Loughmore stay on course for senior double
GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship Semi-Final
Loughmore/Castleiney 0-18
Moyne Rovers 1-11
Report: Michael Dundon in Boherlahan
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Noel McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)
SCORERS – Loughmore/Castleiney: Conor Ryan 0-7 (5 frees); Conor McGrath 0-4; Liam Treacy, John McGrath, Ciaran Connolly, Evan Sweeney, Eoghan Ryan, Aidan McGrath, Joey Nyland 0-1 each.
Moyle Rovers: Liam Boland 1-7 (1-0 pen; 0-4 frees); Stephen Quirke 0-2 (1 free); Riain Quigley, Tadhg Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Loughmore/Castleiney remain on course for a senior hurling and football double as they were full value for their four-point win over Moyle Rovers in the County Senior Football semi-final on Saturday.
The win sets up a September 27th final clash with arch-rivals Clonmel Commercials and they also stay on course to repeat their county senior double of 2013 as they face Kiladangan in the hurling final this Sunday.
Apart from the two finalists, Moyle Rovers are the most serious challenger for football’s top honour but in this encounter, they played second fiddle to the Mid lads and trailed for all but a brief spell early in the second half. Loughmore were winning the key-battles and in John & Noel McGrath and John Meagher, they had the leaders to orchestrate a hugely impressive team performance.
It was never going to be easy against opposition of Moyle Rovers’ calibre but from early on Loughmore stamped their authority on proceedings and never allowed their opponents to settle into their free-flowing game. Particularly pleasing for Loughmore was the confidence shown by younger team members Conor McGrath, Eoghan Ryan and Conor Ryan whose inclusion adds pace and vigour to the efforts of the seasoned campaigners.
This was very apparent as Loughmore raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the first water break with Conor McGrath notching two points from play. They continued to have a slight advantage after the break but an improving Moyle Rovers, with Liam Boland a particular threat, were never too far off the pace.
With half-time approaching, and Loughmore 0-9 to 0-5 ahead, Rovers hit a rich vein. Firstly, Tadgh Fitzgerald pointed and then in injury time Riain Quigley was fouled. Liam Boland made no mistake from the penalty to leave the sides level at half-time, 0-9 to 1-6.
Rovers enjoyed their best spell after the break. Liam Boland and an improving Stephen Quirke whipped over points for the lead but that was as good as it got for them as Loughmore took over and they shot five points without replay before the second water break for a lead of 0-15 to 1-9, Conor Ryan pointing four frees in that surge.
Moyle Rovers had the breeze behind them in this half, so it was still anybody’s game. Two Liam Boland points on resuming left them only one behind and flying. Loughmore, showing no ill effects from their heavy games schedule, dominated the closing minutes with points from Liam Treacy, Conor Ryan and Evan Sweeney ending the Moyle Rovers challenge.
Only damper on this win for the Mid lads was a first half injury to Aidan McGrath which prompted his withdrawal, possibly as a precautionary measure. On the positive side Liam Treacy was back after injury for a late cameo appearance and will add to their options in both codes.
Commercials will probably start as favourites in the final but that won’t bother Loughmore who will relish the opportunity to relieve their rivals of the O’Dwyer Cup. Apart from John, and Noel McGrath and John Meagher, Conor McGrath, Willie Eviston, Joseph Nyland, Conor Ryan, and sub Evan Sweeney all had big games for them.
Moyle Rovers will argue that they did not bring their ‘A’ game but perhaps they played as well as they were let. Their attack, in particular, were ineffective apart from Liam Boland and Stephen Quirke in the second half, but Tadgh Fitzgerald, Ben Owens and Diarmuid Foley worked very hard for them throughout.
TEAM - Loughmore-Castleiney: Shane Hennessy (6); John Ryan (6), John Meagher (7), Willie Eviston (7); Eoghan Ryan (6), Brian McGrath (6), Aidan McGrath (6); Noel McGrath (9), Joseph Nyland (7); Eamon Connolly (6), Ciaran McGrath (6), Ciaran Connolly (6); Conor Ryan (6), John McGrath (7), Conor McGrath (7).
Subs: Joseph Hennessy (6) for A McGrath (27 inj); Evan Sweeney (7) for E Connolly (HT); Liam Treacy (7) for Conor McGrath (56); Peter Nyland (NR) for C Ryan (60+1).
Moyle Rovers: Ciaran Kenrick (6); Cillian Crowe (6), Jack Harney (7), David McGrath (6); Luke Boland (6), Alan Campbell (6), Tadgh Fitzgerald (7); Danny Owens (6), Ben Owens (6); Diarmuid Foley (7), Liam Boland (8), Dara Ryan (6); Shane Foley (6), Stephen Quirke (7), Riain Quigley (6).
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan).