Clonakenny reeled in by Swans

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4 Round 1

Carrick Swan 1-18

Clonakenny 0-16

South champions and last year’s beaten County Premier Intermediate Hurling finalists Carrick Swans got their 2025 campaign off to a winning start in Boherlahan on Sunday, overturning a six-point half time deficit to down Clonakenny.

A game played amid a hugely significant wind in the Mid Tipperary venue, Clonakenny had first use of the elements and took a 0-12 to 0-6 interval lead with Cian O’Dwyer the main man with some fine scores.

The Swan played a game of containment playing against the wind but did manufacture some good scoring chances despite that. However, they were let down by some lax shooting and hit nine wides.

However, with the aid of the gale - slowly began to reel in Clonakenny in the second half with Aaron Dunne’s 38th minute goal swinging the momentum in their favour and despite Clonakenny being just one point behind at the 55 minute mark, it was the Swan who carried the result over the line with the class of Calum Lanigan’s frees and young Stefan Tobin hitting the defining scores.

Clonakenny were more economical with their chances in the first half as Cian O’Dwyer led from the off - hitting four points - as Clon’ raced into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead after twenty minutes.

Stefan Tobin’s point in the 21st minute cut the gap to just one point, but Clonakenny managed to hit six of the last seven scores of the half with O’Dwyer contributing five, including two brilliant efforts from play while Bobby Bergin, Sean Stapleton, and Delacy Byrne also on target.

The Swan wouldn’t have been overly upset to be six down considering the wind in play, but they hit some poor wides in the half that could have lessened thedeficit; most of which from Calum Lanigan who was struggling to get the radar working.

Two Calum Walsh points were the pick of their first half points, but they started to click in that facet after the resumption, levelling at 1-10 to 0-13 after 42 minutes; the goal coming from Aaron Dunne who was fed by Calum Walsh after an old fashioned overhead pull from Taylor Fleming in his own half, ending with Dunne rattling the top corner.

Dunne rattled 1-2 inside eight minutes and with further scores coming in the aftermath from Calum Lanigan (4) and Stefan Tobin’s second, the Swan were in control at 1-14 to 0-13 after 50 minutes.

Clonakenny were offering nothing at the other end as the wind and the ticking clock were now their enemy. In fairness to them though, they did stage a mini revival in the next five minutes with points through Cian O’Dwyer (2) and Bobby Bergin cutting the arrears to one point.

Unfortunately for the Mid side, the Swan finished strongly with Calum Lanigan firing over three points (2 frees), as well as Stefan Tobin who linked up well with talisman Danny O’Hanlon late on to fire over an insurance point to give the South champions full points.

Player of the Match: Aaron Dunne (Carrick Swan)

Carrick Swan: Kieran Lonergan (7); Ryan Waters (7), Scott Hogan (7), Dean Kiely (6); Ben Mulcaire (6), Gavin O’Halloran (8), Luke O’Dwyer (7); Aaron O’Halloran (7), Dean Waters (7); Eric O’Halloran (6), Calum Lanigan (0-9, 8f, 7), Taylor Fleming (7); Callum Walsh (0-2, 7), Aaron Dunne (1-3, 8), Stefan Tobin (0-4, 8).

Subs: Owen Harrigan (6) for D Waters (46); Eoin Hogan (6) for Fleming (53); Danny O’Hanlon (7) for O’Dwyer (56).

Clonakenny: Willie Costigan (6); Proinsias Matthews (6), John Costigan (6), Alexei Harty (7); Cain Russell (7), Diarmuid Ryan (7), Conor Nesbitt (7); John Joe Ryan (7), Michael John Carroll (6); Delacy Byrne (0-1, 6), Sean Stapleton (0-1, 6), Cian O’Dwyer (0-12, 7f, 9); Bobby Bergin (0-2, 7), Nicky Ryan (6), Peadar Byrne (5).

Subs: Paul Bergin (6) for P Byrne (HT); Walter Byrne (6) for Stapleton (56); Jack Smith (6) for D Byrne (56).

Referee: Shane O’Neill (St Mary’s).