Second Junior ‘A’ League for Kilruane

GAA: North Tipperary Junior ‘A’ Hurling League Final

Kilruane MacDonaghs 6-16

Silvermines 3-18

Report: Liam Hogan at St Michael’s Park, Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Tommy O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

SCORERS – Kilruane MacDonaghs: Conor Cleary 2-4; Tommy O’Meara, Brian O’Meara (0-1 free) 1-3 each; Cormac Kennedy 0-3; Cian Moyles, David O’Sullivan 1-0 each; Cathal England, Charlie Kennedy, Mark O’Neill 0-1 each.

Silvermines: Daniel McKelvey 2-4 (0-1 s-cut); Padraig Fogarty 1-1; Ronan Cunneen 0-3 (2 frees, 1 ’65); Bryan Seymour, Sean Spillane, Orrie Quirke 0-2 each; Adam Steed, Daniel Ryan, Michael Hogan, David Shanahan 0-1 each.

Goal-hungry Kilruane MacDonaghs ended an eleven year wait to become North Tipperary Junior ‘A’ Hurling League winners for the second time by virtue of a very satisfactory win over a game Silvermines side on Friday evening.

Mixed with the experience of former seniors like Eanna & Eoin Hogan and youthful energy of the likes of David O’Sullivan, Paul Molloy and Paddy Ryan showed well behind a forward division who all made the scoresheet, led by the free-scoring duo Tommy O’Meara and a re-juvenated Conor Cleary who shared 3-7 of the winner’s total.

The game was end to end in the opening minutes with Kilruane taking the lead through Cormac Kennedy. Silvermines replied and had the Kilruane defence in trouble when an unmarked Daniel Ryan was denied by goalkeeper Kevin Naughnane from close range.

Both sides squandered chances from long range which meant scoring was low with the sides level at 0-2 each after seven minutes. Orrie Quirke gave the ‘Mines the lead a minute later but the next two minutes saw Kilruane score two goals, the first from Conor Cleary when putting Brian O’Meara through while two minutes later it was the turn of Cleary rattle the net.

Silvermines responded with a Paudie Fogarty point. Tommy O’Meara replied with a similar score before Fogarty scored a great goal after excellent teamwork involving the ever present Brian Seymour and Niall Curran making it 2-3 to 1-4 after fourteen minutes.

After a welcome water-break, points by Conor Cleary either side of a brilliant Cormac Kennedy brilliant score from the left wing pushed Kilruane five clear. Brian Seymour and Sean Spillane hit back with a point each but Kilruane continued to hold court and by half time led 2-9 to 1-6 with Brian O’Meara’s free, their only score from a placed ball.

Silvermines lost Paudie Fogarty at half time through an accidental head injury and was a major loss but the restart welcomed a Daniel McKelvey’s point for the ‘Mines after just twenty seconds.

However, the next four minutes were decisive as Kilruane scored 1-3 without reply with Cian Moyles scoring the goal after Cormac Kennedy supplied the pinpoint pass to the unmarked wing forward.

Points by Brian Seymour and Orrie Quirke kept the ‘Mines in touch. Conor Cleary replied before Sean Spillane’s second point in the 37th minute left eight points separating the teams.

But that was about to change as Kilruane used every avenue to find a green flag and one minute later the margin was out to eleven after David O’Sullivan’s delivery from half-way deceived David Shanahan in the ‘Mines goal.

Conor Cleary followed up with a point before Daniel Ryan replied to see Kilruane leading 4-14 to 1-12 with fourteen minutes remaining at the second water-break.

A brief scuffle involving over twenty players developed soon after the resumption and resulted in a yellow card to each side.

When play resumed, Kilruane continued with momentum and in the 49th minute Tommy O’Meara scored a great goal after collecting a long delivery from Cormac Doheny. Mark O’Neill added a point in the 51st minute before Kilruane found the net again sixty seconds later as Conor Cleary availed of a pass by O’Meara.

Kilruane had begun to empty the bench but in true Silvermines fashion there was a response and in the final furlong they found fresh pickings outscoring the winners 2-4 to 0-1 with Daniel McKelvey scoring two goals in added time thanks to the assistance of Niall Curran. However, it was too little too late.

TEAMS - Kilruane MacDonaghs: Kevin Naughnane (7); Paul Molloy (7), Eanna Hogan (J-Capt 7), David O’Sullivan (7); Paddy Ryan (J-Capt 7), Cormac Doheny (6), Eoin Hogan (7); Cathal England (7), Cormac Kennedy (8); Tommy O’Meara (8), Mark O’Neill (7), Cian Moyles (6); Conor Cleary (8), Brian O’Meara (7), Charlie Kennedy (6).

Subs: Matthew Moyles (6) for Eoin Hogan (44); Eamonn Coonan (6) for Molloy (50), Eoin Carroll (6) for C Moyles (50); Paudie Williams (6) for Charlie Kennedy (53), Michael Hennelly (6) for T O’Meara (53); Sean Quinlan (6) for Ryan (54), Oisin O’Meara (6) for O’Neill (54).

Silvermines: David Shanahan (7); Ben Claffey (6), Eddie Ryan (7), Sean Ryan Prendiville (6); Michael Hogan (7), Cathal Gleeson (7), Adam Steed (6); Orrie Quirke (7), Brian Seymour (7); Daniel McKelvey (8), Padraig Fogarty (7), Niall Curran (8); Ronan Cunneen (6), Sean Spillane (6), Daniel Ryan (6).

Subs: Bill Maher (6) for Fogarty (27 inj); Eoin Seymour for Maher (32-35 blood); Fionn Ryan Mulqueen (6) for Spillane (50).

Referee: Ger Fitzpatrick (Roscrea).