Kilruane hold off Ballina challenge

GAA: Hibernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Round 1

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-19

Ballina 1-16

Report: James Hayden in Puckane

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jerome Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

SCORERS - Kilruane MacDonaghs: Kian O’Kelly 1-2; Jerome Cahill 0-4; Niall O’Meara, Sean MacAdams 0-3 each; Paidi Williams 0-2 frees; Mark O’Neill, Craig Morgan, Seamus Hennessy, Aaron Morgan, Cian Darcy (free) 0-1 each.

Ballina: Donie Whelan 1-5 (0-3 frees); Michael Breen 0-5 (2 frees, 2 65’s); Brian Hurley 0-2; Sam Loughran, Paddy O’Donovan, David Kelly, Conor Power 0-1 each.

A new look Kilruane MacDonaghs side were pushed all the way by Ballina in what proved a hugely absorbing North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship first round encounter last Wednesday evening.

Kilruane, under the watchful eye of new manager Liam O’Kelly, fielded a strong side with many expecting the MacDonaghs to have too much in the tank for a seasoned Ballina outfit. However, Ballina refused to succumb easily though and realistically could even have snatched a late draw had a strong call for a last gasp penalty went their way.

Without doubt Ballina had their chances to pull off a victory but a dominant period mid-way through the second half failed to yield the necessary dividends, with five wides on the bounce in a ten-minute spell hampering their efforts.

Credit to Ballina though after they worked like Trojans to whittle down Kilruane’s 1-10 to 0-8 lead with a determined second half display, and indeed a powerful closing quarter from Brendan McKeogh’s side had Kilruane searching for answers when a Michael Breen 65’ left the bare minimum between the sides deep into added time.

With Ballina in the ascendancy, two further wides from scorable positions derailed their efforts before a swell-struck 64th minute Sean MacAdams afforded Kilruane some much-needed breathing space.

A further point from the impressive Niall O’Meara left three between the sides as time ticked away but not before Steven O’Brien was denied a strong penalty call after he appeared to be fouled while bearing down on the Kilruane goal. Referee, Peter Carroll waved play on though leaving the Kilruane faithful to collectively breathe a serious sigh of relief and keep their late three-point advantage intact to cement a place in the North quarter-finals.

Although the tie began in miserable monsoon-like conditions, the weather Gods smiled as the game progressed with the opening exchanges going firmly the way of Kilruane.

Points from the impressive Jerome Cahill and Niall O’Meara edged Kilruane into an early lead before Donie Whelan fired over a close-range free to open Ballina’s account. Kilruane hit 1-1 in response with Kian O’Kelly first-timing a rocket past the advancing Martin McKeogh in the sixth minute before Sean MacAdams added a sweetly struck effort to fire Kilruane into an early 1-3 to 0-1 lead.

Ballina kept in touch Brian Hanley and Sam Loughran raising white flags, but Jerome Cahill was clearly on song in Kilruane’s inside forward line and points in the tenth and twelfth minutes respectively kept the scoreboard ticking for Liam O’Kelly’s charges. Niall O’Meara added a seventh Kilruane point on 15 minutes before Mikey Breen floated over a well-taken 65’ to leave four between the sides at the water break, 1-7 to 0-6.

Kilruane consolidated their lead as the half progressed and turned the screw in the latter stages with three points without reply between the 27th and 31st minutes from Craig Morgan, Jerome Cahill and Paidi Williams (free) to lead 1-10 to 0-7 as the interval approached. However, they could have been further clear had they punished Ballina’s tendency to be over elaborate in defense and to cough up possession far too easily.

Following a 33rd minute Conor Power point Ballina trailed 1-10 to 0-8 at the break and emerged a changed side, having enforced two substitutions and re-jigged their attack.

Two missed frees from Ballina served to frustrate their efforts though before Paidi Williams and Mikey Breen exchanged points from placed balls. A 41st minute Paddy O’Donovan point left just three points in it, but Kian O’Kelly knifed over a fine effort while off balance to edge Kilruane four clear once more.

Kilruane were dealt a huge blow just before the water break though after their scorer-in-chief, Jerome Cahill was forced off with a leg injury after he appeared to slide awkwardly on the greasy surface, a loss that served to noticeably affect the Kilruane on-field set-up. Sean MacAdams added to his tally just before the water break to ensure they led 1-13 to 0-12.

Substitute Seamus Hennessy quickly extended Kilruane’s advantage upon the resumption, but the final quarter saw Ballina mount a stirring comeback with a trio of efforts from Michael Breen (free), Donie Whelan and David Kelly cutting the deficit to just two points by the 56th minute. Kilruane responded with efforts from Mark O’Neill and Aaron Morgan before a Cian Darcy free put five between the sides once more.

However, up popped Donie Whelan though for a cracking 60th minute Ballina goal and suddenly it was ‘game on’. Brendan McKeogh’s side really put it up to Kilruane in the closing stages and the outcome could have went either way but in the end, it was Kilruane who prevailed to set up an interesting quarter-final clash with Portroe.

Impressive for Kilruane were Jerome Cahill, Sean MacAdams, Niall O’Meara, and Kian O’Kelly while Mikey Breen, David Kelly, Sam Loughran, Steven O’Brien and Donie Whelan were to the fore for Ballina.

TEAMS - Kilruane MacDonaghs: Conor Doheny (7); Eanna Hogan (7), Jack Peters (7), James Cleary (7); Cian Darcy (7), Craig Morgan (7), Kieran Cahill (7); Mark O’Neill (7), Niall O’Meara (8); Aaron Morgan (7), Sean MacAdams (8), Kian O’Kelly (8); Willie Cleary (7), Jerome Cahill (8), Paidi Williams (7).

Subs: Rob Austin (6) for Williams (45); Seamus Hennessy (7) for Cahill (45 inj).

Ballina: Martin McKeogh (7), Conor Power (7), David Kelly (8), Jerry O’Brien (7); Steven O’Brien (7), Conor Maguire (7), Thomas Collins (7); Paddy O’Donovan (7), Sam Loughran (7); Aidan Hanly (7), Mikey Breen (8), Brian Hurley (6), Donie Whelan (8), George Kealy (6), David Grace (7).

Subs: Eoghan Power (7) for Hurley (HT); Dan Finnerty (7) for Kealy (HT); Mike Grace (6) for Hanly (41).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).