(Report as appears on West Tipperary GAA Facebook page).

Arravale Rovers 0-20, Eire Og Annacarty/Galtee Rovers 2-13.

By Francis Coughlan at Rosegreen.

Defending champions Arravale Rovers booked their place in this year’s Bewley’s West Minor B Hurling Championship Final in a dramatic final few minutes of this semi-final encounter in Rosegreen on Wednesday evening. In a game that Arravale Rovers always lead and looked to be comfortably going through to the final the combination of Eire Og/Galtee briefly took the advantage in the final few minutes and almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. But when the game looked to be heading to extra-time goalkeeper Patrick O’Donnell stepped up to point the winning free deep in injury time to send the defending champions through to their second final in a row.

Both sides struggled for the opening few minutes in front of the posts but when the scores did come it was Arravale Rovers who dictated things with seven points in five minutes. Caleb Molly Hickey got Arravale Rovers off the mark with a pointed free and this was quickly followed by points from Eoghan Lonergan, Evan Hawkins, Adam Dunne, Caleb Molly Hickey and Raymond Kelly. Arravale Rovers now ahead 0-7 to 0-0. Paidi Bradshaw got Eire Og/Galtee off the mark from a placed ball and he quickly followed with three more. Arravale Rovers ahead 0-8 to 0-3 at the water break. Arravale Rovers were quickly off the mark on the resumption and their full forward line of Adam Dunne, Evan Hawkins and Eoghan Lonergan pointed. Paidi Bradshaw continued to point from placed balls and one from play to keep Eire Og/Galtee in touch. Arravale Rovers ahead at the break 0-12 to 0-7.

Robert Byron got Eire Og/Galtee off the mark in the second half as both sides traded scores for the third quarter. Arravale Rovers holding a four-point advantage at the water break 0-15 to 0-11. Evan Breen runs from midfield were causing problems for the Arravale defence while Eire Og/Galtee’s forwards were finding more space in the final quarter but struggled to get past the Arravale defence with Donagh Hickey and Eamon Ryan to the fore. Arravale though looked to be on course for the final when further points from Adam Dunne, Niall Sharpe and Caleb Molly Hickey (free) had them 0-18 to 0-11 up with six minutes to go. In a dramatic final few minutes Cian Ryan goaled from a penalty and Paidi Bradshaw pointed another placed ball. The game now in the melting pot Evan Breen got in for a second goal to tie up the game. In injury time Paidi Bradshaw pointed another free and it now looked as if Eire Og/Galtee were on their way to the final. As the tension built Eoghan Lonergan got the Arravale equalizer and the game looked to be heading for extra-time. Arravale Rovers were then awarded a long range free and up stepped goalkeeper Patrick O’Donnell to take it. O’Donnell, minutes earlier, miss hit a long range free from a similar distance but this time he split the posts to send Arravale through to the final by the bare minimum 0-20 to 2-13.

Arravale Rovers: Patrick O’Donnell (0-1f), Shane Maher, Eamon Ryan, Andrew Richardson, Peter Ryan, Donagh Hickey, Daniel O’Dwyer, Ben Ryan, Niall Sharpe (0-3), Caleb Molly Hickey (0-5, (0-4f)), Raymond Kelly (0-1), Jack English, Adam Dunne (0-3), Evan Hawkins (0-3), Eoghan Lonergan (0-4)
Subs Used: Jack Ryan (0-1), Daniel Ryan

Eire Og/Galtee: Robbie McGrath, Sean Gubbins, Callum McCarthy, Killian Byrne, Bill Quirke, Eoin Pyke, Eamon Quirke, Evan Breen (1-0), Darragh O’Brien, Cian Ryan (1-0), Paidi Bradshaw (0-12, (0-11f)), Ailbe Ryan, Robert Moloney, Robert Byron (0-1), Michael Furlong
Subs Used: David Harold Barry, Adam O’Dwyer

Referee: Paul Carew (Lattin/Cullen).