Senior Hurlers Season Comes to an End

Saturday 20.05.2023

County

Christy Ring Cup Rd 5
Tyrone 4-17 London 2-28

If this is to be Tyrone Senior Hurling manager Michael McShane’s last game in charge then he can be rightly proud of the place that he has left the county and senior team in.  Tyrone may have lost out to London this afternoon in Carrickmore but they were well in the contest to the dying minutes.  Played in calm conditions on an excellent pitch Tyrone will rue the wides they hit in a game that was right in the balance until the closing minutes.

The Red Hands led 2-2 to 0-3 by the 10th minute.  Sean Duffin fired home a penalty in the 2nd minute that followed up with a second goal from Sean Og Grogan eight minutes later.  Grogan and Duffin also had a point apiece during that period.  London did get the opening score of the game from David Barron in the 16th second of the opening minute while Conor McCormack and Ronan Crowley added points each.

By the 20th minute the side were level as London took control with five points from play, two from the stick of David Barron and points each from Conor McCormack, Rory Lodge and Conor O’Carroll.

Tyrone responded brilliantly with a goal from Sean Og Grogan from short range and when Sean Duffin fired over a free in the 21st minute the Red Hands were four clear once again.  Another three London points via Fiachra O’Keefe, David Barron and Ronan Crowley brought the exiles to within a point by the 24th minute.  Both sides swapped the next four points.  Tyrone converting scores through Chris Kearns and Turlagh Mullin and London firing over from Dylan Dawson and Ronan Crowley.  London equalised with four minutes to the break through Fiachra O’Keefe but that would be the last score of the half.  Both sides finished the half with a goal and two points.

Ruairi Devlin and Sean Duffin got points apiece with side of a Ciaran Lagan goal and then London replicated that with points from Ronan Crowley and Conor O’Carroll either side of an excellent Conor O’Carroll goal.  Half Time Score – Tyrone 4-7 London 1-16.

Tyrone fired over three of the first four points in the second half.  SP McKernan, Lorcan Devlin and Rory Weir all splitting the posts while London’s while flag came from Eoghan McHugh.  By the 56th minute the score had moved on to Tyrone 4-12 London 1-21.  Ronan Crowley, Niall Geoghegan and Conor McCormack were all on target for London while SP McKernan and Sean Duffin got Tyrone’s two points.

Next, the turning point in the game.  Ronan Crowley pounced on a mistake to fire to the Tyrone net.  Tyrone did the next score through Ruairi Slane but London were eyeing up the win as Ronan Crowley, Niall Broderick and Colin Nelson found their range.  From there to the finish line a further three points were added by the Red Hands by Dermy Begley, Sean Duffin and Bryan McGurk but London during the same time cancelled those out with three points from the excellent Ronan Crowley.

Final Score – Tyrone 4-17 London 2-28