Kiladangan record another hard-earned win

Kiladangan 0-16

Moycarkey-Borris 1-11

Report: Michael Dundon in Templemore

Not as comfortable a win for champions Kiladangan as expected but a performance sufficient for the day as they saw off the challenge of Moycarkey-Borris in this group 3 County Senior Hurling Championship on Sunday.

With their place in the county quarter-finals secured by their two previous wins, the urgency was not there, but they will have concerns about how poorly they performed near goal both from play and frees.

Kiladangan lined out without the injured David Sweeney and Bryan McLoughney, and the suspended Sean Hayes, but McLoughney was brought into the fray in the second half to add some spark to an under-performing forward division where only Paul Flynn and Joe Gallagher were close to the required standard.

Moycarkey knew they were in the relegation playoffs, having lost both their previous games, and they were using this outing as preparation for their survival battle. They showed the greater enthusiasm early on as they went 0-4 to 0-3 ahead at the water break.

Kiladangan raised the tempo on resuming and Dan O’Meara saw his goal-bound effort taken off the line in the 22nd minute. They reached half-way with a 0-7 to 0-6 advantage after a lack-lustre opening half not helped by a steady drizzle.

The sides shared four points on resuming but in the 43rd minute Anthony McKelvey was set up by Kieran Morris for a Moycarkey goal and a 1-8 to 0-9 lead. Tadgh Gallagher’s point narrowed the gap before the water break.

Bryan McLoughney’s arrival added urgency to the Kiladangan attack and inside four minutes he had three points (2 frees) to lead 0-13 to 1-8.

Back came Moycarkey for three unanswered points and the lead 1-11 to 0-13 with seven minutes to play. Moycarkey spurned two good point chances in the closing minutes as McLoughney and Joe Gallagher points sealed the win for the champions.

This sub-standard performance could be just the thing to alert Kiladangan to the danger of not being fully tuned-in to the demands of championship hurling.

Stronger opposition would surely have punished them and there is work to be done before they enter knock-out territory. The usually reliable Billy Seymour had an off-day with his free-taking, though the conditions were not helpful, but all the attack were guilty of some poor play. It was the solid work of Alan Flynn, James Quigley, Paul Flynn, Jack Loughnane, Joe Gallagher, and goalie Barry Hogan who made one very important save early on, which got them over the line.

Moycarkey/Borris will take heart from this display as they face into relegation territory. It was their best performance so far this year with Kieran Morris, Tom Hayes, Eoghan Hayes, Pat Molloy, and Jack Fallon their key men.

Player of the Match: Alan Flynn (Kiladangan).

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (6); Darragh Flannery (6), James Quigley (7), Fergal Hayes (6); Declan McGrath (7), Alan Flynn (8), Darren Moran (0-1, 6); Tadgh Gallagher (0-2, 6), Jack Loughnane (7); Willie Connors (0-1, 6), Joe Gallagher (0-2, 7), Billy Seymour (0-3f, 6); Dan O’Meara (6), Paul Flynn (0-2, 7), Tom O’Meara (6).

Subs: Bryan McLoughney (0-5, 3f) 7) for Moran (HT); Darren Moran for Flannery (45).

Moycarkey/Borris: Rhys Shelley (6); Tom Ryan (6), Tom Hayes (7), Chris McCullagh (6); Pat Molloy (0-1, 7), Eoghan Hayes (7), Eamon Flanagan (6); Jack Fallon (0-2, 7), Kevin O’Regan (0-1, 6); JJ Darmody (6), Darren Flood (0-1, 6), Kieran Cummins (0-1, 6); Kieran Morris (0-5, 4f) 7), Jack Morrissey (6), John Bergin (6).

Subs: Peter Melbourne (6) for McCullagh (HT); Brian Maher (6) for Darmody (HT); Anthony McKelvey (1-0, 7) for Bergin (HT); Rory Darmody (6) for Flanagan (50).

Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla Kickhams).