Early and late goals key to Kiladangan victory

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 1

Kiladangan 2-20

Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-21

Report: John O’Shea at Páirc Shíleáin, Templemore

North champions Kiladangan got over their first hurdle when defeating West champions Clonoulty/Rossmore in the opening Group 1 game of the County Senior Hurling Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Tipperary’s All-Ireland star Willie Connors was the main difference between the sides as he put in a man of the match performance, hitting 0-6, including three monster placed ball from around his own 45 during the third quarter.

From the throw-in, Clonoulty/Rossmore attacked, and Stephen Ferncombe slotted over the opening point from a placed ball out on the sideline. Their shooting let them down as they followed up with three wides in quick succession before Kiladangan got into a rhythm.

Three minutes in, the North champions opened their account when Sean Hayes opened up the Clonoulty defence with a run from midfield, before offloading to Tadhg Gallagher who blasted to the net from close range.

This early goal would be the difference between the sides for most of the game,as Kiladangan were never headed from that time. They followed up with four minors in a three-minute spell, one each from Conor Byrne, Billy Seymour, Connors, and Bryan McLoughney.

Clonoulty came right back into the game, hitting four of the next five points, three from Stephen Ferncombe and one from Jack Ryan, with Conor Byrne converting his second from a placed ball for Kiladangan.

Willie Connors, who was growing into the game and causing problems for the West men, slotted over his second minor from an acute angle before Tadhg Gallagher added a point.

Fergie Hayes and Stephen Ferncombe accidentality collided in mid-air, resulting in Hayes being replaced on 24 minutes by Daragh Butler. Robert Doyle cut the deficit to the minimum when he gathered a cross-field ball from a John O’Keeffe free and split the posts from around seventy meters. Conor Byrne, from a free, and Paul Flynn, from play, extended the lead to three, before Nathan Slattery set up Cathal Bourke for his second minor as thirty minutes approached.

Jason O’Dwyer pulled off a wonder save from Conor Byrne, at the expense of a 65, one minute into added time. Byrne added his fourth before Enda Heffernan closed out the half with a long range point as Kiladangan led 1-10 to 0-11.

After the restart, Stephen Ferncombe put over his seventh, closing the gap to one. What followed was a series of alternating scores over the next fifteen minutes, as both teams sought to gain the upper hand.

Willie Connors punished an unnecessary free from inside his own 45 metre line before Enda Heffernan pulled the advantage back to the minimum. Paul Flynn and Danny Slattery cancelled each other out with well-taken scores before Willie Connors hit two more long range frees either side of Stephen Ferncombe nailing his eighth. Connors, who was really on fire, again replied but Cathal Bourke cancelled out, to leave the minimum between the sides as the game entered the final quarter.

Kiladangan then hit their second purple patch, hitting five points within three minutes. Conor Byrne with his fifth free was followed up with minors from Billy Seymour, substitute Dara O’Dwyer, Tadhg Gallagher and one from play from Willie Connors, his sixth. This gave the North champions a six-point advantage with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

Clonoulty/Rossmore staged a comeback with Enda Heffernan landing two huge efforts from inside his own half before Stephen Ferncombe brought his side within two points as the clock headed for sixty minutes.

All the momentum was with the West men, but poor shot choices and overplaying the ball cost them in those late minutes as they endeavoured to close the gap. Billy Seymour slotted his third minor on 62 minutes before substitute Conor Culhane pounced on a defensive error to seal the game with a goal a minute later.

Jack Ryan closed out the scoring with a late point, but last year’s beaten quarter finalists are up and running in their quest for Dan Breen honours.

Player of the Match: Willie Connors (Kiladangan)

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (7); Fergie Hayes (7), James Quigley (6), David Sweeney (7), Daragh Flannery (6), Alan Flynn (7), Joe Gallagher (7), Tadhg Gallagher (1-2, 8), Willie Connors (0-6, 3f, 9), Conor Byrne (0-5, 4f, 1 ’65, 7), Dan O’Meara (6), Paul Flynn (0-2, 7), Bryan McLoughney (0-1, 6), Billy Seymour (0-3, 7), Sean Hayes (6).

Subs: Daragh Butler (7) for Hayes (24 inj), Dara O’Dwyer (0-1, 7) for McLoughney (43), Neil Cahalan (6) for O’Meara (46), John O’Meara for Sweeney (46-49 blood), Conor Culhane (1-0, 8) for T Gallagher (55).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Jason O’Dwyer (8); Tommy Ryan (7), Robert Doyle (0-1, 7), Jimmy Ryan (Con 7), John O’Keeffe (7), Enda Heffernan (0-4, 8), Jamie Davern (6), Ronan Heffernan (7), Stevie Quinn (7), Nathan Slattery (6), Stephen Ferncombe (0-10, 9f, 7), Jack Ryan (0-2, 7), Danny Slattery (0-1, 6), Cathal Bourke (0-3, 7), Jimmy Maher (6).

Sub: Phillip Kelleher (6) for Davern (48 blood).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).