Toomevara fall well short to slick Loughmore

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Loughmore/Castleiney 3-22

Toomevara 2-20

Report: Michael Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Ed Connolly (Loughmore/Castleiney).

SCORERS – Loughmore/Castleiney: John McGrath 1-7 (0-7 frees); Ed Connolly 1-5; Ciaran McCormack 0-4 (3 s-cuts); Tomas McGrath 1-0; Noel McGrath, Paul McCahey 0-2 each; Ciaran Connolly, Liam McGrath 0-1 each.

Toomevara: Darragh McCarthy 0-8 (6 frees); Jack Delaney 1-3; Seamus O’Farrell 1-0; Adam Hall, Kevin McCarthy 0-2 each; Darren Delaney, Conor O’Farrell, Paul Ryan, Jake Hackett 0-1.

The concession of three goals in the opening twenty minutes of this County Senior Hurling Championship quarter final on Saturday scuppered Toomevara’s chances of avenging last year’s final defeat at the hands of Loughmore/Castleiney.

The Mid men were an unflattering five points to the good at the call of time and move on to a semi-final against Holycross/Ballycahill.

There was justifiable optimism in the Toomevara camp that they could turn the tables on the holders but they came up well short against a Loughmore/Castleiney side that appears to be getting better with each outing and who are fancied by many to win back-to-back hurling titles for the first time.

The Greyhounds were undone by those early goals and while nobody could question their commitment, they were chasing the game from the very start and seasoned campaigners like Loughmore/Castleiney rarely falter when in the driving seat.

Such was the case here with Loughmore firmly in charge from the beginning, a couple of late Toome goals giving the scoreboard a more balanced look not really in keeping with the pattern of the game.

The damage was incurred early. A fouled up puck-out presented Ed Connolly with the opportunity to score Loughmore’s first goal after three minutes for a 1-1 to 0-2 lead.

Disaster again befell Toome in the thirteenth minute, when, having made up good ground to be 0-6 to 1-4 behind, helped by three Darragh McCarthy points, their defence was wrong-footed under a high delivery, Tomas McGrath taking advantage to kick home a second Loughmore goal.

And Toome’s misery did not stop there. In the 19th minute, John McGrath benefitted from Ciaran McCormack’s good work to finish to the Toome net for a 3-5 to 0-9 lead and Tomas McGrath might have had a fourth goal after 23 minutes but goalkeeper Rory Brislane denied him.

Those goals and the uncertainty they created in the Toomevara defence left the North lads with a mountain to climb and with Ed Connolly whipping over three further Loughmore points augmented by John McGrath frees, the champions led at half-time 3-11 to 0-11.

Toomevara concern reflected itself in a double substitution at half-time, and points from Adam Hall and Kevin McCarthy inside two minutes of resuming suggested that a fightback was in prospect.

But typical of Loughmore/Castleiney, they stuck to their game plan. Ciaran McCormack cut two sideline balls over the bar, John McGrath and Ed Connolly pointed, and with a 3-15 to 0-13 lead it was now just a matter of containment for Loughmore.

Toomevara battled on but as the hour mark approached, they were still three goals behind and some of the crowd were already leaving the ground.

Seamus O’Farrell’s goal off a Kevin McCarthy delivery scarcely raised a cheer, before Jack Delaney added a second two minutes later, but Loughmore’s winning position was not seriously under threat, Ciaran Connolly sending over a point that gave them a five point winning margin, similar to that in the county final last year.

Unbeaten in the county championship thus far, Loughmore/Castleiney still appear to be the team to beat. Despite the demands of defending their county football crown also, they are remarkably resilient, grinding out results with the minimum of fuss, adhering to a simple game played with great efficiency.

Ed Connolly was their top man with 1-5 from play, but Ciaran McCormack’s three sideline points were also noteworthy.

After that it was business as usual for the champions with Brian McGrath anchoring the defence to good effect. Noel McGrath popped up in all places. John Mcgrath was a constant threat although scoring only once from play. Ciaran Connolly, Liam McGrath, and Ed Meagher also did their bit.

A disappointing day for Toomevara who went into the game with great expectations. The goals unsettled them, and they also lost Barry O’Connell to an early injury, but they would have to concede that they were beaten by a better team.

At no stage did they look like making up the ground lost, their late goals masking the difference between the sides.

Underage star Darragh McCarthy was their main threat, but Jack Delaney also had a fine game. Adam Hall, Liam Ryan, and Andrew Ryan also worked hard but overall, The Greyhounds never really got out of the traps.

TEAMS - Loughmore-Castleiney: Aidan McGrath (6); Lorcan Egan (6), Willie Eviston (6), Ed Meagher (6); Tommy Maher (7), Brian McGrath (7), Eoin O’Connell (6); Noel McGrath (7), Ciaran Connolly (7); Ed Connolly (9), Tomas McGrath (6), Ciaran McCormack (7); Liam McGrath (6), John McGrath (7), Ciaran McGrath (6).

Subs: Paul McCahey (6) for C McGrath (45); Liam Treacy (6) for T McGrath (54); Philip O’Connell (NR) for L McGrath (58), Mikey Ryan (NR) for J McGrath (60).

Toomevara: Rory Brislane (6); Adam Hall (7), Andrew Ryan (7), Jake Ryan (6); Josh McCarthy (6), Liam Ryan (7), Joshua Powell (6), Robbie Quirke (6), Conor O’Farrell (6), Darren Delaney (6), Kevin McCarthy (6), Jack Delaney (7); Darragh McCarthy (7), Barry O’Connell (6), Paul Ryan (6).

Subs: Conor O’Meara (6) for O’Connell (14 inj); Austin Duff (6) for D Delaney (HT); Seamus O’Farrell (7) for Quirke (HT); Jake Hackett (6) for P Ryan (45); Mark McCarthy (6) for C O’Farrell (51).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels)