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Red card finally breaks Kilruane will
(05/12/09)
Despite a gutsy performance Kilruane MacDonaghs were finally forced to succumb to a formidable Thurles Sarsfield side in a game played in Baltic-like temperatures on Sunday afternoon.
Both sides had notable absentees because of injury with Kilruane missing midfielder Eoin Hogan while the Mid champions were without key defender Michael Cahill.
A keenly-contested opening half saw nothing between the teams and the high standard of fare kept the biting Northerly breeze from the bones of the large crowd huddled in the stand.
Kilruane’s high intensity strategy was evident from the off with midfielder Niall O’Meara rewarded with a free, well converted by his brother Brian. Sars' danger man Pa Bourke equalised immediately from play after good work from Padraig Maher and Michael Gleeson.
Kilruane centre back Seamus Hennessy made little of the conditions to hit a 65’ in the third minute but even at this stage Tipperary All Star Padraig Maher was beginning to control the game and his battle with Brian O’Meara was simmering nicely.
Maher’s pinpoint clearance in the fifth minute allowed Denis Maher to tie the scores again and almost immediately Pa Bourke managed to give Justin Cahill the slip and fire over to give Thurles the lead for the first time.
Kilruane’s Michael Costello soon found himself inside the Thurles’ cover but his touch deserted him with the goals looming and his side had to content themselves with a Kevin Ryan 65’.
In the fifteenth minute Sars grabbed the opening goal; another huge clearance by Maher caused chaos in the Kilruane square and when it eventually found Pa Bourke he lashed it high past David Reddan.
Kilruane rallied with Brian O'Meara in particular leading the charge hitting two good frees and a fine effort from play as well as having a huge hand in their goal in the 26th minutes. The full forward latched on to Seamus Hennessy’s fine clearance and cleverly drew Thurles fullback Kevin O’Gorman before passing to Michael Costello. Costello’s cool finish was greeted by enthusiastic cheers from the Kilruane faithful and with Pa Bourke uncharacteristically wayward with four frees a shock seemed on the cards.
Thurles though seemed slicker in attack. They had a good goal chance shortly before the interval but John Joe Burke was prevented from striking by a combination of Paudie Kelly and Gavin McAvinchey. Denis Maher and Michael Gleeson did hit good points for Sars before wing back David Maher got in on the act to tie the game after Kilruane’s Niall O’Meara misdirected a pass as the sides went in as half time at 1-7 apiece.
The opening stages of the second half were just as keenly contested. Sars’ points from Denis Maher and Pa Bourke were cancelled out by a beauty from Michael Costello and another from the impressive Shane Quinlan.
The Kilruane defence led by McAvinchey, Hennessy and the diminutive Justin Cahill were slowly starting to wilt from the relentless power of the Thurles side. Substitute John Paul Dwan made an impact with a fine point out on the right wing before Pa Bourke added an easy free after a crude push by Gavin McAvinchey.
Any chance of a comeback by the North side was extinguished with the sending off of Brian O’Meara as the game entered the final quarter. He reacted badly to a heavy shoulder beneath the stand and after an unsightly fracas was rightly given his marching orders.
Without O’Meara, Kilruane simply had no ball winner up front and this allowed Padraig Maher, David Maher and Michael Russell in particular the time and space to close out the game. This was epitomised in the 46th minute when Pa Bourke was allowed to play a lazy one-two with midfielder Michael Gleeson before firing over from the narrowest of angles.
The killer blow came soon after when Kilruane couldn’t clear their lines, Gleeson again fed Denis Maher and his low shot fizzed through a forest of legs and past Reddan.
The final ten minutes lacked any of the early intensity as Pa Bourke gave an exhibition of his passing range and Thurles piled on the points through Michael Gleeson, Denis Maher, John Paul Dwan, Pa and John Joe Bourke and substitute Tommy Doyle.
Kilruane, who fought to the bitter end had to rely on long range frees from Hennessy and Quinlan and a consolation from substitute Thomas Cleary as Thurles keeper Bill McCormack dealt easily with a series of hopeful punts into his square.
On this evidence Thurles, albeit with out the injured Michael Cahill, head into next weeks final against Clonoulty-Rossmore in terrific form.
Caption
Kilruane MacDonaghs captain Gavin McAvinchey clears his lines despite the attentions of Thurles Sarsfields John Joe Bourke in the County U-21 Semi-Final. |
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