Championship win over Burgess

St Mary’s 1-18 Burgess 2-12

St Mary’s upset the form book with a thrilling three-points win over Burgess in the FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4 Round 2 game at Dundrum on Saturday afternoon.

The win puts the Clonmel side in the driving seat for the final round of games, with four points at the top of the table, ahead of Burgess and Killenaule on two each, and Sean Treacys at the foot of the table without a point. The Round 3 clash between St Mary’s and Killenaule should be one to savour.

Burgess came to Dundrum as hot favourites. They are North champions and beat Killenaule in the first round – a Killenaule side that had easily accounted for St Mary’s in the South semi-final. So, following the horse racing form book analogy, they were well fancied to win.

But St Mary’s held no regard for the north side’s credentials, and produced one of their best performances for some time to score a thoroughly deserving win.

Despite conceding a goal to Burgess after just eighty seconds from Michael Ryan, and a second thirteen minutes later from Donagh Maher that left them 2-2 to 0-4 behind, they regrouped well and were just two points behind at the break, 2-6 to 0-10.

They upped their performance considerably in the second half, drawing level for the first time seven minutes in, 0-13 to 2-7, and superb hurling saw them two points ahead, 0-17 to 2-9, six minutes from the end.

It was a tit-for-tat half in the second game of a Dundrum double bill, but the Clonmel side then struck the decisive blow. A huge free from goalkeeper Enda Dunphy into the danger area was contested by backs and forwards, but it was Michael Murphy who got the crucial touch to flick it past Ronan Tucker.

With the clock ticking down the game ended in a welter of excitement, with Burgess outscoring St Mary’s two points to one, but they could never get the vital goal.

It was a complete performance from St Mary’s, resolute in defence and potent in attack. Despite missing team captain Ross Slattery, the backline was immense in the face of relentless Burgess pressure, with Enda Dunphy outstanding in goal, and Tadhg Condon, Darragh O’Connor and Sammy Ryan marshalling the defence.

Conor Deely put in a huge display at midfield, including an inspirational point from deep in his own half, while upfront Sean Kennedy, Michael Murphy and Peter McGarry were always threatening.

Niall Hoctor was an injury concern right up to the start, but gave 100 per cent before his withdrawal late in the game, while second half substitute Ross Peters made a significant impact with two fine points, his first with his first touch just fifteen seconds after coming on.

Eight St Mary’s players scored from play, with Burgess having an over-reliance on ace freetaker Stephen Murray, who converted seven placed balls, as well as one from play. They couldn’t match the Clonmel spread of scorers, with goal scorers Michael Ryan and Donagh Maher, along with Johnny Mulqueen, the only others to score from open play.

However, St Mary’s' hopes of claiming their second win in the group looked tenuous as early as the second minute when Michael Ryan burst through the cover for a super goal. Murray’s first pointed free less than a minute later put Burgess into an early 1-1 to no score lead.

But St Mary’s showed the resolve that was to stand to them throughout the hour. After Enda Dunphy was off target with a long range free, Sean Kennedy from a closer free opened their account in the fourth minute following a foul on Sammy Ryan, and then Josh Ryan set Kennedy up for their second point.

Stephen Murray had his second point from a free before Michael Murphy and Peter McGarry replied for St Mary’s to leave a point between them after eleven minutes, 1-2 to 0-4.

St Mary’s then suffered another sucker punch, with Donagh Maher picking up a loose ball to shoot a second Burgess goal.

Sean Kennedy from a free and Michael Ryan, following strong Burgess pressure, swopped points before St Mary’s showed the form that would lead them to an historic win over a leading north division side.

Niall Hoctor showed no ill effects from his injury to shoot a great point, and even though Johnny Mulqueen replied for Burgess, St Mary’s came back strongly with three points in a row to trail by just one, 2-4 to 0-9, after 21 minutes.

Darragh O’Connor set up James Power for a lovely point; then, in the language of Olympics basketball, Conor Deely hit a monster point from “downtown”; and Sean Kennedy followed up in the next move with another great score.

Burgess hit back when Eoin Grace provided the assist for a Stephen Murray point but St Mary’s, determined not to let Burgess build up a head of steam, hit back immediately with another Sean Kennedy free. Two minutes from the break, Michael Ryan gave the north side a 2-6 to 0-10 half-time lead.

When Ross Peters replaced Gearoid Buckley for the second half he wasted little time in making his presence felt, scoring with his first touch inside fifteen seconds.

Murray from a free replied quickly for Burgess, but again the Clonmel side showed signs of their intent with three in a row.

Despite taking some hard knocks, Sammy Ryan never stopped working and hit a fine score; superb play from Conor Deely won a free in his own half that Enda Dunphy slotted over; and then another Dunphy free found Ross Peters, who hit his second of the game to put St Mary’s ahead for the first time, 0-14 to 2-7, after eight minutes of the half.

Murray from a free tied the scores, but again St Mary’s came back with another three without reply – from James Power, a Kennedy free from a tight angle following superb build-up play from Josh Ryan, Conor Deely and Ross Peters; and then another from Deely from a Richie Gunne assist, to make it a two-points game.

The crucial score followed, with Michael Murphy’s flick to the net from Enda Dunphy’s long range free. A five-points deficit with just four minutes to play was a big ask for Burgess but they never gave up the fight.

Their cause wasn’t helped with a straight red card for Johnny Mulqueen following a nasty bust-up on the standside touchline, but they fought to the end.

Stephen Murray was happy to tap over two frees rather than look for a goal, believing that there would be a considerable amount of injury time.

Sean Kennedy hit back from a free for St Mary’s, but despite over six minutes of added time – to the disbelief of the St Mary’s management team on the sideline – the time finally ran out for Burgess, as St Mary’s defended heroically to the final whistle.

St Mary’s: Enda Dunphy 0-1 free; Tadhg Condon, Liam Ryan, Josh Ryan, Darragh O’Connor, Tadhg Sheehan, Sammy Ryan 0-1; Conor Deely 0-2; Richie Gunne, Gearoid Buckley, Sean Kennedy 0-7, 5 frees; Michael Murphy 1-1; Peter McGarry 0-1; Niall Hoctor 0-1; James Power 0-2.

Subs: Ross Peters 0-2 for Gearoid Buckley, Dean Cagney for Niall Hoctor, Shane Ryan for James Power.

Burgess: Ronan Tucker, Kieran Ryan, Bryan Quinn, Daire Hogan, Willie Ryan, Keith Nealon, Johnny Mulqueen 0-2; Danny Ryan, Kieran Grace, Michael Ryan 1-2; Donagh Maher 1-0; Stephen Kirwan, Stephen Murray 0-8, 7 frees; Eoin Hogan, Eoin Grace.

Subs: Tony Dunne for Danny Ryan, Bill O’Flaherty for Keith Nealon.

Referee: Donie Horan (Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill).

Match report taken from the Nationalist by Michael Heverin.