IN THE TUNNEL beneath the Hogan Stand after this epic All-Ireland club IHC final, Liam Dunphy described it as simply ‘chaos’.
Thankfully for the Upperchurch-Drombane manager, it was of those dramatic, manic evenings that ultimately swung his side’s way.
Extra-time goals from Paddy Phelan, Conor Fahey and Paul Shanahan secured the win for the Church who are the first club from Tipperary to take the title since Kiladangan in 2005.
But there was so much more to this rollercoaster encounter which yielded 50 scores across over 80 pulsating minutes.
Tooreen, agonisingly, have been here before having lost to Monaleen of Limerick in the decider three years ago.
But they went down swinging at least, turning a 10-point deficit late in extra-time into a mere two-point game as they reeled off 2-2 without response in the dying moments.
Keith Ryan lifts the trophy for The Church. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Mikey Griffin celebrates a goal. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Liam Lavin and David Harrison grabbed those late goals for Tooreen and they were followed by points from Fionn Delaney and the excellent Fergal Boland.
Remarkably, if Mayo football star Boland had only been a few inches lower with his point, his sixth of the evening, Tooreen might have grabbed the goal they needed to tie it up all over again.
But the Church escaped and had heroes all over the field. Fahey struck two goals in all for them while Luke Shanahan top scored with seven points in front of 5,916 hardy souls on a freezing evening in Dublin.
Injuries ruled Paudie Greene and Phelan out of the lineup for the Munster champions — two big losses, though not immediately felt.
Fresh off big wins over the Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny champions since being crowned premier intermediate county champions, Upperchurch hit the ground running.
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In fact, with 25 minutes on the clock the near 50-50 pre-match billing seemed generous to Tooreen.
The side in black and amber had surged 0-4 to 0-1 clear initially and were 0-9 to 0-2 to the good with just five minutes remaining in the half.
Mikey Griffin, wearing number 21 though a starter in the semi-final win over Danesfort, grabbed an eye-catching point. Gavin Ryan followed his lead with a couple of long-range missiles. And when Pat Ryan crouched down and chopped a sideline cut over the bar from beneath the Hogan Stand to leave seven points between them, it looked ominous.
Surprisingly, Liam Dunphy’s side didn’t score again until the 36th minute. Tooreen, in turn, closed out the first half by outscoring their opponents 0-7 to 0-1.
The 35-times Mayo senior champions picked off the last five points of the first half, capitalising on pockets of space they created in the middle third to convert a series of monster scores.
Joe Boyle drilled over two of those, though for sheer inspiration, it was hard to top Eoin Delaney’s 29th- and 31st-minute points which were followed by a couple of guttural roars.
Tooreen still trailed by a point at half-time, 0-9 to 0-10, but kept the foot on the throttle after the restart.
And it was no surprise to see them open up a 0-14 to 0-11 lead 10 minutes into the second-half. Now they were the ones who looked to be on a highway to success.
Fergal Boland of Tooreen. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Tooreen supporters react to a score for their side. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
If the Church ever needed divine inspiration, it was now. Fahey duly responded with a 41st-minute goal. He beat his man on the left wing, raced clear and sneaked a low shot in below Tooreen goalie Bobby Douglas.
And that’s how it was for the last 20 minutes, Tooreen hitting some big blows in the form of Kenny Feeney and Brian Morley scores, Tooreen counter-punching with heavyweight shots from Pat and Gavin Ryan.
They were tied again at the hour, 1-16 to 0-19. Morley thought he’d won it for Tooreen in the 63rd minute but Ryan popped up with a huge score from his own half for Upperchurch to force extra-time at 1-17 to 0-20.
Two Church goals in the first-half of extra-time left them sitting pretty with a 3-17 to 0-22 advantage. Sub Phelan grabbed the first after being set clear by Fahey who then turned poacher and registered their third himself.
Upperchurch were a full 10 points clear with 78 minutes on the clock when Tooreen launched that scoring siege to leave just two in it at the death.
The title will head to Tipp. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Upperchurch-Drombane scorers: Luke Shanahan 0-7 (0-5f), Conor Fahey 2-0, Gavin Ryan 0-5 (0-4f, 0-1 65), Paul Shanahan 1-1, Paddy Phelan 1-0, Pat Ryan 0-3 (0-1 s/l), Colm Ryan 0-1, Mikey Griffin 0-1, Diarmuid Grant 0-1, Jack Butler 0-1.
Tooreen scorers: Fergal Boland 0-6, Brian Morley 0-4, Liam Lavin 1-0, David Harrison 1-0, Joe Boyle 0-3, Eoin Delaney 0-3, Kenny Feeney 0-3, Sean Kenny 0-2, Bobby Douglas 0-1 (0-1f), Shane Boland 0-1 (0-1f), Fionn Delaney 0-1 (0-1f).
Upperchurch-Drombane
1. Ciaran Shortt
2. Mikey Lavery
3. Keith Ryan (Captain)
4. Dean Carew
22. David Harrison
6. Gavin Ryan
5. Niall Grant
8. Diarmuid Grant
9. Aaron Ryan
10. Conor Fahey
7. Colm Ryan
12. Paul Shanahan
21. Mikey Griffin
15. Luke Shanahan
13. Pat Ryan
Subs: 11. Paddy Phelan for Colm Ryan (42′), 26. Jack Butler for Aaron Ryan (49′), Aaron Ryan for Diarmuid Grant (64′), 17. Ger Grant for Corbett (69′).
Tooreen
1. Bobby Douglas
4. Conal Hession
2. Michael Morley
6. Oisin Greally
7. David Kenny
3. Stephen Coyne
5. Joe Boyle
12. Fergal Boland
9. Sean Kenny
10. Eoin Delaney
11. Brian Morley
17. John Cassidy
13. Liam Lavin
14. Shane Boland
15. Kenny Feeney
Subs: 8. Daniel Huane for Michael Morley (22′), 20. Sean Regan for Cassidy (43′), 18. Fionn Delaney for Feeney (56′), 25. Padraig Mooney for Hession (59′), 30. Jake Glavey for Kenny (70′), 19 David Delaney for Brian Morley (74′, 22. David Harrison for Shane Boland (74).
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Tipp's Upperchurch-Drombane claim All-Ireland glory in extra-time thriller against Tooreen
Upperchurch-Drombane (Tipperary) 4-20
Tooreen (Mayo) 2-24
After extra-time
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
IN THE TUNNEL beneath the Hogan Stand after this epic All-Ireland club IHC final, Liam Dunphy described it as simply ‘chaos’.
Thankfully for the Upperchurch-Drombane manager, it was of those dramatic, manic evenings that ultimately swung his side’s way.
Extra-time goals from Paddy Phelan, Conor Fahey and Paul Shanahan secured the win for the Church who are the first club from Tipperary to take the title since Kiladangan in 2005.
But there was so much more to this rollercoaster encounter which yielded 50 scores across over 80 pulsating minutes.
Tooreen, agonisingly, have been here before having lost to Monaleen of Limerick in the decider three years ago.
But they went down swinging at least, turning a 10-point deficit late in extra-time into a mere two-point game as they reeled off 2-2 without response in the dying moments.
Liam Lavin and David Harrison grabbed those late goals for Tooreen and they were followed by points from Fionn Delaney and the excellent Fergal Boland.
Remarkably, if Mayo football star Boland had only been a few inches lower with his point, his sixth of the evening, Tooreen might have grabbed the goal they needed to tie it up all over again.
But the Church escaped and had heroes all over the field. Fahey struck two goals in all for them while Luke Shanahan top scored with seven points in front of 5,916 hardy souls on a freezing evening in Dublin.
Injuries ruled Paudie Greene and Phelan out of the lineup for the Munster champions — two big losses, though not immediately felt.
Fresh off big wins over the Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny champions since being crowned premier intermediate county champions, Upperchurch hit the ground running.
In fact, with 25 minutes on the clock the near 50-50 pre-match billing seemed generous to Tooreen.
The side in black and amber had surged 0-4 to 0-1 clear initially and were 0-9 to 0-2 to the good with just five minutes remaining in the half.
Mikey Griffin, wearing number 21 though a starter in the semi-final win over Danesfort, grabbed an eye-catching point. Gavin Ryan followed his lead with a couple of long-range missiles. And when Pat Ryan crouched down and chopped a sideline cut over the bar from beneath the Hogan Stand to leave seven points between them, it looked ominous.
Surprisingly, Liam Dunphy’s side didn’t score again until the 36th minute. Tooreen, in turn, closed out the first half by outscoring their opponents 0-7 to 0-1.
The 35-times Mayo senior champions picked off the last five points of the first half, capitalising on pockets of space they created in the middle third to convert a series of monster scores.
Joe Boyle drilled over two of those, though for sheer inspiration, it was hard to top Eoin Delaney’s 29th- and 31st-minute points which were followed by a couple of guttural roars.
Tooreen still trailed by a point at half-time, 0-9 to 0-10, but kept the foot on the throttle after the restart.
And it was no surprise to see them open up a 0-14 to 0-11 lead 10 minutes into the second-half. Now they were the ones who looked to be on a highway to success.
If the Church ever needed divine inspiration, it was now. Fahey duly responded with a 41st-minute goal. He beat his man on the left wing, raced clear and sneaked a low shot in below Tooreen goalie Bobby Douglas.
And that’s how it was for the last 20 minutes, Tooreen hitting some big blows in the form of Kenny Feeney and Brian Morley scores, Tooreen counter-punching with heavyweight shots from Pat and Gavin Ryan.
They were tied again at the hour, 1-16 to 0-19. Morley thought he’d won it for Tooreen in the 63rd minute but Ryan popped up with a huge score from his own half for Upperchurch to force extra-time at 1-17 to 0-20.
Two Church goals in the first-half of extra-time left them sitting pretty with a 3-17 to 0-22 advantage. Sub Phelan grabbed the first after being set clear by Fahey who then turned poacher and registered their third himself.
Upperchurch were a full 10 points clear with 78 minutes on the clock when Tooreen launched that scoring siege to leave just two in it at the death.
Upperchurch-Drombane scorers: Luke Shanahan 0-7 (0-5f), Conor Fahey 2-0, Gavin Ryan 0-5 (0-4f, 0-1 65), Paul Shanahan 1-1, Paddy Phelan 1-0, Pat Ryan 0-3 (0-1 s/l), Colm Ryan 0-1, Mikey Griffin 0-1, Diarmuid Grant 0-1, Jack Butler 0-1.
Tooreen scorers: Fergal Boland 0-6, Brian Morley 0-4, Liam Lavin 1-0, David Harrison 1-0, Joe Boyle 0-3, Eoin Delaney 0-3, Kenny Feeney 0-3, Sean Kenny 0-2, Bobby Douglas 0-1 (0-1f), Shane Boland 0-1 (0-1f), Fionn Delaney 0-1 (0-1f).
Upperchurch-Drombane
1. Ciaran Shortt
2. Mikey Lavery
3. Keith Ryan (Captain)
4. Dean Carew
22. David Harrison
6. Gavin Ryan
5. Niall Grant
8. Diarmuid Grant
9. Aaron Ryan
10. Conor Fahey
7. Colm Ryan
12. Paul Shanahan
21. Mikey Griffin
15. Luke Shanahan
13. Pat Ryan
Subs: 11. Paddy Phelan for Colm Ryan (42′), 26. Jack Butler for Aaron Ryan (49′), Aaron Ryan for Diarmuid Grant (64′), 17. Ger Grant for Corbett (69′).
Tooreen
1. Bobby Douglas
4. Conal Hession
2. Michael Morley
6. Oisin Greally
7. David Kenny
3. Stephen Coyne
5. Joe Boyle
12. Fergal Boland
9. Sean Kenny
10. Eoin Delaney
11. Brian Morley
17. John Cassidy
13. Liam Lavin
14. Shane Boland
15. Kenny Feeney
Subs: 8. Daniel Huane for Michael Morley (22′), 20. Sean Regan for Cassidy (43′), 18. Fionn Delaney for Feeney (56′), 25. Padraig Mooney for Hession (59′), 30. Jake Glavey for Kenny (70′), 19 David Delaney for Brian Morley (74′, 22. David Harrison for Shane Boland (74).
Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath).
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All-Ireland IHC GAA