Minor Roinn A Final Preview- ’Boro bliss or Tullogher triumph?

Saturday sees a novel pairing in the Kilkenny Honda Centre Minor Roinn A final as the kingpins of underage hurling Dicksboro go for the three in a row titles as they look to equal Mooncoin’s marvellous team of 1960-62 who achieved the same.

On the other side you have Tullogher-Rosbercon who are appearing in their first ever Minor A final having never won the Minor A or B contest in their history.

This promises to be a very interesting game to say the least in UPMC Nowlan Park.

Dicksboro have had two searching tests in recent times. It took all their skill and expertise to overcome Naas in a very competitive league final - in fact, it took some exceptional individual skill from one Harry Shine to get them across the line.

Strong Finish

In the county semi-final old foes James Stephens had one foot in the final when they a five point lead at the break but a strong finish from Dicksboro saw the Palmerstown outfit through with seven different scorers making contributions while Mikey Raggett was sprang from the bench to get the key goal.

While Harry Shine is the focal point of the side, the ’Boro are not a one-man team. Declan Farrell’s hard work often lays on score for others around him while Cillian Hackett, Sean Keenan, Kyle Maher and Mick Carroll are other players of note.

Despite being their maiden Minor A final the men clad in black and yellow have being hurling up a stormer in the underage ranks for the past few years.

This particular team contested two under-15 B finals, deservedly getting over the line against St Martin’s in the 2019 final. At a glance all Tullogher’s boats seems to be rising with their last two under-13 teams also considered noteworthy.

Experience

This side has gained more experience over the course of the seven league matches. Among their fine performances were wins over Mount Leinster Rangers and O’Loughlin Gaels while there were only four points between the sides when they clashed with Dicksboro in the league.

Danny Glennon may be the main man up front. He caused havoc in the impressive semi-final win over Bennettsbridge where he was joined up front by Marty Murphy who landed 2-2 from play. The two of them fed off each other while Jack Handrick showed accuracy from play. At the back Lar Murphy has being seriously impressive from the centre half berth while David Kennedy is a strong presence at the edge of the square.

This game is a very tough one to call as the three in a row hasn’t being done in 60 years in the most competitive grade in Kilkenny.

Evidence points towards Dicksboro lifting the trophy, but these Tullogher men are made of stern stuff; they’ll have huge support in the Park, which will make this closer than one thinks.

Meet Dicksboro

Mikey Raggett (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play for soccer for Ireland
Favourite sports person:
Seamus Coleman

Fionn McGarry (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Jon Walters

Michael Clarke (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: to be a construction teacher
Favourite sports person:
Eoin Murphy

Mick Carroll (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Cillian Buckley

Nathan Pollard (15)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Cillian Buckley

Michael Stynes (15)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Richie Hogan

Johnny Keane (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Cillian Buckley

Tom McPhilips (16)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Cillian Buckley

Sean Keenan (16)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Cillian Buckley

Cillian Hackett (17, captain)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: To be a teacher
Favourite sports person:
Micah Richards

Harry Shine (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: To be a teacher
Favourite sports person: Roy Keane

Matty Kelleher (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Lukaku

Conor Kavanagh (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Gary Cahill

Billy Fitzpatrick (15)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Cillian Buckley

Declan O’Farrell (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person:
Michail Antonio

Kyle Maher (17)
School: CBS Callan
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: TJ Reid

Kevin Moore (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Trent Alexander Arnold

Sam Tynan (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Jadon Sancho

Sean Knox (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Tony Kelly

Sean Cullen (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Cillian Buckley

Tom O’Neill (15)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Alan Browne

Peter Conroy (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Emile Smith Rowe

Jamie McGrath (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Tim Cahill

Denis Dalton (17)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Cillian Buckley

Evan Murphy (15)
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: TJ Reid

Tomas Cassin (17)
School: Farming
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Lukaku

Luke Bourke (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: To be a construction site manager
Favourite sports person: Aaron Gillane

Luke Morrissey (17)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play senior hurling for the ’Boro
Favourite sports person: Cillian Buckley

Harry Cummins (15)
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Harvey Elliot

Christy Murphy
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Henry Shefflin

Kyro Merham
School: CBS Callan
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Mo Salah

Adam Hayes
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Virgil Van Dijk

Tristan Kelly
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: C Ronaldo

David Mulrooney
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: Patrick ‘Bonnar’ Maher

David Fitzpatrick
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: TJ Reid

Mark McPhilips
School: St Kieran’s College
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: C Ronaldo

Killian Dollard
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: Play hurling for the ’Boro seniors
Favourite sports person: C Ronaldo

Mark Cleere
School: CBS Kilkenny
Ambition: To be a site manager
Favourite sports person: TJ Reid

Management: Michael Walsh (manager), Conor O’Grady, David Ryan, Podge Lacey, Edward Moylan, James Gittens, Peter Fitzpatrick. Team medic: Declan O’Farrell

Meet Tullogher-Rosbercon

Adam Arthurs
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Conor Fogarty
Ambition in life: To be a top sports person

Aidan Lawlor
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: CJ Stander
Ambition in life: Hope to do well in whatever career I choose

Andrew Murphy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Henry Shefflin
Ambition in life: To win a senior hurling final with Tullogher-Rosbercon

Cathal Mooney
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Tommy Walsh
Ambition in life: To be hurling with my club until I am 40

Dan Kennedy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Tony Kelly
Ambition in life: To win senior club All-Ireland with Tullogher-Rosbercon

Danny Glennon
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Philly McMahon
Ambition in life: To play senior club hurling with Tullogher-Rosbercon

David Kennedy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Pat Hartley
Ambition in life: To play senior hurling with Tullogher-Rosbercon

Dean Kinsella
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Cian Lynch
Ambition in life: To make county team and to be a carpenter where I’d be able to make my own hurl someday

Evan Fitzgerald
School: Grennan College
Favourite sports star: Anthony Nash
Ambition in life: To be a farmer

Fergal O’Shea
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: TJ Reid
Ambition in life: To win Minor A

Finn Kelly
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Walter Walsh
Ambition in life: To play high quality hurling for as long as I can

Fionn Connolly
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: TJ Reid
Ambition in life: To win the county final

Jack Handrick
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: DJ Carey
Ambition in life: To be successful in life

Jamie Lyng
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: TJ Reid
Ambition in life: To have a long and successful career in sport

JJ Ryan
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Russell Westbrook
Ambition in life: To have my own business

Joe Malone
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Walter Walsh
Ambition in life: To play for Kilkenny

John Murphy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Adrian Mullen
Ambition in life: To play senior hurling for Tullogher-Rosbercon

Kevin Aylward
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Katie Taylor
Ambition in life: To be successful in sport and life

Lar Murphy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Katie Power
Ambition in life: To win a senior title with Tullogher-Rosbercon

Marty Murphy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Pat Hartley
Ambition in life: To with a senior title with Tullogher-Rosbercon

Niall Mooney
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: TJ Reid
Ambition in life: To win the county final

Padraig Dooley
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Walter Walsh
Ambition in life: To win county final

Ryan Murphy
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Ronaldo
Ambition in life: To succeed at whatever I do

Sean Ryan
School: Good Counsel College
Favourite sports star: Eoin Larkin
Ambition in life: To have a long career with the club

Management Team: John Murphy, Pat Hartley, James Mullally, Sean Kennedy.