Kiladangan ease past poor Roscrea

GAA: The Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Kiladangan 2-29

Roscrea 0-16

Report: Noel Dundon at Kenyon Park, Templederry

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Tadhg Gallagher (Kiladangan)

SCORERS - Kiladangan: Conor Byrne 0-6 (3 frees); Dan O’Meara 1-3, Neil Cahalan 0-5; Tadgh Gallagher 0-4; John O’Meara 1-1; Alan Flynn, Willie Connors (0-1 free), Paul Flynn 0-2 each; Barry Hogan, Darragh Butler, Joe Gallagher, Conor Culhane 0-1 each.

Roscrea: Shane Fletcher 0-7 (6 frees), Conor Booth 0-4; Darragh Tynan 0-2, Alan Tynan, Dan Ryan, Conor Sheedy 0-1 each.

Even allowing for the disappointing performance of Roscrea in this North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship quarter final on Sunday afternoon, Kiladangan turned in a classy, stylish, and impressive performance to sound a warning note to all teams in the county.

31 scores out of 43 shots at the target, twelve scores on the board, 2-25 from play, this was the kind of performance which will make other sides sit up and take notice as the Kiladangan lads went about their business with ruthless efficiency.

From the off, they were on their game, and they had worked up a 0-9 to 0-2 lead by the end of the first quarter – Paul Flynn (2), Tadgh Gallagher (2), John O’Meara, Darragh Butler, Conor Byrne (2) and Neil Cahalan seeing them in a decisive lead – only Shane Fletcher and Darragh Tynan scores were keeping Roscrea interested.

At this early juncture it was quite evident that Roscrea were simply not at the races, and were way off the pace. Their touch was heavy, their passing movements breaking down and they were allowing Kiladangan way too much space right across the pitch.

So much so, that Kiladangan piled on further scores through Dan O’Meara (2) and Conor Byrne, before a John O’Meara goal in the 24th minute sent them into a 1-12 to 0-4 lead – Conor Sheedy and Shane Fletcher pointing for Roscrea just before O’Meara’s goal which was struck from distance and which deceived keeper Daryl Ryan who seemed to have matters under control, before the sliotar evaded him and ended up in the net.

In truth it was Roscrea, and the game, which needed the goal, but Kiladangan were in no mood to make a match of it, and they fired over further points from Gallagher, Cahalan, Willie Connors and goalkeeper Barry Hogan who showed that whatever Rhys Shelly could do in the All-Ireland final, Hogan too could do. It was a 1-16 to 0-5 interval lead then for Kiladangan – Conor Booth grabbing Roscrea’s fifth point.

And, it would prove to be a long second half, though three points in succession for Roscrea upon resumption from Dan Ryan, Shane Fetcher and Conor Booth perhaps suggested that better was to come from them.

The rally was short-lived though and the revival was wiped out by Tadhg Gallagher and Willie Connors points, then a goal from Dan O’Meara in the 36th minute, ended the game as a contest.

Even allowing for the fact that Roscrea had an eleventh minute first half goal disallowed for square ball, and the blow that was to them, they were never in a position to threaten Kiladangan and never even looked up for the fight.

It was no surprise then to see them wilt totally after the concession of that second goal and Kiladangan went on to add Conor Byrne (0-3), Joe Gallagher, Dan O’Meara, Neil Cahalan (3) and Alan Flynn (2) scores to see out a very comfortable victory – Conor Booth, Shane Fletcher (3), a jaded looking Alan Tynan, and Sam Dooley scoring for Roscrea before the end.

This was no more than a blowout for Kiladangan, but they did look very sharp and pacey as they tore Roscrea apart. Their posting of 2-29 is impressive and they will be pleased too with their defensive work which was from the top drawer against an inept Roscrea attacking division. The semi-final against Toomevara this evening (Wednesday) will be a truer test of where they are at this early juncture of the campaign.

The Roscrea men have a lot of work to do to get to the required standard and they will be hoping for much better in the weeks to come in the county championship, starting off against Moycarkey/Borris.

TEAMS - Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (7), John O’Meara (8), James Quigley (7), David Sweeney (7), Willie Connors (7), Alan Flynn (8), Darragh Burler (7), Tadgh Gallagher (8), Dara O’Dwyer (6), Conor Byrne (7), Dan O’Meara (7), Paul Flynn (6), Conor Culhane (6), Bryan McLoughney (6), Neil Cahalan (7).

Subs: Joe Gallagher (7) for Sweeney (37); Sean Hayes (7) for P Flynn (37); Darragh Flannery (6) for Connors (43); Fergal Hayes (6) for McLoughney (50).

Roscrea: Daryl Ryan (6), Aidan Booth (6), Shane David (6), Luke Seacy (5), Michael Campion (5), Darragh Tynan (7), Conor Sheedy (6), Conor Phelan (6), Owen Tynan (5), Dan Ryan (6), Shane Fletcher (7), Alan Tynan (5), Evan Fitzpatrick (5), Conor Booth (7), Leigh Loughnane (5).

Subs: James Synott (6) for Seacy (HT); Enda Moloney for Daryl Ryan (37); Sam Dooley (6) for Phelan (43); Jack Lee (6) for O Tynan (49); Liam Seacy for Dan Ryan (49); Conor Phelan for Booth (57).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).