make it 1-9 to 1-6 with five minutes on the clock.
Bit by bit one could see that Mid Tipp were gaining territorial advantage and Padraig Russell added another score with four minutes remaining.
It was exciting stuff now with the North defence producing every effort to curb the Mid threat but Cathal Kennedy, David Sweeney, Jason Ryan and Stephen Cleary match them for size.
There were anxious moments for North as three minutes of added time were provided but in the end, they laurels headed north.

Munster U-16 Divisional Hurling Championship Round 1:
North Tipp 2-6
Sth. East Limerick 2-6

A point by Mark McCarthy helped North Tipp secure a draw in the opening game against South/East Limerick. The home side received a good start which helped them to a 2-2 to 1-3 half time lead. It was Barry Heffernan who grabbed North Tipp's first half goal when he slammed home a twenty metre free. That goal left North Tipp two points in arrears at half time, 2-2 to 1-3.
With five minutes remaining, the margin had risen to four, 2-5 to 1-4 but Cillian Gleeson - who was supreme - reduced the margin and then Barry Heffernan salvaged his second goal, in similar fashion to the first to level. South/East Limerick went ahead again but Mark McCarthy held his nerve to secure the equaliser with forty seconds of injury time elapsed.
North Tipp: Daryl Ryan (Roscrea); Donnacha Quinn (Nenagh Éire Óg), Cathal Kennedy (Toomevara), David Sweeney (Kildangan); Austin Tierney (Shannon Rovers), Jason Ryan (Toomevara), Cian Rigney (Roscrea); Jamie Lewis (Lorrha), Cillian Gleeson (Nenagh Éire Óg, Capt 0-1); Sam Conlon (Roscrea), Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg 2-3), Joey Knight (Portroe); Aidan Boyle (Kilruane MacDonaghs) Mark McCarthy (Toomevara 0-1), James Mackey (Nenagh Éire Óg 0-1). SUB: Stephen Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs).

Round 2: North Tipp 3-14 Seandún 1-4
A hat-trick of goals by Mark McCarthy and eight points from Barry Heffernan helped North Tipp secure a sixteen point win over a disappointing Seandún side from Cork.
North Tipp settled down to take a 0-6 to 0-1 lead in the opening quarter. Seandun staged a recovery but not enough to deny North Tipp a 0-7 to 0-4 half time lead.
Early in the second half, Heffernan increased the margin with a free, then Mark McCarthy blasted home a goal. Seandún replied with a goal but Heffernan responded with a free and Joey Knight added a point from play with the help of the crossbar. McCarthy then added a goal, Heffernan supplied two more points, one from play with McCarthy grabbing his third goal and John Cahalan on target with a point.
North Tipp: Daryl Ryan (Roscrea); Donnacha Quinn (Nenagh Éire Óg), Cathal Kennedy (Toomevara), David Sweeney (Kildangan); Austin Tierney (Shannon Rovers), Jason Ryan (Toomevara), Cian Rigney (Roscrea); Jamie Lewis (Lorrha), Cillian Gleeson (Nenagh Éire Óg, Capt); Stephen Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg 0-8), James Mackey (Nenagh Éire Óg 0-2); Kevin Mulcahy (Ballinahinch), Mark McCarthy (Toomevara 3-1), Joey Knight (Portroe 0-1). SUBS: Christopher Fogarty (Lorrha 0-1), John Cahalan (Nenagh Éire Óg 0-1)

Round 3: North Tipp 6-9 West Waterford 2-4
News of South/East Limerick's 4-10 to 1-9 win over West Waterford had eased North Tipp worries. With their point difference six points better than S/E Limerick, it was up to North Tipp to keep their nerve in the knowledge that a win of reasonable proportions would suffice.
But the concession of an early goal to West Waterford rose immediate concern. However once Barry Heffernan engineered another a goal from a twenty metre free and added another goal from play soon after, there was but one result. By half time North led 4-5 to 2-2 and just after half time Mark McCarthy provided a goal on route to another hatrick of goals. Sam Conlon chipped in with three points from play as James Mackey added a goal.
North Tipp: Daryl Ryan (Roscrea); Donnacha Quinn (Nenagh Éire Óg), Cathal Kennedy (Toomevara), David Sweeney (Kildangan); Austin Tierney (Shannon Rovers), Jason Ryan (Toomevara), Cian Rigney (Roscrea); Jamie Lewis (Lorrha), Cillian Gleeson (Nenagh Éire Óg, Capt 0-1); Sam Conlon (Roscrea 0-3), Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg 2-3), James Mackey (Nenagh Éire Óg 1-0); John Cahalan (Nenagh Éire Óg), Mark McCarthy (Toomevara 3-2), Christopher Fogarty (Lorrha). SUBS: Aidan Boyle (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Stephen Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Ryan Toohey (Silvermines); Eanna McLoughney (Shannon Rovers), Cillian Floyd (Newport).

Semi Final: North Tipp 2-7 Imokilly 1-7
It was Barry Heffernan's free, one minute from time, that secured a place in the final for North Tipp when they beat Imokilly from Cork.
North Tipperary dominated the first half to reap a 2-6 to 0-5 half time lead but facing the breeze in the second half they were held scoreless while the Cork side scored 1-2 and miss some ideal chances as well before Heffernan's late score put daylight between the teams.
North Tipp scorers: Barry Heffernan 0-4, 2 frees; James Mackey 1-1; Mark McCarthy 1-0; Sam Conlon, Cillian Gleeson 0-1 each.