County Hurling League Round-Up

By Liam Hogan

DIVISION 1

Kiladangan 3-22 Nenagh Eire Og 2-13

Kiladangan produced an extra strong finish to see them claim a twelve point win over neighbours Nenagh Eire Og in Puckane on Sunday.

The win was a marked improvement on the disappointing 2-19 to 1-12 defeat at the hands of Clonoulty/Rossmore, suffered the previous Tuesday evening.

Shane Gleeson’s accuracy from frees aligned with points from play by Darren Moran, Paul Flynn and Bryan McLoughney gave Kiladangan the advantage in the first half with Declan McGrath making it 1-10 to 0-6 after twenty minutes. Sean Phelan (2), Cian O’Farrell, Cian Crowley, Filip McIntyre, and Paddy Murphy were the Nenagh point scorers.

In the 21st minute, Nenagh received a lifeline thanks to Conor Hennessey goal, but Paul Flynn, Bryan McLoughney and Shane Gleeson were on target once more to see the county champions seven clear at half time 1-13 to 1-6.

By the 44th minute the margin was out to nine, however, Ben West, Nenagh’s best forward, hit 1-1 inside the next two minutes to give the visitors a slim hope of a fightback. Both sides added three points each before Kiladangan were back in the driving seat thanks to Conor Byrne’s goal in the 55th minute. He added another five minutes later to seal the win.

Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-21 Toomevara 2-15

Jack Delaney scored 2-3 but it was his two points in injury time that helped Toomevara to a share of the spoils with Clonoulty/Rossmore at Dillon Quirke Park on Sunday.

The North men started on the backfoot as Clonoulty raced into 0-4 to 0-1 lead after seven minutes as Cathal Bourke (2 frees), Jimmy Maher and Stephen Ferncombe split the posts. Bourke was unerring from frees with Jack Ryan, Nathan Slattery and Robert Doyle also scoring from play. Yet Toome stayed in touch thanks to points by Mark McCarthy 0-4 (3 frees), David Nolan, Kevin McCarthy, and Conor O’Meara and by half time trailed 0-11 to 0-8.

The second half was only minutes old when Toome turned the game on its head after Jack Delaney scored two goals in as many minutes. Kevin McCarthy made it 2-9 to 0-12 after 37 minutes but Clonoulty responded, and Michael Ryan’s point brought them level in the 42nd minute. Both sides added three points each to see scores level for the fifth time after Cathal Burke levelled before he edged Clonoulty in front quickly followed by a Michael Ryan point on the hour. But Toome refused to surrender as Jack Delaney took the game in hand and his two injury time points brought a share of the spoils.

Thurles Sarsfields 1-14 Drom & Inch 1-16

Drom & Inch made it three wins out of three when they defeated their neighbours Thurles Sarsfields by two points in Toor on Saturday evening.

A Darragh Kennedy goal had the visitors 1-3 to 0-2 in front after ten minutes. The lead had stretched to six by the time Thurles were back in the game when Harry Fitzgibbon goaled to make it 1-8 to 1-5 after 23 minutes. With David Butler, Maidhc Fitzpatrick and Tony Cahill on target Drom led 1-12 to 1-8 at half time.

Thurles improved in the second half with Aidan McCormack, their top-scorer 0-9 (7 frees) leading the way but his three second half point, two from frees, was not enough to help Sarsfields back into the game as they sought their first win of the campaign.

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-13 Borris-Ileigh 0-16

Willie Cleary’s injury time free gave unbeaten Kilruane MacDonaghs a share of the points with Borris-Ileigh at Thomas MacDonagh Park, Cloughjordan on Sunday.

Kilruane trailed for the majority of the game as Borris-Ileigh were the stronger in the opening half with Eddie Ryan, Tom Delaney, James Devaney, and Kevin Maher on frees, helping the visitors to a five point lead by the 18th minute. Kilruane came more into the game approaching half time and cut the deficit to one, 0-9 to 0-8, by break time.

Kilruane stayed with Borris throughout the third quarter before Conor Cleary scored the game’s only goal in the 51st minute which gave his side the lead for the first time. Borris-Ileigh regained the lead and looked set for victory before Willie Cleary equalised in injury time.

Mullinahone 2-17 JK Brackens 1-17

Three points in the last two minutes helped Mullinahone to a three-point win over JK Brackens in Mullinahone last Sunday. The win moved Mullinahone into outright first place on the group table with five points.

Upperchurch/Drombane 0-23 Killenaule 1-15

Upperchurch/Drombane maintained their unbeaten run in group 3 when securing their third win in defeating Killenaule by five points in Drombane on Sunday.

The teams were level for the fourth time before the home-side took a three point lead through Paul and Aaron Ryan, 0-7 to 0-4. Killenaule cut the deficit to one, but Upperchurch dominated the final ten minutes of the half when Diarmuid Grant, Pat Ryan, Sean Ryan, and Conor Fahy (0-2) saw them take a 0-13 to 0-6 half time lead.

Killenaule came out firing in the second half with a brace by Tom Stakelum and further points by Dara Fitzgerald and Killian O’Dwyer. Upperchurch regrouped and thanks to a couple of points by Luke Shanahan they held a seven-point advantage.

