Loughmore/Castleiney edge to county hurling final glory

Loughmore/Castleiney2-14

Thurles Sarsfields2-13

By Shane Brophy

Loughmore/Castleiney are Tipperary senior champions on the double after they edged past Thurles Sarsfields in an enthralling County Final Replay at Semple Stadium on Sunday.

It was John McGrath’s injury time free which was the difference with the Tipp star also having the final touch of the ball as Loughmore withstood a laid Sars siege to force extra time. They almost threw it away as the concession of a sloppy goal to Darragh Stakelum on 55 minutes brought Sars back into the game after Loughmore had taken over the third quarter.

Loughmore opened the scoring through a John McGrath free with his direct marker Ronan Maher bringing the sides level with both having goal chances in the early going with Michael Cahill and Ed Connolly squandering opportunities.

Pa Bourke struck two points from play with the already influential Denis Maher adding another but already at this stage the wides were rattling up for Loughmore who had five by the water-break and twelve by half time.

Paddy McCormack denied John McGrath a goal with McGrath landing the subsequent 65 before two points from Aidan McCormack had Sars four clear after seventeen minutes. John McGrath pulled one back before Tomas McGrath got their first from play on 22 minutes. The impressive Denis Maher played in Pa Bourke for two more points with Maher adding his second, but Loughmore answered with points from John and Noel McGrath to trail 0-9 to 0-6 at half time but twelve first half wides threatened to undermine their chances.

It was Sarsfields who found the Killinan End difficult to shoot into in the second half with ten wides as Loughmore quickly ate into the deficit with John McGrath, sub Evan Sweeney and John Meagher bringing them level by the 36th minute before Brian McGrath burst forward to goal a minute later to put Loughmore in front.

They stretched four clear before Sars answered with a Denis Maher goal right on the second water-break to bring them back within one, 1-11 to 1-10. David Corbett brought them level before the outstanding Ciaran Connolly nudged Loughmore back in front before Liam McGrath forced home a goal in the 51st minute to put Loughmore back in command.

However, the handed Sars a way back into the match when a short free from Aidan McGrath to John Meagher went wrong, with Conor Stakelum intercepting a played in Darragh Stakelum for a smashing goal. A long range Ronan Maher free brought Sars level going into two minutes of added time, where John McGrath won a free from Padraic Maher and holding his nerve from a difficult angle, won the county title for Loughmore/Castleiney.

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Ciaran Connolly (Loughmore/Castleiney)

SCORERS – Loughmore/Castleiney: John McGrath 0-7 (5 frees, 1 ’65); Brian McGrath, Liam McGrath 1-0 each; Noel McGrath 0-2; John Meagher, Ciaran Connolly, Tomas McGrath, Evan Sweeney, Ciaran McCormack 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: Denis Maher 1-2; Pa Bourke 0-4; Darragh Stakelum 1-0; Aidan McCormack 0-3 (1 free); Ronan Maher 0-2 (1 free); David Corbett, Seanie Butler 0-1 each.

TEAMS - Loughmore/Castleiney: Aidan McGrath; Willie Eviston, Joey Hennessy, Lorcan Egan; Tommy Maher, John Meagher, Brian McGrath; Ciaran Connolly, Tomas McGrath; Ed Connolly, Liam Treacy, Noel McGrath; Liam McGrath, Ciaran McGrath, John McGrath.

Subs: Evan Sweeney for E Connolly (HT); Ciaran McCormack for Treacy (47); John Ryan for Maher (58); Conor McGrath for T McGrath (60+1)

Thurles Sarsfields: Paddy McCormack; Seosamh Ryan, Padraic Maher, Paul Maher; David Corbett, Ronan Maher, Jack Derby; Stephen Cahill, Michael Cahill; Darragh Stakelum, Billy McCarthy, Aidan McCormack; Pa Bourke, Denis Maher, Paddy Creedon.

Subs: Kieran Moloney for M Cahill (42); Conor Stakelum for Creedon (47); Seanie Butler for A McCormack (52); Eoin Purcell for D Stakelum (60+1).

Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams)