Kilruane hand Kiladangan their exit papers

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Preliminary Quarter Final

Kilruane MacDonaghs 3-19

Kiladangan 3-15

Report: Shane Brophy at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

Kilruane MacDonaghs handed neighbours Kiladangan their earliest championship exit in almost a decade in deservedly winning this Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship preliminary quarter final on Sunday.

In the first meeting between the sides since the 2022 county final replay, won by Kilruane, they repeated the dose, leading from the front most of the way and while Kiladangan had their spells on the front foot, and hitting sixteen wides, they were still off their fluent best in suffering their third championship defeat in a row as the North champions made their exit.

Kiladangan will rue their wastefulness but once again, they lacked control, which has been one of their calling cards over the last decade or so.

Moving Joe Gallagher back to the forwards and bringing Paul Flynn from the attack to midfield, moves that worked on the day, however it indicated how they were forced to try something different to kick-start a faltering campaign where a reaction to the heavy loss to Toomevara was expected but it didn’t materialise.

Much of that was down to Kilruane MacDonaghs pressure as it was they who set the terms of engagement for the most part, playing on the front foot, and crucially when Kiladangan did threaten, they responded cooly and calmly each time.

They were boosted by the return from injury of Jerome Cahill, and the midfielder took just two minutes to get on the scoresheet as they made the early running with Willie Cleary (free) and Shane Cleary on target.

It took a full eight minutes for Kiladangan to register through full forward Sean Hayes as he was the only attacker to threaten Kilruane with Paul Flynn’s move to midfield paying off with three points from play to an extent that Kilruane were forced to make an early change with Mark O’Neill brought into try and curb his influence.

Leading 0-8 to 0-5, Kilruane’s first goal came on 21 minutes with the strength of Thomas Cleary, from a pinpoint Jerome Cahill delivery, leading to Kian O’Kelly scoring the first of his two goals, the big half-forwards aerial ability a real menace all through.

It put them into a deserved six-point lead, but the deficit was halved at the interval, 1-11 to 1-8, largely due to Bryan McLoughney’s 30th minute goal.

O’Kelly’s second goal three minutes after the resumption gave Kilruane the ideal tonic facing into the breeze, ahead of the expected Kiladangan revival which came on the form of four points in a row from Flynn, Hayes, and Tadgh & Joe Gallagher to get within two on 37 minutes.

However, their wastefulness in front of goal was starting to increase, including two frees from Billy Seymour who had one of those games where nothing went right with the Tipperary All-Ireland winning panellist subbed off with ten minutes to go.

A fizzing drive from Cian Darcy and three points (1 free) from Willie Cleary restored Kilruane’s control before Kiladangan came again but failed to convert two goal chances in quick succession around the 50th minute with Conor Byrne firing inches wide before he was then denied by Paidi Williams.

The goal did come in the 57th minute when Joe Gallagher, now at full-forward, deflected a dipping ball to the net, bringing the 2020 & 2023 champions back within two points.

However, Kilruane’s response was impressive with excellent points from Jerome Cahill and newcomer Shane Cleary, before Niall O’Meara converted an injury time penalty after substitute Eoin Hogan was fouled.

Bryan McLoughney’s second goal for Kiladangan was mere consolation as Kilruane march onto next weekend’s quarter finals and with momentum behind them, you wouldn’t bet against them adding to their 2023 title success.

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

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Paidi Williams (7); Jack Peters (7), Aaron Morgan (7), James Cleary (7); Niall O’Meara (1-2, 1-0 pen, 9), Craig Morgan (0-1, 7), Kieran Cahill (6); Conor Austin (0-1, 6), Jerome Cahill (0-3, 8); Shane Cleary (0-2, 7), Kian O’Kelly (2-0, 8), Cian Darcy (0-2, 7); Willie Cleary (0-8, 5f, 7), Thomas Cleary (7), Michael Cleary (6).

Subs: Mark O’Neill (6) for Austin (22); Darragh Peters (6) for M Cleary (40); Eoin Hogan (7) for T Cleary (52).

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

Subs: Daragh Flannery (6) for D O’Meara (41); Neil Cahalan (6) for Seymour (53); Conor Culhane (NR) for Byrne (60+1).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels).