Treacys back on track with comfortable win

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 2

Sean Treacys 1-19

Moyne-Templetuohy 2-11

Report: John O’Shea at the Dillon Quirke Grounds, Clonoulty

Sean Treacys revived their hopes of qualification from Group 1 with a solid display of front running as they disposed of Moyne-Templetuohy in this round 2 of the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship clash on Saturday afternoon.

Moyne-Templetuohy attacked from the throw-in, but Ben Moore was wide of the mark from a tight angle, when a goal looked on.

From the puck-out, Brian Carey found James Butler on the left wing, who took on the Moyne defence, but his goal shot was well saved by Liam Butler at the expense of a 65 which Pat Dawson converted, to get the scoreboard moving after two minutes.

Three minutes later, Butler again came to the rescue of the Mid side, with another top class save.

Dawson doubled Treacys advantage from a placed ball before Gearoid O’Connor opened Moyne’s account after ten minutes.

Both defences were giving little away, but Treacys drew first blood when Pat Deegan got in behind the defence to rifle past Butler for the opening goal after twelve minutes.

From the restart, Moyne attacked and Shane Stapleton came to Treacys rescue when saving from Cormac Deegan. Dawson and Deegan exchanged minors from placed balls, before Dawson fired over his fourth, this time from play to give Treacys a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage after fifteen minutes.

Conor Bowe cut the deficit with a well-taken point, but Treacys hit back in triplicate; Paul Nolan set up Colm Kennedy for a minor before Pat Dawson converted a free from a tight angle and then Cillian Kennedy chipped in with the first of his two points on 21 minutes.

The West side were making all the running and growing into the game with huge intensity. Tom Meade pulled one back before Tossy Hamill drew a free which Cormac Deegan converted. Pat Dawson hit his seventh from a placed ball before Ben Ryan was wide of the mark with only Shane Stapleton to beat. Colm Kennedy closed out the half with his third point before referee Paul Guinan brought the first half proceedings to a close with Treacys leading 1–11 to 0-5.

Following the restart, play was very scrappy with no real pattern. It took all of six minutes to advance the scoreboard when Colm Kennedy stretched Treacys lead with his second minor, after Liam Butler saved from close range, deflecting the shot over the crossbar.

Moyne hit two on the bounce from Conor Bowe and a placed ball by Gearoid O’Connor.

Treacys replied with Mikey Feehan and Eoin Sheldon getting in for minors, either side of O’Connor landing his third free.

The Tipp player was keeping the Mid side in touch but not making any inroads to Treacys advantage. Following three minors on the bounce coming up to the 54th minute they had stretched their advantage to eleven points.

Finn Jones, from play and Pat Dawson from a sideline cut traded scores before two late goals from Ben Ryan and Gearoid O’Connor in added time offered some consolation to the Mid side.

This victory for the West men should be enough to keep them out of the relegation battle, but it also gives them a qualification chance when the take on Gortnahoe/Glengoole in round 3. This second loss for Moyne-Templetuohy leaves them with a mountain to climb when they take on Thurles Sarsfields in their final group game.

Player of the Match: Mikey Feehan (Sean Treacys).

Sean Treacys: Shane Stapleton (0-1f, 7); Christy Egan (7), Sean Hickey (8), Paul Nolan (7); Andy O’Brien (7), Seanie Ryan (0-1, 8), Brian Carey (7), Mikey Feehan (0-1, 8), Eoin Sheldon (0-1, 7), James Butler (6), Colm Kennedy (0-3, 7), Pat Dawson (0-10, 7f, 1 s-cut, 8), Cillian Kennedy (0-2, 7), Pat Deegan (1-0, 7), Stevie Carr (6).

Sub: Darragh Carr (6) for Carr (41)

Moyne-Templetuohy: Liam Butler (8); Shane Lowe (7), Ciaran Lloyd (7), Eoin Gorman (6); Pierce Meade (7), Eanna Guilfoyle (6), Paudie Gleeson (6), Conor Bowe (0-2, 7), Cathal Guilfoyle (7), Gearoid O’Connor (1-5f, 7), Tom Meade (0-1, 6), Cormac Deegan (0-2f, 6), Ben Ryan (1-0, 7), Tossy Hamill (6), Ben Moore (6).

Subs: Diarmuid Fogarty for Gleeson (HT inj), Danny Moore for Gorman (HT), Diarmuid Leahy for E Guilfoyle (33 inj), Sean Hayes for Deegan (39); Finn Jones (0-1) for Hamill (47).

Referee: Paul Guinan (Killenaule).