Roscrea prove too slick for wasteful Kilruane

GAA: Munster Solar North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Roscrea 1-26

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-21

Report: Shane Brophy at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Enda Moloney (Roscrea)

SCORERS – Roscrea: Luke Cashin 0-8 (3 frees, 1 ’65); Evan Fitzpatrick 0-6; Conor Dooley 1-1; Leigh Loughnane 0-3; Jack Lee, Glenn Loughnane, Shane Fletcher (1 free) 0-2 each; Darragh Tynan, Dan Ryan 0-1 each

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Willie Cleary 0-11 (10 frees); Cian Darcy 1-2; Cormac Kennedy, Kieran Cahill 0-2 each; Niall O’Meara, Jerome Cahill, Kian O’Kelly, Thomas Cleary 0-1 each.

Roscrea hit the ground, not just running but sprinting, in 2026 senior championship hurling as they overwhelmed Kilruane MacDonaghs in this North Tipperary quarter final on Saturday evening.

Twelve months ago, Roscrea were on the receiving end of a nineteen-point hammering at the hands of Kiladangan at the same stage, looking completely unprepared for championship hurling. They clearly learned their lesson as they were on it right from the first whistle in this encounter, with two points scored inside 33 seconds, going onto score 1-22 from play.

The played the game at a high tempo, and while goalkeeper Enda Moloney didn’t have much to do from a shot-stopping sense, his ability to find his team-mates from restarts to all ranges was outstanding, something they have clearly developed.

In their recent campaigns, Roscrea tended to over-play the ball coming out from defence but based on this performance, they are not hanging about getting it forward, be it direct, or with quick stick-passes to their skilful forwards who filled their boots, none more so than Evan Fitzpatrick who top-scored from play with six, five in the first half. Luke Cashin was back to his best with four of his eight coming from play while Jack Lee was a constant threat inside with two.

Leigh Loughnane was a real plus for Roscrea, not just for his three points but for his work-rate on the wing, also making great runs for Moloney’s puckouts.

Roscrea also got their match-ups right with Conor Phelan doing a superb job man-marking Jerome Cahill before being called ashore with Glenn Loughnane taking up the mantle and adding two points to boot.

Kilruane can have no complaints with the outcome, despite shooting eighteen wides, as Roscrea shot ten themselves.

However, if Roscrea were on point in what they did, Kilruane didn’t mind the ball well enough. Their plan ‘A’ again revolved around the direct ball to captain Kian O’Kelly but on this occasion not enough came from it with the Roscrea backs easily negating the tactic.

They needed to mix up their game more and an indictment is that more of their starting defenders (4) scored than their starting forwards (3).

With Cahill and O’Kelly well curtailed, they relied too heavily on Willie Cleary frees for the bulk of their scoring, and while Cian Darcy chipped in with 1-2, he tried to force goals on two many occasions when the game was in the melting pot.

As mentioned, Roscrea were quickly out of the blocks and were 0-5 to 0-1 in front after just six minutes with Evan Fitzpatrick on target with three in that time.

Kilruane began to settle with points from Willie Cleary (2) and wing-back Kieran Cahill before Roscrea reasserted themselves to lead by double-scores on the quarter hour, 0-8 to 0-4, with Shane Fletcher (free), Cashin, and Fitzpatrick adding to their tallies.

Willie Cleary responded with two frees but Roscrea were creating their chances much easier with points from Cashin (2), Jack Lee, Loughnane, and Fitzpatrick extending their lead before a Cian Darcy point in added time kept Kilruane in touch at the break, 0-9 to 0-13.

Changes were needed by Kilruane and with Thomas Cleary sent into the fray, the experienced forward made an immediate impact with a point fifteen seconds after the resumption, before he the move with the key delivery into Kian O’Kelly which resulted in Cian Darcy goaling from a goalmouth scramble to bring the sides level for the first time on 31 minutes.

Darcy should have nudged his side in front to build on the momentum but tried for an ambitions goal which was straight at Enda Moloney who cleared to Leigh Loughnane for a relieving score.

However, Kilruane were motoring now and points from Craig Morgan and O’Kelly put them in front for what would be the only time in the contest.

Roscrea rallied well with six of the next eight points with Cashin, Loughnane, Darragh Tynan, Dooley and Lee on target.

Corner back Cormac Kennedy, on his senior debut, burst forward up the right to score two from long range, to add to those from Darcy and the outstanding Niall O’Meara to bring Kilruane back within one at the three-quarter mark.

Glenn Loughnane made an immediate impact with a long range point, responded to by Jerome Cahill’s only point of the game before Willie Cleary brought the sides level on 46 minutes.

Roscrea were the better team but they couldn’t shake off the magpies, however, they never doubted themselves as they set about getting back in front with Glenn Loughnane and Dan Ryan pointing before Conor Dooley blasted to the net for a 50th minute goal.

Shane Fletcher pointed to extend the gap to six and from there to the end they were relatively comfortable with Kilruane rarely threatening a late revival, leaving them with plenty to ponder before they are seen again in the county championship next month whereas Roscrea have a North semi-final to look forward to.

TEAMS – Roscrea: Enda Moloney (9); Conor Booth (8), Michael Campion (7), Aidan Booth (7); Darragh Tynan (7), Conor Sheedy (7), Alan Tynan (7); Conor Phelan (7), Dan Ryan (8); Leigh Loughnane (8), Luke Cashin (8), Conor Dooley (7); Evan Fitzpatrick (9), Shane Fletcher (7), Jack Lee (7).

Subs: Glenn Loughnane (8) for Phelan (41); Owen Tynan (6) for D Tynan (48 inj).

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Paidi Williams (6); Cormac Kennedy (7), Aaron Morgan (7), Jack Peters (6); Kieran Cahill (7), Niall O’Meara (8), James Cleary (6); Craig Morgan (7), Shane Cleary (6); Cian Darcy (7), Jerome Cahill (6), Willie Cleary (7); Michael Cleary (6), Kian O’Kelly (Capt 7), Tommy O’Meara (6).

Subs: Thomas Cleary (7) for T O’Meara (HT); Tommy O’Meara for M Cleary (54).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).