Killenaule looked to threaten the Upperchurch goal but Ciaran Short made two good saves including a penalty before he was eventually beaten with an Eoin Shaw goal which left the south men two adrift with ten minutes remaining. However, Paddy Phelan’s score for the Mid men ignited a six point unanswered run before Albie O’Donoghue capped the win.

Loughmore/Castleiney 0-10 Roscrea 0-20

Roscrea were much too good for Loughmore/Castleiney as they secured their second win of the league in this disappointing round three game played at Cugilla on Sunday.

The winners played into the breeze in the first half and yet they managed to lead by three at the break. The second half was no different as a sharper Roscrea team were intent on having a say in the destination of knockout positions.

DIVISION 2

Burgess 4-10 Silvermines 2-17

Silvermines won their first game of the league when they defeated neighbours Burgess in a well-contested game in Kilcolman on Sunday.

Silvermines led at half time 2-8 to 2-6 with their goals coming from Danny Quinn and Oisin Murphy while the home side secured their two thanks to Eoin Hogan.

Both sides were reduced to fourteen-men early in the second half following a shemozzle in the middle of the field. Burgess were back on terms midway through the half with a well-worked third goal by Stephen Kirwan, but Silvermines kept the pressure on with Conor McKelvey, Andrew Hayden, and Bryan Seymour on target. Burgess kept battling hard though and a fourth goal for the home side through Daire Hogan brought them back on terms before a late Silvermines point deep in injury time ensured a first league victory.

Cashel King Cormacs 1-17 St. Mary’s 1-12

The fight at the top of the group took an unexpected turn when Cashel King Cormacs defeated the previously unbeaten St. Marys at Leahy Park on Sunday.

Cashel led 0-9 to 1-5 at half time and they held on to their lead in the second half with the help of a Simon Delaney goal. Adrian Cummins was the winner’s top scorer with 0-6 with Devon Ryan contributing five.

Ballina 0-15 Clonakenny 1-18

Clonakenny remain unbeaten on full points after three games as a Nicky Ryan goal before half time helped them to a six point win away to Ballina on Sunday.

Clonakenny led 1-8 to 0-8 at half time. Ballina fought back in the second half with Matthew Power as top scorer, but his efforts were not enough to curb the mid men.

Sean Treacys 2-15 Boherlahan-Dualla 2-12

Sean Treacys opened their account with a win over Boherlahan-Dualla at Kilcommon on Saturday.

Early goals gave Sean Treacys the advantage and they led by four points after twenty minutes before a Mark Downey goal brought Boherlahan into contention, trailing 1-7 to 2-5 at half time.

Downey grabbed a second goal early in the second half to give Boherlahan the lead, but Treacys regained lost ground and a string of points in the final quarter helped move them back in front for a three point victory.

DIVISION 3

Moneygall 0-21 Portroe 1-15

Moneygall made it three wins out of three when they defeated Portroe in Moneygall on Saturday.

The home-side played with the wind in the first half and were deserving of their 0-13 to 0-5 half time lead. A Portroe goal in the 40th minute reduced the gap to six points but two Joe Fogarty goals in the 45th & 50th minutes paved the way for a Moneygall win.

Golden Kilfeacle 0-17 Borrisokane 2-10

Borrisokane suffered their third straight narrow defeat at the hands of Golden Kilfeacle in Golden on Sunday.

The visitors played with a strong breeze in the first half and Philip Austin’s goal in the tenth minute helped them to a 1-4 to 0-3 lead. With Garry Ryan scoring well, Borrisokane’s lead increased to seven but Golden stayed the course with Jack Leamy, Sean O’Halloran, and Tom Byrnes on target with Borris leading 1-9 to 0-8 at the break.

Golden turned the deficit into a four points advantage with Jack Leamy leading the way on frees. However, a goal by Oisin Larkin in the 56th minute had Borrisokane within one, but the West stayed on course to win by one.

Knockavilla-D Kickhams 0-15 Drom & Inch 1-15

Having trailed by a point at half time, Drom & Inch came from behind to win by three in Dundrum to stay unbeaten.

Shannon Rovers 2-17 Skeheenarinky 1-15

Conal Moran contributed 2-12 as Shannon Rovers overturned a four-point half time deficit to claim their first league win with victory over Skeheenarinky in Ballinderry on Sunday.

The home-side dominated the first quarter and points by John O’Meara, George Hannigan, Austin Tierney had them in front at 0-8 to 0-5. However, they lost their way in the ten minutes before half time with James Barry and John Martin to the fore and a goal by top-scorer Tommy Vaughan gave the visitors a 1-10 to 0-9 lead.

Conal Moran’s first goal twenty-five seconds into the second half paved the way for a Rovers recovery and they added another 1-8 without reply with Moran second goal coming in the 48th minute. Rovers didn’t score for the last six minutes while Vaughan pointed for the visitors, but Rovers had done enough to win.

Upperchurch/Drombane 2-13 Cappawhite 2-13

Upperchurch/Drombane played their second game in week and gained their first league point when they drew with Cappawhite in Drombane last Wednesday.

Ballingarry 1-16 Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-12

Ballingarry remain in first position with six points thanks to their seven-point win over Clonoulty/Rossmore in Ballingarry on Friday evening.

After a slow start, Ballingarry took control once they secured the game’s only goal after eighteen minutes. They led 1-8 to 0-5 at half time and stretched their lead out to eight on three occasions.