Slick Nenagh make easy work of Cashel

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Nenagh Eire Og 3-29

Cashel King Cormacs 0-21

Report: Michael Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og).

SCORERS – Nenagh Eire Og: Michael Heffernan 0-12 (8 frees); Sam O’Farrell 2-3; Tommy Heffernan 1-3; Josh Keller 0-3; Ben West, Philip Hickey 0-2 each; Paddy Murphy, Filip McIntyre, Billy O’Brien, Adam Grattan 0-1 each.

Cashel King Cormacs: Devon Ryan 0-6 (4 frees); Eoghan Connolly 0-4 frees; Davy McGrath 0-3; Conor O’Dwyer, Denis O’Callaghan 0-2 each; Ger Browne, Daniel Moloney, Ross Bonnar, Oisin O’Donoghue 0-1 each.

Not in their wildest imagination did Nenagh Eire Og players or supporters think they would have such a trouble-free passage to the County Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals on Sunday when trouncing a Cashel King Cormacs side that entertained serious thoughts of winning the Dan Breen Cup in a lop-sided quarter final.

County League Division 1 champions Cashel were brimming with confidence as they faced up to last year’s beaten finalists but the West side’s ambitions were all too quickly shattered by a Nenagh Eire Og display that has catapulted them into being many people’s favourites to going one better than last year.

To add to the merit of the Nenagh win, it was achieved without their captain and county star Jake Morris, sidelined with an ankle problem. Supporters and management will be hoping that the additional two weeks rest will see him able to line out against Sarsfields in the semi-final. The reality is that he was not missed as Nenagh dominated in so many quarters their place in the hat for the semi-final draw was secured by half-time at which stage they led 1-17 to 0-9.

Cashel never got out of the blocks, their big names, in particular, failing to make an impact, and if there is any caveat in assessments of the Nenagh performance it is that the opposition was so poor that they probably made Eire Og look better than they really are. How good Nenagh are remains to be seen but for now they are in a very strong position, with confidence soaring after their dismal start to the campaign when losing to JK Brackens.

The opening minutes gave no indication of what as to come. Eight minutes in, Cashel led 0-4 to 0-3 but then Nenagh hit them with four points in as many minutes from Mikey Heffernan, Sam O’Farrell, Josh Keller and Philip Hickey.

A pattern was emerging – Nenagh’s slick movement and their earnestness in closing down opponents, established a control that Cashel never subsequently challenged. Another run of four unanswered Nenagh points, three from Heffernan and another from Keller, saw them steadily putting daylight between themselves and their rivals to be 0-17 to 0-9 clear approaching the break.

In injury time, Nenagh struck a really decisive blow, Sam O’Farrell, who was having the proverbial stormer, set-up by Philip Hickey for a goal that effectively put the game beyond Cashel’s reach, even with a further thirty minutes to play.

Trailing by eleven points at the break, Cashel’s position looked impossible. A brace of points on resuming from Ger Browne and Ross Bonnar hinted at a resurgence but that notion was quickly dispelled when after 35 minutes, Sam O’Farrell took full advantage when Ronan Connolly slipped to race through for Nenagh’s second goal and a 2-18 to 0-12 lead. Game over!

Nenagh management began to use their situation to give game time to their subs. None took greater advantage than Tommy Heffernan who scored 1-3 off the bench, his goal coming well into injury time. Cashel’s misery deepened with the red-carding of Ross Bonnar late on for a rash tackle.

So, what now for Nenagh? They have put the loss in the North final and their opening game in the round-robin series of the county championship well behind them. They are playing well, and with confidence, and they must believe they have a great chance of going the whole way.

Standing in their path now is a Thurles Sarsfields side which, with an injection of young blood, is unbeaten in the county race and who entertain similar ambitions to Nenagh. Nenagh’s record against Sarsfields in recent years is good but really counts for nothing now. What a contest is in prospect.

In the absence of Jake Morris, Sam O’Farrell donned the mantel of team leader with a man of the match performance, scoring 2-3 from play. Mikey Heffernan was not far behind with Josh Keller also having a capital game. Barry Heffernan’s leadership at the back was again evident with Paddy Murphy also to the fore. Tommy Heffernan’s contribution off the bench surely makes him a candidate for a starting position in the semi-final. A concern ahead of the semi-final is the injury to defender Jake Donelan-Houlihan which saw him leave the fray after four minutes.

Cashel will want to quickly forget this below-par performance. Few of their side did themselves justice, the exceptions being Conor O’Dwyer, Devon Ryan, and Davy McGrath. Eoghan Connolly’s contribution was largely from placed balls and county colleague Oisin O’Donoghue also had a quiet game by his own high standards.

TEAMS - Nenagh Eire Og: Dermot McTiernan (6); Conor Hennessy (6), Mark Carey (6), Jake Donelan-Houlihan (NR); Paddy Murphy (7), Barry Heffernan (7), Emmet Jones (6); Conor Ryan (6), James Mackey (6); Ben West (6), Josh Keller (7), Filip McIntyre (6); Sam O’Farrell (9), Mikey Heffernan (8), Philip Hickey (6).

Subs: Billy O’Brien (6) for Donelan-Houlihan (4 inj); Sean Phelan (6) for Mackey (35); Tommy Heffernan (8) for West (43); Jamie Cottrell (6) for McIntyre (50); Adam Grattan (7) for Murphy (54).

Cashel King Cormacs: Aaron Browne (6); Conn Bonnar (6), Nathan Ryan (6), Kieran O’Dwyer (6); James Cummins (6), Eoghan Connolly (Capt 7), Ronan Connolly (6); Conor O’Dwyer (7), Oisin O’Donoghue (6); Ross Bonnar (6), Ger Browne (6), Shane Neville (6); Davy McGrath (7), Cathal Quinn (6), Devon Ryan (7).

Subs: Denis O’Callaghan (6) for Neville (HT); Daniel Moloney (6) for N Ryan (40); Ross Whelan (6) for C Bonnar (43); Anthony Walsh (6) for R Connolly (52).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels).