County Hurling League Review

Division 1

Drom & Inch 1-21 JK Brackens 1-27

With Lyndon Fairbrother scoring 0-15, JK Brackens eased past fourteen man Drom & Inch in a very high scoring encounter played at The Ragg on Thursday.

The teams gave full value in terms of scores despite knowing neither team could advance to the knockout stage.

Scores were twice level in the opening ten minutes before a Shane Doyle put Brackens four in front at 1-9 to 0-7 after twenty minutes. Brackens held on to take a 1-12 to 0-12 half time lead and added two points in the opening minutes of the second half before Tipperary under 20 player Maidhc Fitzpatrick brought Drom back in contention with a goal in the 34th minute. Fitzpatrick scored 1-3 from play.

However, JK Brackens and Lyndon Fairbrother in particular were in the mood to pick off the scores with the Bracken sharpshooter shot six points from frees plus a sixty five as his team went seven in front after 48 minutes, 1-22 to 1-15. Drom lost Michael Campion to a straight red card offence and numerical advantage was to help Brackens close out the deal. Shane Doyle scored 1-4 from play for Brackens.

Thurles Sarsfields 1-20 Toomevara 2-15

With both teams already through to the semi-final it was a battle to decide first and second place in Thurles on Sunday, and it was Conor Lanigan’s late goal gave Thurles the win.

The opening half looked as if Sarsfields were going to run riot as they opened an eight point lead before Toome staged a rally and with the help of a Shane Nolan goal in the 27th minute the teams were level at half time, 0-13 to 1-10.

The second half was in its infancy when Mark McCarthy had a second goal for Toome and when Jack Delaney pointed in the 49th minute Toome were five in front, 2-15 to 0-16. However, Sarsfields began to dig deep and with Conor Lanigan on frees (1-8, 0-6 frees) plus the accuracy of Rory Purcell and Liam McCormack they slowly ate into the Toome lead before Lanigan got the winning goal.

Denis Maher played at centre back while Billy McCarthy did well at centre forward. Toome had Mark McCarthy as their top scorer on 1-5 (0-5 frees) while Jack Delaney chipped in at 0-5.

Nenagh Éire Óg 3-21 Kilruane MacDonaghs 0-14

With their second win on the trot Nenagh Éire Óg are beginning to come good and in their fifth and final round they had very much to spare when defeating their neighbours at McDonagh Park, Nenagh last Sunday.

The winners led 1-14 to 0-9 at half time with Conor Ryan securing the goal and in the second half it was pretty much one way traffic with Conor Hennessey and Philip Hickey adding a goal each to see their side finish in fifth place and with four points. Mikey Heffernan top scored with 0-8 (6 frees) and Conor Ryan scored 1-3 from play.

Kiladangan 2-19 Borris-Ileigh 0-21

Kiladangan staved off a Borris-Ileigh comeback in Puckane last Wednesday with Paul Flynn’s goal in the 61st minute putting daylight between the teams allowing the home side to gain a place in the semi-finals.

Borris-Ileigh needed a win to have any chance of making the knockout stage and were 0-4 to 0-1 lead after Conor Kenny scored in the seventh minute, but Kiladangan were soon level when Eoghan Sharkey hit the net a minute later. The goal was the start of dominant period by Kiladangan, and they were 1-9 to 0-8 in front after Darren Moran scored in the 27th minute.

The margin was four at half time, 1-11 to 0-10 and increased to eight by the 36th minute after Bryan McLoughney (0-11 (7 frees, 2 65s) pointed three frees with Tadgh Gallagher adding one from play. Jerry Kelly was equally proficient for Borris-Ileigh 0-12 (10 frees) as he converted four frees, accompanied by a Jack Fitzgerald point from play and when Tommy Ryan chipped in with his second point it was 1-15 to 0-16 and anybody’s race.

Both teams went at it almost score for score and after Jack Hogan from play and Kelly from a free the deficit was back to one with eight minutes remaining. Willie Connors had Kiladangan two in front Kelly hit back with a free before McLoughney (K), JD Devaney (B) and Eoin Sharkey took turns in finding the target before Paul Flynn’s goal in injury time was the difference.

Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-17 Moycarkey/Borris 1-21

It was a matter of pride for either team in Clonoulty on Friday as reaching the semi-finals was out of the question. Moycarkey/Borris led from start to finish and had a 1-14 to 0-7 half time lead with Brian Flanagan scoring the goal.

Clonoulty/Rossmore staged a second half comeback and whittled the back the lead to one before Moycarkey pulled away in the final minutes.

Mullinahone 1-12 Upperchurch/Drombane 0-12

With their eyes firmly set on the semi-finals, Upperchurch/Drombane lost their 100 percent record as Mullinahone beat them by three points in Mullinahone on Sunday.

Jack Shelly provided the winning goal for the home side in the 55th minute as the winners came from behind after trailing at half-time, 0-6 to 0-4.

Division 2

Gortnahoe/Glengoole 1-15 Killenaule 3-17

John O’Dwyer was the main man as Killenaule made sure of a place in the last four as they recorded an impressive win over their neighbours at the official opening of the new GAA grounds in Gortnahoe on Sunday.

The South side finished the group unbeaten with nine points out of a possible ten. Gortnahoe Glengoole finished in second place on six points but their place in the semi-finals are not a sure yet as Loughmore/Castleiney were to face Portroe on Tuesday with Loughmore needing a win which would bring them to six and they have the advantage on Gortnahoe due to head to head. A win for Portroe would see them finish on six points but they would lose out to Gortnahoe on head-to-head. No result at the time of going to press.

Carrick Swan 2-17 Templederry Kenyons 0-27

Templederry finished their group stage with a second win after easing to a four point win over Carrick Swan in Carrick-on-Suir on Sunday.

Éire Óg Annacarty 1-21 Burgess 1-18

In a game when victory for both sides would give the winners a place in the semi-final, it was Éire Óg Annacarty who prevailed in Annacarty on Saturday. In a close contest there was never more than four points between the sides it was Annacarty who dominated the first half and led 0-9 to 0-5 after nineteen minutes. However, the remainder of the half was pretty much all Burgess with Stephen Kirwan finding the back of the net move them in front 1-9 to 0-11 as the half entered injury time. But Annacarty responded almost immediately when Seanie Ryan scored a goal and the West side led 1-11 to 1-10 at half time.

On reaching the 38th minute, scores were level for the fourth time at 1-12 each but Annacarty took over and were three in front by the 44th minute. Burgess brought it back to one and as that pattern continued throughout the rest of the game but with Seanie Ryan (1-12, 0-9 frees) on target for the home side only to be matched by Stephen Murray who finished top scorer on 0-12 (11 frees) as Annacarty were safely through to the semi-final where they would join group leaders Holycross/Ballycahill.

Roscrea 1-31 Holycross/Ballycahill 0-15

Holycross/Ballycahill saw their unbeaten run come unstuck last Sunday as Roscrea’s forwards destroyed them when they met at Roscrea last Sunday.

Fighting for their second win, Roscrea enjoyed the luxury of seeing twelve of their team get on the scoresheet with Dylan Hogan their top scorer on 1-5, including 0-3 from frees.

Holycross have other fish to fry as they face a semi-final clash with either Gortnahoe/Glengoole or Loughmore/Castleiney while Éire Óg Annacarty are to face Killenaule in the other semi-final.

Division 3

Sean Treacys 0-23 Knockavilla Kickhams 1-19

In this all West clash, Sean Treacys dug out a one point victory over Kickhams on a sunny Saturday in Kilcommon. Patrick Carey scored what proved to be the winning point from a free.

Ballingarry 0-16 Ballina 0-8

A Dylan Walsh one-man show made sure of Ballingarry keeping their top of the table position intact after they defeated Ballina in Ballingarry last Sunday.

Walsh scored 0-15 (10 frees) as they proved too strong for a disappointing Ballina side. Ballina, who had Matthew Power to thanks with five points from frees must now look forward to the championship. Ballingarry will play Borrisokane in the semi-final.

Lorrha 1-22 St Mary’s 0-16

Lorrha secured the win they needed to progress to the Division 3 semi-final after seeing off St Mary’s who made the long journey to Tony Reddin Park on Sunday.

