Craftier Loughmore confirm Kilruane exit
GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 3
Loughmore/Castleiney 2-14
Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-12
Report: Shane Brophy at Semple Stadium
Kilruane MacDonaghs huffed and puffed but ultimately they didn’t do enough to get the victory they needed as Loughmore/Castleiney won this winner-takes-all County Senior Hurling Championship tie on Sunday.
The magpies piled on the pressure in the closing stages but they fell short to a Loughmore side whose greater experience in these key games won them the day with veteran Evan Sweeney providing a tour de force.
It was a game in which neither side got into a rhythm with the pressure of what was at stake. Kilruane got the start they would have wished for with four points in the first eleven minutes, but they would only score twice more in the remainder of the half which proved to be their undoing.
Their forwards were lively in the early going but it wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard with Cian Darcy having a off-day from frees shooting six wides in the first period and it certainly impacted him negatively as he became a peripheral figure thereafter from where Kilruane suffered in attack.
Kilruane had enough possession to win the game but their forwards were second best for long stages against a Loughmore defence who were the more aggressive once they got up to the pace of the game with Brian McGrath to the fore at midfield, and then in defence helping to negate Kian O’Kelly who was Kilruane’s only major threat in a ball-winning capacity with Niall O’Meara and Jerome Cahill well contained until it was too late.
One wonders has the time past for this Kilruane team to win a first county title since 1985 as the likes of Seamus Hennessy and Eoin Hogan aren't getting any younger, and with Ray McLoughney having emigrated in the past week, their depth off the bench has been found wanting this year, although Paidi Williams stepped into the free-taking breach in the second-half and is one for the future while Craig Morgan was once again outstanding.
However, it was Loughmore’s greater efficiency in taking their chances which proved to be the difference with veteran Evan Sweeney proving to be the match-winner with 2-3 from play and also won a couple of frees which helped John McGrath’s contribution of nine points, while John Ryan was also hugely impressive in defence.
After that bright start which included points by Niall O'Meara and Seamus Hennessy from play, Kilruane fell foul of the referee as cheap frees allowed Loughmore to stay with them and it wasn't until the 26th minute that the Mid men finally scored from play through Conor McGrath to take the lead for the first time.
They scored their first goal a minute later when a well directed delivery from Noel McGrath broke favourably to his brother John who unselfishly played in Evan Sweeney for a fine goal. Noel McGrath followed it with a booming long range point with a late Cian Darcy free reducing Kilruane’s arrears to four at half time, 1-7 to 0-6.
The half time break didn't change the trend of the game as Loughmore made the decisive move with Evan Sweeney scoring a superb second goal, again with Noel McGrath in the creators role.
Kilruane were eight points adrift and all at sea but a Cian Darcy shot which went through David Kennedy brought them a goal they badly needed but they could never generate positive momentum with their forwards well shut down by a well-drilled Loughmore defense who also used the ball well going the other way leading to furher points from Sweeney (2) and John McGrath to fall eight adrift once again.
There was an element of panic in the Kilruane play as they enjoyed a lot of possession in defence but they didn't have the same level of cohesion compared to Loughmore’s with no fewer than three balls falling short into David Kennedy's hands in the second half from scoreable positions.
They slowly made in-roads into the deficit after the water-break with Paidi Williams unerring from frees but Loughmore were still a threat at the other end with John McGrath fizzing a shot just over while goalkeeper Conor Doheny denied Evan Sweeney a hat-trick but he did add a super point soon after.
Kilruane kept playing to the end and got a lifeline in the first minute of added time when Kian O'Kelly deflected a Willie Cleary delivery to the net to cut the margin to one point, however, MacDonaghs were unable to win the next possession with Evan Sweeney winning a free which John McGrath converted to seal Loughmore’s place in the quarter final, while for Kilruane, it's a long winter ahead to stew on things.
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Evan Sweeney (Loughmore/Castleiney)
Loughmore/Castleiney: David Kennedy (6); John Ryan (8), Lorcan Egan (7), Joseph Hennessy (6); Willie Eviston (6), Brian McGrath (8), John Meagher (8); Aidan McGrath (6), Ciaran Connolly (7); Noel McGrath (0-1, 7), Ciaran McGrath (6), Joseph Nyland (6); Conor McGrath (0-1, 7), John McGrath (0-9, 7f) 8), Evan Sweeney (2-3, 9).
Subs: Tommy Maher (6) for Ciaran McGrath (39); Ed Connolly (NR) for Conor McGrath (58).
Kilruane MacDonaghs: Conor Doheny (6); Eoin Hogan (6), Jack Peters (6), Eanna Hogan (6); Willie Cleary (7), Darragh Peters (6), Craig Morgan (9); James Cleary (7), Kieran Cahill (6); Jerome Cahill (0-2, 7), Seamus Hennessy (0-1, 6), Kian O’Kelly (1-0, 7); Niall O’Meara (0-3, 7), Eoin Williams (6), Cian Darcy (1-3, 0-3f) 6).
Subs: Paidi Williams (0-3f, 6) for E Williams (HT); Thomas Cleary (6) for Hennessy (49); Conor Cleary (NR) for K Cahill (58); Aaron Morgan (NR) for Eoin Hogan (58).
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Newcastle).