Galway 4-13
Tipperary 1-16
Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park
GALWAY’S GOAL SCORING prowess pushed them past Tipperary to claim the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor hurling title in today’s final at Croke Park.
The Galway youngsters gave their county a perfect start on All-Ireland final day as they delivered the county’s 10th title in this grade and first since 2011.
An evenly-contested first-half saw the teams level at the break at 1-7 to 0-10. Brian Concannon pounced for Galway’s goal in the 18th minute with an empathic finish.
Freetakers Evan Niland (Galway) and Lyndon Fairbrother (Tipperary) were extremely accurate in bagging 0-4 and 0-7 respectively in the opening period.
But Jeffrey Lynskey’s Galway team started the second-half at a high tempo and changed the course of the game. Niland notched a pair of frees that sandwiched a Stephen Quirke point for Tipperary before the Tribesmen grabbed their second goal.
It came courtesy of substitute Liam Forde with his first touch after coming on when he billowed the net at the Davin End in the 38th minute.
Lift got even better for Galway three minutes later when Forde’s Ardrahan club mate Cianan Fahy got on the end of a fine team move and his finish was just as decisive for their third goal.
Galway tacked on the points and were in a commanding position when captain Seán Loftus pointed in the 50th minute to see them in front 3-12 to 0-13.
Tipperary rallied manfully in the closing stages. Tommy Nolan whipped a fierce shot to the net in the 59th minute and they nearly grabbed a second goal but Darragh Gilligan was equal to Cian Darcy’s ground shot.
Galway’s defence held firm and they broke upfield for their fourth goal in injury time that clinched success when substitute Michael Lynch got free and despatched the ball confidently to the net.
Scorers for Galway: Evan Niland 0-9 (0-8f), Brian Concannon, Cianan Fahy, Michael Lynch, Liam Forde 1-0 each, Jack Coyne 0-2, Thomas Monaghan, Seán Loftus 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: Tommy Nolan 1-2, Lyndon Fairbrother 0-5 (0-4f), Stephen Quirke (0-1 sideline), Cian Darcy (0-2f), Brian McGrath (0-1 ’65) 0-2 each, Alan Tynan, Michael Connors, Darragh Peters (0-1 ’65) 0-1 each.
Galway
1. Darragh Gilligan (Craughwell)
4. Kieran O’Connor (Kilnadeema-Leitrim)
3. Jack Fitzpatrick (Killimordaly)
2. Shane Bannon (Clarinbridge)
5. Caelom Mulry (Abbeyknockmoy)
6. Ian O’Brien (Clarinbridge)
7. Andrew Greaney (Craughwell)
8. Jack Grealish (Gort)
9. Jack Coyne (Castlegar)
10. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly)
11. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell)
12. Fintan Burke (St Thomas)
13. Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan)
14. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge)
15. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore – captain)
Subs
18. Liam Forde (Ardrahan) for Burke (36)
19. Cian Salmon (Clarinbridge) for Fahy (54)
20. Cillian McDaid (Craughwell) for O’Brien (54)
17. Michael Lynch (Kilnadeema-Leitrim) for Concannon (59)
23. Ross Malone (Oranmore-Maree) for Greaney (62)
Tipperary
1. Padraic Hayes (Ballingarry)
2. Enda Heffernan (Clonoulty Rossmore)
3. Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch)
4. James Quigley (Kildangan)
5. Kevin Hassett (Drom & Inch)
6. Brian McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
7. Darragh Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
8. Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers – captain)
9. Liam McCutcheon (Templederry Kenyons)
10. Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
11. Garry Ryan (Borrisokane)
12. Alan Tynan (Roscrea)
13. Thomas Nolan (Drom & Inch)
14. David Gleeson (Ballinahinch)
15. Lyndon Fairbrother (JK Brackens)
Subs
20. Ruadhán Mulrooney (Portroe) for McCutcheon (20)
18. Jack Skehan (Holycross-Ballycahill) for Ryan (42)
21. Michael Connors (Drom-Inch) for Fairbrother (44)
23. Shane Neville (Lattin-Cullen) for Gleeson (55)
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)
Well done. hopefully the seniors can make it a double
I said it all year, I dunno how that tipp minor team got to an all ireland final