Kiladangan have the answers to see off Kilruane

GAA: Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Kiladangan 3-24

Kilruane MacDonaghs 4-16

(after extra time)

Report: Shane Brophy in Nenagh

Kiladangan showed more proof of the depth of their playing resources as they progressed to the North Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals after victory over Kilruane MacDonaghs on Sunday.

Shorn the services of half of their starting defence last year in Darragh Flannery, Declan McGrath and David Sweeney (came on late), as well as talisman Willie Connors in midfield, this was a test of Kiladangan’s panel, and they came through with flying colours.

We shouldn’t have doubted them as last year when they were short three key players due to Covid, they brushed aside Toomevara, and while extra time was needed here, it really shouldn’t have come to that from a Kiladangan point of view.

However, the fact they had to win this game a second time having seen a ten-point lead evaporate in the second half of normal time shows the spirit is very much still in place for the defending North champions.

How Kilruane forced extra time is hard to understand. It was sheer will as they struggled to get fluency into their play. Ten points down at half time (2-11 to 1-4), they went back to basics and went route one in their approach, but for long stages in the second half, Kiladangan coped well with it until the closing stages.

They were still six points ahead on 58 minutes when Kilruane were awarded a penalty after Niall O’Meara, relocated from centre back to full forward, was dragged down, and Seamus Hennessy converted.

The sides traded points from play as the game entered the third minute of added time when O’Meara was again fouled 25-yards out from goal. Hennessy stepped up again and his shot was saved but full back Jack Peters was on hand to force home the rebound and send the game into extra time.

It was a score, part of a 1-2 contribution from Peters, which highlighted Kilruane’s struggles in attack where Thomas Cleary was the only forward to hit double-scores from play with Aaron Morgan getting their first half goal. Kian O’Kelly got on a lot of ball but tried to force a goal too often, indeed, he wins so much ball, if Kilruane can get forwards to play off him, he could generate a lot of scores as the championship goes on.

Scoring is no such problem for Kiladangan, who despite being short key players back the field, were still in rude health up front, even without Billy Seymour, including Dan O’Meara who got them off to the ideal start with a goal inside twenty seconds. The presence of the tall forward was a constant menace for the Kilruane defence as he had a hand in many of their scores.

He was close to man of the match but that went to teammate Sean Hayes who was superb all-through with 1-3 haul from play. It wasn’t just his scoring but his workrate and energy he brought to the play, even into extra time where he put on a burst of speed which was incredible and in terms of his build and pace, had the attributes to play at a higher level if he has a strong club campaign.

As well as O’Meara and Hayes, Joe Gallagher played to his usual high level at centre forward, while Brian McLoughney was also elusive, with Tadhg Gallagher also prominent. Debutantes Darragh Butler, John O’Meara and Matthew Cleary can be pleased with their first senior starts.

Going into that extra time period, all the momentum should have been with Kilruane but Kiladangan reasserted themselves and showed their greater all-round class, scoring another 1-6, with the goal coming from a Barry Hogan penalty in the second period after Dan O’Meara was fouled. Paul Flynn followed up with a fifth point from play as Kiladangan moved seven clear with Seamus Hennessy’s goal from a free, bringing his tally to 2-2, mere consolation.

Player of the Match: Sean Hayes (Kiladangan)

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (1-0 pen, 8); John O’Meara (7), James Quigley (6), Darragh Butler (6); Fergal Hayes (6), Alan Flynn (0-2, 1f) 8), Darren Moran (7); Tadgh Gallagher (0-4f, 8), Jack Loughnane (0-1, 7); Sean Hayes (1-2, 9), Joe Gallagher (0-2, 7), Dan O’Meara (1-1, 8); Bryan McLoughney (0-5, 2f, 1 65) 7), Paul Flynn (0-5, 8), Matthew Cleary (6).

Subs: Tom O’Meara (6) for McLoughney (46); David Sweeney for T Gallagher (blood 56-58); David Sweeney for Quigley (blood 58-60); David Sweeney (0-1, 7) for Loughnane (ET); Conor Byrne (6) for J O’Meara (8 ET); Jack Loughnane for T Gallagher (17 ET); Bryan McLoughney for D O’Meara (18 ET).

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Conor Doheny (6); James Cleary (7), Jack Peters (1-2, 7), Kieran Cahill (7); Craig Morgan (0-3f, 7), Niall O’Meara (7), Eoin Hogan (0-1, 6); Sean McAdams (6), Mark O’Neill (0-1, 6); Seamus Hennessy (2-2 (1-2f, 1-0 pen) 6), Jerome Cahill (0-1, 6), Aaron Morgan (1-0, 6); Thomas Cleary (0-3, 8), Kian O’Kelly (0-2, 1f, 1 s-cut) 7), Cian Darcy (6).

Sub: Conor Cleary (6) for A Morgan (60+3 inj)

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)