Former Tipperary minor and under 20 hurler Colm Fogarty was in outstanding form for the home side, contributing 1-13 (1-5 from play) with all five points coming in the first half as Lorrha opened up a 0-14 to 0-4 half time lead.

St Mary’s cut the gap to six at one stage in the second half with Sean Kennedy and Ruairi Leahy their leading performers but points from Niall McIntyre, Donnacha O’Meara, Christopher Fogarty and Martin Gorman ensured Lorrha stayed in control with Colm Fogarty sealing the win with a late goal. Lorrha meet Newport in the last four.

Silvermines 2-15 Moyne-Templetuohy 2-14

Another game with teams playing for pride with Silvermines just about surviving over Moyne-Templetuohy in Dolla on Friday.

They led 2-6 to 1-7 at half time with Andy Hayden and Daniel Keogh supplying the goals. Cormac Deegan had the Moyne goal. The third quarter saw Silvermines keeping Moyne at arm’s length but in the 41st minute Moyne were back level after Ben Ryan found the net. The ‘Mines went three in front but Moyne, with an outside interest of reaching the knockout stage, never gave up with former Tipp goalkeeper Paul Maher delivering a long range free leaving the minimum between the sides but the Mines hung on.

Newport 3-14 Borrisokane 2-26

Borrisokane let loose as they made sure of a place in the semi-final with an extraordinary win over Newport at Lacken Park on Sunday,

Michael Heenan’s goal made sure of a half time lead for the visitors 1-13 to 2-9. Heenan found the net a second time in the second half as Borris ratcheted up the scores as Oisín Larkin top scorer on 0-10 (5 frees) was supported by Michael Heenan 2-2 and Conor Ryan on 0-6 as Newport struggled to stay in touch. The Newport goal-scorers were Jack Delahunty with two and Colin Floyd on one.

The other game saw Moneygall secure their first win of the campaign with a 2-13 to 1-11 win over Skeheenarinky in Ballyporeen.

The semi-finals will see Ballingarry host Borrisokane and Lorrha travel to Newport.

Division 4

Kiladangan 1-18 Carrick Davins 0-13

Kiladangan made the semi-finals after they defeated Carrick Davins at the Ragg last Saturday week.

The winners overcame a slow start before really stamping their authority on the game as they outscored Davins 1-14 to 0-6 before the 12th and 51st minutes with Davins scoring five unanswered points to put a better picture on the scoreboard.

Kiladangan had six on the scoresheet including Ruairi Gleeson, Niall Cahalan, Conor Culhane Eoghan Sharkey and Conor Byrne as well as DJ McGrath who finished top-scorer on 1-4 with his goal coming from a close range free minutes before half time, which helped the North side to a 1-11 to 0-5 lead.

After the resumption, it was Kiladangan all the way with Gleeson and Conor Culhane scorers in chief as they went 1-18 to 0-8 in front with nine minutes remaining.

They had done enough and took the foot off the pedal as Carrick Davins enjoyed a period of scoring with Mickey Whelan, Lee Mackey, and Luke Faulkner on target.

Boherlahan-Dualla 1-20 Ballinahinch 3-12

Boherlahan, similar to Thurles Sarsfields, are the only club to complete a 100 percent record following their two-point win over Ballinahinch in Boherlahan on Saturday. They go on to the semi-finals and take on Clonoulty/Rossmore.

Golden Kilfeacle 1-19 Arravale Rovers 1-16

Golden Kilfeacle made it four wins out of five and more importantly a place in the last four when defeating Arravale Rovers in Golden on Sunday.

They will be joined by Clonoulty/Rossmore who defeated Shannon Rovers 1-20 to 0-14 at Clonoulty on Sunday. Upperchurch/Drombane defeated Ballybacon Grange 4-16 to 0-16 on Drombane on Friday.

In the semi-finals, Kiladangan travel to Golden Kilfeacle while Boherlahan-Dualla host neighbours Clonoulty/Rossmore.

Division 5

Group 1 & 2 winners Grangemockler/Ballyneale and St. Patrick’s will meet in the sole semi-final while group 3 winner Galtee Rovers have progressed straight to the final.

Division 6

Semi-Finals: Knockshegowna v Knock, Rosegreen v Killea.