Rapps finish with flourish
Juniors seal place in final
RAPPAREES HORESWOOD
RAPPAREES MADE no mistake at the second attempt on familiar territory on Saturday as they advanced to a first Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship final since 2012 with a very strong finish against Horeswood in Bellefield.
Only three points divided the sides when Michael O’Hanlon reduced arrears to 0-13 to 0-10 with twelve minutes left, but the home side dominated the run-in and added 1-4 without reply to confirm their spot in next weekend’s decider against Gusserane.
The lively Neil McCrea made it a four-point game again from a free, but it was only in the dying embers of the contest that the Rapps really cut loose.
Indeed, there was a seven-minute scoreless spell after that point when Aaron Sinnott brought off two important saves from Declan Murphy and a Michael O’Hanlon free.
Just over one minute of the 60 remained when Alan Tobin made it 0-15 to 0-10, and the success was wrapped up in added time when McCrea (free) and substitute Tommy Foley hit points before Pa O’Shea’s delivery was broken by Lee Treacy into the path of McCrea who netted from close range.
The ten-point margin was harsh on Horeswood, who played in the opposition’s ground as part of an agreement which saw the replay held over for a week owing to a wedding.
Indeed, Rapparees wouldn’t have been best pleased with their 0-9 to 0-5 half-time lead after playing with the wind, and they must have been even more anxious when points from three Michael O’Hanlon frees and Seán Stafford drew the visitors level by the 38th minute.
That momentum wasn’t maintained though, with five Horeswood wides struck in between two sequences of quick-fire Rapps points, with Neil McCrea and the wily Declan Ruth converting frees before Alan Tobin and McCrea registered from play.
The Bellefield crew actually outscored their rivals by 1-8 to 0-1 from the midway point of the third quarter onwards, making up for several near misses in recent campaigns in the process.
After losing the 2012 final to Crossabeg-Ballymurn, they bowed out at this stage in 2013 to Our Lady’s Island (after a replay), in 2014 to Taghmon-Camross, and last year to eventual champions Shelmaliers.
They were slow to avail of the elements on Saturday, with the sides sharing the first four points in the opening eleven minutes before a purple patch created some daylight.
In fact, the Rapps hit five points in less than three and a half minutes, courtesy of Neil McCrea (free), Declan Ruth, a McCrea brace from play, and Alan Tobin.
Horeswood hung in there though with replies from Declan Murphy and free-taker Michael O’Hanlon, and they were also grateful to see a Rapps goal disallowed in the 26th minute after Eoin Mythen batted out a long Ruth free and Tobin scooped it to the net.
Two John Ryan points on either side of a Seán Nolan strike for Horeswood left four in it at half-time (0-9 to 0-5), and the Rapps duly overcame that shaky start to the second period to leave them just 60 minutes away from a first title in this grade since 1993.
Rapparees: Aaron Sinnott; Joe Carley, Mark Redmond, John Barron; Kevin Walsh, Declan Ruth (0-3, 1 ’65, 1 free), Peter O’Sullivan; Seánie O’Gorman (capt.), Conor Farrell; Alan Tobin (0-3), Tom Ryan, Gary Murphy; Caolan Carty, John Ryan (0-2), Neil McCrea (18, 0-5 frees). Subs. - Ronan Kirwan for Carty (39), Pa O’Shea for O’Gorman (51), Tommy Foley (0-1) for Murphy (53), Lee Treacy for T. Ryan (59), Lee Murphy for J. Ryan (60).
Horeswood: Eoin Mythen; Eamonn O’Sullivan, Shane O’Hanlon, David Larkin; Danny Byrne, Barry Hearn, David Murphy; Paddy Murphy, Declan Murphy (capt., 0-1); Seán Stafford (01), Leigh O’Brien, David O’Shea; Seán Nolan (0-2), Michael O’Hanlon (0-5, 4 frees), Dylan Whitty (0-1). Subs. - Jim Wall for O’Shea (51), Eoin Murphy for Whitty (53).
Referee: Shane Quinn (Ballygarrett).