30th November 2024; Russell Rovers joint captains Ciaran Sheehan and Eoghan O’Sulivan raise the cup after defeating Kilrossanty in the AIB Munster club junior hurling championship final at Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Eddie O’HareRussell Rovers claim Munster JHC crown;

Barry O’Mahony (The Echo)

 

Russell Rovers: 3-12

Kilrossanty: 1-7

Russell Rovers have claimed another AIB Munster Club JHC title after recovering from a slow start to get the better of Waterford side Kilrossanty at a damp Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday afternoon.

The Imokilly outfit also won the provincial crown at this grade in 2019 and they were full value for a second one as they proved too strong for their opposition in this final once they got going.

Russell Rovers did have to ride their luck at times with their opposition wasteful in front of goal most notably Waterford senior hurler Pádraig Fitzgerald, but overall it was an impressive showing from Dave Dorgan’s team with Donal Óg Cusack the coach.

The East Cork side recovered from an early setback as they conceded a goal after just 12 seconds when from the throw-in, Alan Dunwoody set up Eoin Power and the forward finished low past Ross Walsh in the Russell Rovers goal.

Brian Hartnett settled the Imokilly side with a point after three minutes, but if it wasn’t for wayward shooting by the Waterford side, Russell Rovers would have been further behind. The sides traded points before the Cork champions found their mojo.

Points from Daniel Moynihan and the excellent Hartnett levelled the contest before they went ahead for the first time after 18 minutes when the aforementioned Hartnett drilled the ball into the roof of the net from close range, 1-4 to 1-1.

Russell Rovers’ Brian Harnett celebrates his side’s opening goal past Kilrossanty’s goalkeeper Rian Hogan. Picture: Eddie O’Hare

Josh Beausang extended Russell Rovers’ advantage with a white flag with 11 minutes to the break, but they wouldn’t score again in the first half. Kilrossanty didn’t exactly punish them either, but they got two points through Pádraig Fitzgerald, one coming from a free, 1-5 to 1-3 at half-time.

The East Cork outfit needed to find their groove again, and two quick-fire points from Beausang was just the tonic for Dave Dorgan’s team after the interval. The teams swapped white flags as the game was still firmly in the balance after 37 minutes, 1-8 to 1-4.

The game tipped along, which favoured Russell Rovers as they kept their opposition at arms-length, with Paul Lane and Eoghan O’Sullivan shoring up the defence for the Cork side. The sides once more exchanged white flags before the Imokilly team put distance between themselves and their opposition with a second green flag, coming from Hartnett again, after 48 minutes following a long delivery by Daniel Moynihan, 2-9 to 1-5.

A Beausang free and an effort from Luke Duggan-Murray gave Russell Rovers a nine-point lead with nine minutes left.

The winners did have a man sent off after 52 minutes when defender Kevin Tattan received a straight red card for a wild pull, but it didn’t matter in the overall picture of this particular game.

Russell Rovers’ Fintan Murray is tackled by Kilrossanty’s Jack Power. Picture: Eddie O’Hare

Kilrossanty did tack on points from Séamus Fitzgerald (free) and Pádraig Fitzgerald, but it was all about staying strong from a Russell Rovers point of view, which they did in the closing stages.

Dorgan’s team finished with a flourish with a Beasuang free and a pile driver from Duggan-Murray as his shot ended up in the back of the net a minute into added time. A great strike from 30 metres out, 3-12 to 1-7.

Another Munster crown for the men from East Cork.

Scorers for Russell Rovers: B Hartnett 2-2, J Beausang 0-7 (0-3 f), L Duggan-Murray 1-2, D Moynihan 0-1.

Kilrossanty: P Fitzgerald 0-5 (0-3 f), E Power 1-0, S Fitzgerald (f), P Whyte 0-1 each.

RUSSELL ROVERS: R Walsh; K O’Brien, P Lane, K Tattan; F Murray, E O’Sullivan, D Moynihan; K Walsh, R Cummins; B Hartnett, K Moynihan, D Ruddy; L Duggan-Murray, C Sheehan (c), J Beausang.