Sport

Toomevara win title in style

Champions Toomevara retained their Tipperary SH title in impressive style, outplaying Eire Og Nenagh in a final which failed …

Mon Oct 11 1999 - 01:00

Champions Toomevara retained their Tipperary SH title in impressive style, outplaying Eire Og Nenagh in a final which failed to live up to expectations at Thurles yesterday. Toomevara stamped their authority on the game from the start. All Star Tommy Dunne fired home a great goal in the eighth minute to put them 1-3 to no score ahead and they never looked back. Dunne caught a high ball close in, rounded his man and struck the ball into the corner past Nenagh goalkeeper Christy McLoughlin.

The Toomevara win was marked by some great performances by their younger players, particularly Tipperary minors Eoin Brislane and John O'Brien.

Nenagh struggled to get going, but with Kevin Tucker starting to look dangerous they settled down. However, at the interval Toomevara led 1-6 to 0-6 and, with the breeze to favour them in the second half, they were in a strong position. Nenagh reorganised at half-time and the introduction of Hugh Flannery has some effect. However, the expected Nenagh onslaught never materialised. Toomevara defended resolutely to deny their best efforts. With six points between the sides, goalkeeper Justin Cottrell made two great saves in the 24th and 26th minutes from Declan O'Meara and John Slattery to deny Nenagh the goal needed to lift them.

Toomevara subsequently held on for an unflattering seven-point win and their fifth title of the '90s. In the stylish showing by Toomevara, Justin Cottrell, Brislane, Paddy O'Brien, John O'Brien, Paul McGrath and Tommy Dunne were the stars. For a disappointing Nenagh, Richie Flannery, Kevin Tucker and Hugh Flannery stood out.

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Toomevara, beaten in the All-Ireland club final in 1994, will play Limerick's Ahane in the Munster club championship next Sunday.

Toomevara: J Cottrell; G Frend, R Brislane, B Dunne; O Brislane, T Delaney, P Hackett; Terry Dunne, B Duff 0-1; M Bevans 0-1, P King, P O'Brien 0-6; P McGrath, Tomas Dunne 1-6, J O'Brien 0-2. Subs: M O'Meara 0-1 for King, H Ryan for Terry Dunne, T Carroll for J O'Brien.

Nenagh Eire Og: C McLoughlin; A Quinn, N Coffey, J Heffernan; J Kennedy, F Moran, R Flannery; C Howard 0-1, J Slattery; D O'Meara, E Tucker 0-1, J Tucker; M Cleary 0-2, K Tucker 0- 6, R Tomlinson 0-3. Subs: H Flannery for Moran, L O'Gara for J Tucker, M Hackett for Howard.

Referee: J McDonnell (Roscrea).