Kiladangan edged out by hungry Moyne

GAA: FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 2

Moyne-Templetuohy 0-15

Kiladangan 0-14

Report: Michael Brophy in Roscrea

After heavy opening day defeats for both teams, it was Moyne-Templetuohy who emerged victorious in a tense and scrappy battle with Kiladangan in the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship on Friday evening.

Moyne were more threatening from play on the evening, but struggled to retain the ball for long periods whether working it through the lines or going direct on top of their forwards. The North side were heavily reliant on frees, with just five of their points coming from play.

County panellists Conor Bowe and Gearoid O’Connor delivered for their club on the evening, with Bowe to the fore in the first half as a deep lying centre back with a constant attacking threat. O’Connor, returning from injury but still with heavy strapping above the knee, was crucial in the last twenty minutes as Moyne held on for two crucial points.

Kiladangan would have been pleased to be within two points of their opponents at half time, and they pulled level on two occasions in the second half. But they were struggling to threaten from open play. Shane Gleeson, who scored 3-6 against Roscrea, was held to a single point this time around, but the Kiladangan defence was resolute despite the absence of their suspended captain Ruairi Gleeson.

Bowe got proceedings underway with a point within seconds of the opening whistle, bursting onto the ball and scoring from 65 metres. He would soon settle into position closer to his own goals, but remained a constant threat as a direct attacking runner.

Scores were hard to come by in the first twenty minutes. The ever-energetic Jack Taylor split the posts for Moyne from under the stand and that was followed by an excellent run and score from O’Connor. After a monstrous score from Bowe, there were worrying moments soon afterwards when it looked as if he’d injured his knee while trying to sidestep a Kiladangan defender. After multiple minutes of treatment, he returned to his feet without too much impediment.

Darragh Egan would convert two long range frees for Kiladangan before the break, and the Wexford manager’s puckout accuracy would yield further scores in the second half. Bowe picked off one of the points of the year when he collected the ball in the half back line, accelerated down the left side-line and scored at full speed from 65 metres despite pressure from all directions. Moyne led 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with hard fought scores interspersed with frustrating wides for both teams. Kiladangan looked to have found some fluency when they pulled level with fifteen minutes to go after three successive points from play from Neil Cahalan, Shane Gleeson, and Martin Minehan.

But it was Moyne who got the better of the closing stages, with Gearoid O’Connor becoming increasingly influential through his free taking, distribution and prowess under long puck outs. He would score five of their seven point tally in the second half, including a 100 metre effort from play and further high pressure placed balls.

The final two of Darren Ryan’s seven frees for Kiladangan cut the gap to the minimum heading into injury time.

When Moyne cleared their lines after a frantic period of play, they feared the worst when the ball landed in the left hand of Darragh Egan. The keeper had sneaked out to right wing back to collect the clearance, but his equalising effort fell inches to the left of the Moyne posts.

Kiladangan can take solace from the best of both group stage performances so far. This was an excellent defensive display from the North side, and if they can rediscover their goalscoring threat from the defeat against Roscrea, they’ll fancy their chances in a must-win game against Silvermines.

Player of the Match: Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy)

Moyne-Templetuohy: John Hassett (6); Shane Lowe (7), Ciaran Lloyd (8), Kieran Larkin (0-1, 7); Pierce Meade (0-1, 6), Conor Bowe (0-3, 8), John Coughlan (0-1, 7); Jack Taylor (0-1, 8), Paudie Gleeson (7), Diarmuid Fogarty (6); Gearoid O’Connor (0-7, 5f) 8), Thomas Hamill (6), Eanna Guilfoyle (7); Tom Meade (0-1, 7), Diarmuid Leahy (6).

Subs: Damien Cantwell (6) for Guilfoyle (19); Mark Ryan (6) for Leahy (42).

Kiladangan: Darragh Egan (0-2f, 8); Paddy Gallagher (7), Shane Seymour (7), Darragh Ryan (6); DJ McGrath (7), Johnny Horan (7), Jim Minehan (6); Ronan Ducie (8), Martin Minehan (0-1, 7); Bill Cleary (6), Shane Gleeson (0-1, 6), Neil Cahalan (0-1, 6); Darren Ryan (0-7f, 7), Ciaran Kelly (0-2, 7), Eoin Meagher (6).

Subs: Aidan Ryan (6) for Cleary (HT); Conor Culhane (6) for Meagher (48); Tom McLoughlin (NA) for Cahalan (59).

Referee: John Lillis (Drom & Inch)