Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland U20B Football Championship Semi-Final
Tipperary 0-26
Sligo 2-20
Tipperary’s U20 footballers were defeated in agonising fashion in the north west in the All-Ireland U20B Football semi-final, falling on penalties to Sligo last Sunday in an enthralling two hours of entertainment in Markievicz Park.
After a topsy-turvy year, the U20s produced a brilliant performance and such can be the cruelty of sport, fell to the lottery of penalties. In the end, it was the Tipperary nerve that broke first as the Yeats County edged the second of a doubleheader with a great degree of luck.
Alas, Sligo made the ideal start with a goal inside the opening minute through Matthew Walsh who punished lax defending.
Indeed, it could have been worse for Tipperary as they sleepwalked inside the opening minutes, and could have conceded a second only for an excellent save from Peter Boland, denying the hosts from close range.
In fairness though, Tipp eventually found their rhythm and responded well as the sides were level at 1-3 to 0-6 after the first quarter. Liam Freaney’s 16th minute point put the Premier into the mood finally as they settled to the task.
The teams continued to trade scores with a tasty James Power two pointer and a brace of scores from Shane Ryan (one free) the main Tipperary scores for the remainder of the half, leaving the game tied at 0-11 to 1-8 at the break.
Tipp started the second half much better, and despite a cracking Sligo two-pointer from Cian Nicholson, the visitors with Dylan Cotter, Liam Freaney, James Kearney, and braces from James Power and Shane Ryan stretching their lead to four points midway through the second half and still held the advantage entering the closing minutes.
However, a Sligo goal from Eamon O’Mahony on 57 minutes reduced the deficit to one before the hosts -through O’Mahony again – added an equaliser to make it 0-20 to 2-14. Extra time would be required to separate the sides.
A Liam Freaney two pointer helped Tipp into a 0-25 to 2-16 lead at half time in extra time, though Sligo responded strongly again to draw level midway through the second period.
A Charlie Walsh free edged Tipp back in front but Sligo equalised once more to force penalties after the game finished 0-26 to 2-20.
Despite an excellent standard of penalties from both sides, Tipp were unlucky as Walsh’s effort went over the bar with Sligo progressing to the final on a 5-3 shootout scoreline.
It was a cruel way for the campaign to end after a tremendous effort from the players throughout the year.
Scorers: Tipperary: Dylan Cotter (0-6, 1x2pt), Liam Freaney (0-5, 1x2pt), James Power (0-4, 1x2pt), Charlie Walsh (0-3, 0-2f), Shane Ryan 0-3, Sean Griffin (1x2pt), Jack Kearney, Dayle Hogan, Jamal Yousif all 0-1 each.
Sligo: Eamon O’Mahony (1-3, 0-2f), Cian Nicholson (0-4, 1x2pt), Aaron Lang (0-4, 0-2f), Matthew Walsh 1-0, James Lavin, Cian Carthy 0-2 each, Cathal Gilligan, Adam Feeney, Paul Flynn, Conor Langan, Oisin Devlin all 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Peter Boland (Moyle Rovers); Jack McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers), Gavin Neville (Fethard), Jack Kearney (Ballyporeen); Paddy Chapman (Aherlow), Jamie O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers), Darragh Bresnan (Arravale Rovers); Sean Griffin (Upperchurch Drombane), Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels); Sean Bourke (Aherlow), James Power (Clonmel Commercials), Oran Gahan (St Patrick’s); Charlie Walsh (Fethard), Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan), Liam Freaney (Kilsheelan Kilcash).
Subs used: Liam Kiely (Fethard) for Chapman (43); Killian Smith (Clonmel Commercials) for Bourke (43); Dayle Hogan (JK Brackens) for Gahan (50); Jamal Yousif (Clonmel Óg) for Power (56), John Cronin for Ryan (63); Ronan Myles for O’Keeffe (ET); James Power for Cronin (ET); Paddy Chapman for Kearney (ET).
Sligo: Gareth Cummins; Josh McHugh, Alex Lillie, James Donoghue; Eamon Keane, James Lavin, Oran Harte; Conor Walsh, Cathal Gilligan; Eamon O’Mahony, Conor Langan, Cian Nicholson; Adam Feeney, Aaron Lang, Matthew Walsh.
Subs used: Jim Molloy for Gilligan (36); Michael Carroll for Langan (47); Cathal Gilligan for Keane (51); Cian Carty for Walsh (5); Eoghan Nerney for Carroll (65); Eamonn Keane for Donoghue (ET); Oisin Devlin for Nerney (ET).
Referee: Christopher Ryan (Galway)