Dublin's Sutcliffe stars as Trinity College claim first Ryan Cup hurling crown

Trinity College 1-18
Queens University 1-9

DUBLIN ACE DANNY Sutcliffe helped to power Trinity College to a very first Ryan Cup title at the Gaelic Grounds last evening.

Sutcliffe scored four points from play but was eclipsed in the scoring stakes by man-of-the-match Collie O’Neill on a dreadful evening at the Gaelic Grounds.

With a gale force wind and driving rain at their backs, Trinity outscored opponents Queen’s University, Belfast, by 0-14 to 0-2 in the second half.

Queen’s, with Alan Grant bagging 1-5 in the first half, led by 1-7 to 1-4 at the break. But Conor O’Carroll’s sixth minute goal for Trinity, the opening score of the game, was a vital one as last year’s runners-up battled against the elements.

Trailing by three points at half-time was a wholly acceptable outcome, given the elements, and Trinity kicked on after the break to claim the silverware.

Trinity were level at 1-8 apiece by the 40th minute and Sutcliffe soon grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck with two quickfire points from play.

The St Judes powerhouse took a return pass from his own sideline cut before shooting the lead score and Sutcliffe made it two points in a minute with a long-range cracker as an air of inevitability descended.

Sutcliffe added another point down the home stretch as O’Neill also added to his five-point haul.

Trinity finished with scoring contributions from eight players, with all but a point of the Queen’s University total scored by Derry native Grant.

Scorers for TCD: Collie O’Neill 0-5 (2f), Conor O’Carroll 1-1, Danny Sutcliffe 0-4, Kevin Hetherton, Brian Fitzgerald & Niall Redmond 0-2 each, Michael Doyle (f) & Paul Coughlan 0-1 each.

Scorers for QUB: Alan Grant 1-8 (0-8f), Christopher McGuinness (0-1).

Trinity College

1. Jack Banks (Old Christians, Limerick)

2. Ciaran Heeney (Na Fianna, Dublin)
3. Michael Doyle (Blacks and Whites, Kilkenny)
4. Darragh O’Donoghue (Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Galway)

22. Ronan Byrne (Kiltegan, Wicklow)
6. Conor McDonnell (St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh, Dublin)
5. Paul Coughlan (Ballygunner, Waterford)

7. Jesse Kennedy (St Judes, Dublin – capt.)
8. Danny Sutcliffe (St Judes, Dublin)

12. James O’Connor (Abbeydorney, Kerry)
11. Brian Fitzgerald (Cuala, Dublin)
10. Kevin Hetherton (Craobh Ciaran, Dublin)

13. Niall Redmond (Oulart-the-Ballagh, Wexford)
14. Conor O’Carroll (Lisdowney, Kilkenny)
23. Collie O’Neill (Ballyboden St Endas, Dublin)

Queen’s University

1. Michael Keown (Castlewellan, Down)

2. Dan Kinney (Cushendall – Ruairi Og, Antrim)
3. Conall Morgan (St Johns, Antrim)
4. Aaron Carey (Loughiel, Antrim)

5. Cormac Flynn (Ballycran, Down).
6. John McLister (Ballycastle, Antrim)
8. Conor McAnallen (Keady, Armagh)

12. Christopher McGuinness (O’Donovan Rossa, Belfast, Antrim)
9. Dermot Begley (Eire Og Carrickmore, Tyrone)

21. Maol Connelly (Loughgiel, Antrim)
7. Dermot O’Neill (Lavey, Derry)
10. Nicholas McNaughton (Loughgiel, Antrim)

15. Cormac Ross (St Endas, Antrim)
14. Alan Grant (Na Magha, Derry)
19. Eoghan Sands (Portaferry, Down)

Subs:

11. Fergus Donnelly (Ballycastle, Antrim) for McAnallen (inj, 8).
13. Ruairi Laverty (St Brigids Cloughmills, Antrim) for Sands (33)
17. Dermot Donnelly (Ballycastle, Antrim) for Ross (45)
18. Cailin Gorman (Cuchulainns, Armagh) for McNaughton (50).

Referee: Declan O’Driscoll (Limerick)

- This article was originally published on 28 February at 6.30pm

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