More final disappointment for Nenagh as Loughmore retain County title

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Final

Loughmore/Castleiney 2-22

Nenagh Eire Og 1-22

Report: Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Liam McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

SCORERS – Loughmore/Castleiney: John McGrath 1-5 frees; Liam McGrath 1-3; Tomas McGrath, Ciaran McCormack (1 s-cut) 0-3 each; Noel McGrath, Ciaran Connolly 0-2 each; Ed Connolly, Ed Meagher, Brian McGrath, Liam Treacy 0-1 each.

Nenagh Eire Og: Mikey Heffernan 1-8 (1-3 frees, 0-1 65); Jake Morris 0-5; Mason Cawley, Josh Keller, Philip Hickey 0-2 each; Sam O’Farrell, James Mackey, Tommy Heffernan 0-1 each.

Loughmore/Castleiney retained the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship title for the first time as they handed more final disappointment on Nenagh Eire Og whose wait for a second Dan Breen Cup goes on.

In winning the title for a sixth time, Loughmore continue their amazing run in the county with ten different scorers contributing as they withheld a Nenagh fightback in the middle of the second half.

Both teams made one change to their semi-final wins with John Ryan coming into the Loughmore half-back line with Nenagh talisman Mikey Heffernan fit enough to start following a shoulder injury.

And he showed no signs of rust by setting up Sam O’Farrell for Nenagh’s first score which cancelled out a Mossie McGrath point for Loughmore.

The score for score nature continued for much of the first quarter with four Heffernan points (2 from play) and a Jake Morris point from play cancelled out by points from Liam, Mossie and John McGrath (2) and Ed Connolly.

Backed by a stiff breeze, Loughmore made the first surged with three points in as many minutes by the 22nd minute from Noel McGrath, Ciaran McCormack and Ciaran Connolly.

Nenagh were under pressure but responded with a Josh Keller point before James Mackey added his name to the scoresheet after McCormack got his second for Loughmore.

John McGrath was restricted to two points from play in the opening half but Liam McGrath and co were keeping the scoreboard ticking over, and after Philip Hickey and Mason Cawley pointed for Nenagh, McCormack wrapped up the scoring for the half with a 68-yard side-line cut as Loughmore led 0-13 to 0-10 at the break.

Nenagh made the brighter start to the second half with Morris and Heffernan adding to their tallies but they suffered a set-back when a John McGrath free was dropped into his own net by Dermot McTiernan in the 34th minute.

Loughmore pressed on with points from Brian & John McGrath to go six clear before Nenagh responded with sub Tommy Heffernan playing in Philip Hickey whose shot flew just over. Points from the Heffernan brothers followed before a long range free from Mikey Heffernan was mis-judged by Aidan McGrath and crept inside his near post for a goal, 1-15 apiece on 41 minutes.

The momentum appeared to be with Nenagh but crucially they never got their noses in front as Ciaran Connolly and sub Liam Treacy pointed before Liam McGrath scored his sides second goal on 48 minutes, his shot too strong for McTiernan to keep out.

Nenagh kept on their coat-tails with Mikey Heffernan bringing his tally from play to four while Jake Morris went one better but they couldn’t get the goal they needed as Loughmore/Castleiney held out.

TEAMS – Loughmore/Castleiney: Aidan McGrath; Lorcan Egan, Willie Eviston, Ed Meagher; John Ryan, Brian McGrath, Eoin O’Connell; Noel McGrath, Ciaran Connolly; Ed Connolly, Tomas McGrath, Ciaran McCormack; Liam McGrath (Capt), John McGrath, Ciaran McGrath.

Subs: Liam Treacy for C McGrath (HT); Tommy Maher for E Connolly (43 inj); Darragh McCahey for O’Connell (43); Paul McCahey for McCormack (51); Philip O’Connell for L McGrath (60+2).

Nenagh Eire Og: Dermot McTiernan; Mark Carey, Conor Hennessy, Jake Donelan-Houlihan; Paddy Murphy, Barry Heffernan, Mason Cawley; Conor Ryan (Capt), James Mackey; Josh Keller, Jake Morris, Sam O’Farrell; Mikey Heffernan, Philip Hickey, Ben West.

Subs: Tommy Heffernan for West (32); Adam Carey for Mackey (47); Conor McCarthy for M Carey (54); Billy O’Brien for Hickey (57).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)