Kiladangan progress after stiff Holycross test

GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Finals

Kiladangan 2-23

Holycross/Ballycahill 3-17

Report: Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

Kiladangan marched into a fifth consecutive County Senior Hurling Championship semi-final on Saturday evening but got a severe test that many didn’t foresee in advance from Holycross/Ballycahill.

That test should serve them well as the last thing a team needs going into a semi-final is a team believing they are better than they are and certainly there will be a grounding in Kiladangan after having to come from behind in the closing stages.

While there are elements of the performance Kiladangan won’t be pleased with, their composure in the closing stages proved to the decisive factor as the more experienced North side reeled off the last four points to emerge three point winners.

They were worthy winners but they allowed a plucky Holycross/Ballycahill side to hang on their coat-tails due their sixteen wides, nine from Billy Seymour, who still emerged the games top-scorer with 1-10, 1-5 coming from play. They also found Holycross keeper Ewen Bourke in fine form, making two big saves in the second half.

Getting to a first quarter final since 2004 was a big step forward for Holycross/Ballycahill this year and being so competitive with a young team and with more exciting young talent to come on stream from two good minor teams in recent years, they will be at the business end of the championship for years to come.

They did have the games best performer in Darragh Woods whose point scoring from play was outstanding with his five points, each as good as the next, and in front of the watching Tipperary manager Liam Cahill, he did his chances of a county call-up no harm at all.

The game was delayed 24-hours due to the heavy rain on Friday night, and while it was a close contest throughout, it never got to the highest intensity. As expected, Holycross looked nervous in the early going and Kiladangan eased into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead inside the first quarter with Billy Seymour to the fore with three points from play with Andy Loughnane impressing in his first start of the campaign with a point and was also inches wide with a ninth minute goal chance.

Alan Flynn was prominent at centre back while Sean Hayes continued his good form in both scoring and a creative role, at both wing at full forward in the early going before the first of Woods classy points from play looked to give his side belief with Liam Doyle and Cathal Barrett following to help the Mid men back on terms at 0-8 apiece after 23 minutes.

Woods’ third point from play a minute later gave Holycross their first lead before Kiladangan reeled off 1-3 without reply, points from Declan McGrath, Bryan McLoughney, and two from Seymour before McLoughney goaled in the 27th minute, after good play from Sean Hayes.

However, Kiladangan’s six point lead was wiped out before half time with the concession of two goals, firstly a 29th minute rocket of a penalty from Cathal Barrett after Ben Hennessy was pulled down in the square. Then, in added time, Barrett slipped an exquisite pass to the unmarked David Fogarty who fired under Barry Hogan to bring the sides level, 1-12 to 2-9.

It was all to play for but Kiladangan knew they were in a game with the sides sharing the opening six points of the second half, including a Billy Seymour 65 after Andy Loughnane was denied by a superb Ewan Bourke save.

Loughnane was involved in the move for Kiladangan’s second goal on 36 minutes as he took a pass from Sean Hayes before playing in Billy Seymour who finished well.

However, they gave the goal back almost immediately as Kiladangan failed to deal with a Bourke free into the square where Jimmy Lahart was quickest to react to fire the breaking ball to the net.

Holycross kicked on with Darragh Woods landing his fourth from play, the best of the lot in terms of controlling a low ball, and now with a two point lead, the Mid men could believe but Kiladangan didn’t panic and sent Willie Connors and Conor Byrne into the fray as they quickly rattled over points from Seymour (free), Loughnane and Hayes to take the lead once more.

The lead see-sawed with points from Woods and Barrett nudging Holycross back in front with Billy Seymour converting two frees as the Kiladangan forwards, apart from Seymour and Hayes, were getting little from a well-drilled Holycross defence.

However, late points from Alan Flynn and two from Billy Seymour saw Kiladangan home.

Player of the Match: Darragh Woods (Holycross/Ballycahill)

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (6); Fergal Hayes (6), David Sweeney (7), John O’Meara (6); Johnny Horan (6), Alan Flynn (8), Joe Gallagher (6); Declan McGrath (0-1, 7), Tadhg Gallagher (7); Paul Flynn (0-2, 7), Billy Seymour (1-10, 0-4f, 0-1 65) 8), Sean Hayes (0-3, 8); Bryan McLoughney (1-1, 6), Dan O’Meara (6), Andy Loughnane (0-3, 7).

Subs: James Quigley (6) for Horan (HT); Willie Connors (6) for McLoughney (42); Conor Byrne (6) for Loughnane (46); Eoghan Sharkey (NR) for J O’Meara (60).

Holycross/Ballycahill: Ewan Bourke (8); Conor Ryan (6), Mickey Joe Doyle (7), Jimmy Ryan (7); Gavin Dunne (6), Bryan O’Mara (7), Jim Ryan (6); Eoin Craddock (7), Liam Doyle (0-1, 6); Joe Caesar (0-2, 7), Cathal Barrett (1-3, 1-0 pen) 8), Ben Hennessy (6); Darragh Woods (0-10, 5f) 9), Jimmy Lahart (1-0, 6), David Fogarty (1-1, 7).

Subs: Aidan Stakelum (6) for Hennessy (34); Jack Dwan (NR) for Lahart (60+1).

Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla Kickhams).