Late O’Meara goal sends ’Dangan into final

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Kiladangan 1-11

St. Patrick’s 1-10

Report: Ronan Loughnane in Templetuohy

North champions Kiladangan advanced to the County Junior ‘A’ Hurling Final following victory over St. Patrick’s in a dour semi-final encounter on Sunday.

The foul weather didn’t help matters as both sides struggled to cope with the howling wind that blew north-west towards the village. Strangely, both teams played their best hurling when facing the elements.

Kiladangan played with wind advantage in the opening half but were guilty of some terrible shooting as they failed to figure out the trajectory of the wind. Neil Cahalan opened the scoring from a free in the fourth minute with the impressive Cathal Foley replying soon after for St. Patrick’s.

Johnny Horan restored the Kiladangan lead with a fine strike from play before Tony O’Brien levelled again in the ninth minute. St. Patrick’s were hurling the better of the two by now and they went 0-4 to 0-2 clear thanks to points from Aidan Fitzgerald and Cathal Mahoney by the thirteenth minute. Cathal Foley had a great chance to extend their lead three minutes when he broke through, but he shot straight at Ciaran Kelly in the Kiladangan goal.

Eoin Meagher pointed a free for the North champions a minute later before Neil Cahalan added two more in the 24th & 25th minutes to nudge Kiladangan back in front. Cathal Foley had the last score of the half for St. Patrick’s to tie it up at 0-5 apiece.

The heavens opened at half-time which saw the small crowd quickly scurrying to the back of the stand for shelter, the cup of tea from the shop most welcome. With the storm behind them the smart money was on St. Patrick’s to advance but just as Kiladangan did in the first half, they failed to cope with the wind direction.

Cathal Foley and Eoin Meagher traded frees to begin the second half with scores as scarce as the winning lotto numbers. A crucial one did arrive in the 40th minute when Tony O’Brien’s flick found the net to put St. Patrick’s 1-6 to 0-6 ahead.

Eoin Meagher landed Kiladangan points in the 40th and 41st minutes to cut the deficit before William Cleere pointed to put St. Patrick’s two up once more. Foley and Horan traded excellent scores from play in the 44th minute as did William Cleere and Ronan Ducie minutes later.

The introduction of Eoin Kelly was a plus for Kiladangan and he won a free in the 53rd minute which Cahalan converted. Stalemate followed for the next six minutes before Dan O’Meara flicked a high ball to Johnny Moroney’s net as the clock ticked into overtime to put Kiladangan 1-11 to 1-9 ahead.

Cathal Foley’s 64th minute free made extra-time a real possibility, but Daithi Hogan’s last-gasp attempt to regain parity sailed agonisingly wide and Kiladangan were home and into a county final against Moyle Rovers, who defeated Holycross/Ballycahill in the second semi-final.

To be fair, it was a very difficult day for hurling and both teams could point to their failure to utilise their wind advantage. Martin Minehan, Ronan Ducie, Johnny Horan, Neil Cahalan, Eoin Meagher, and substitute Eoin Kelly fared best for Kiladangan while Sean Nash, Cathal Foley, William Cleere and Cathal Moloney were best for St. Patrick’s.

Player of the Match: Ronan Ducie (Kiladangan).

Kiladangan: Ciaran Kelly (6); Gavin McGrath (5); Shane Seymour (6), Jack McGrath (6); Darragh Ryan (6), Martin Minehan (7), Ronan Ducie (0-1, 7); Johnny Horan (0-2, 7), Neil Cahalan (0-4f, 6); Bill Cleary 5, Matthew Cleary (6); Dan O’Meara (1-0, 6); DJ McGrath (6), Eoin Sharkey (6), Eoin Meagher (0-4, 3f, 7).

Subs: Darragh Butler (6) for B Cleary (HT), Eoin Kelly (7) for Sharkey (40); Aidan Ryan (NR) for O’Meara (60+2).

St. Patrick’s: Johnny Moroney (6); Conor Duggan (6), Pauric O’Brien (6), Evan Holohan (5); Sean Nash (7), Cathal Moloney (0-1f, 7), Michael Boland (6); Ryan Cranitch (6), Cian Cranitch (6); Cathal Foley (0-5, 3f, 7), Aidan Fitzgerald (0-1, 6), William Cleere (0-2, 6); Tony O’Brien (1-1, 6), Richie Needham (6), Daithi Hogan (6).

Subs: Frank Meagher (6) for Needham (55); Jamie Broderick (NR) for Cleere (60+2).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).