Kiladangan and Loughmore have come a long way

 

By Liam Hogan 

Kiladangan and Loughmore/Castleiney have come a long way since they first met in a county final forty years ago.

That final wasn’t at senior level, but in the intermediate grade when both clubs were outliers in senior hurling, with Loughmore a more noted football club until then.

This intermediate final was played on October 26th 1980 in wet and greasy conditions which made hurling difficult according to the match report on the Nenagh Guardian. Loughmore won in style 2-14 to 0-5. Normally recognised as a traditional football club, it was the club’s first major honour in hurling and it was built on the success of successful minor teams in 1974, 76, ’77, ’78 and ’79 as new names emerged like Jim Meagher along with Pat and Tom McGrath. 

By 1988 the team were county senior hurling champions for the first time when defeating Borris-Ileigh. They won two more in 2007 and 2013. Mid Tipp hurling had changed for the better. 

Kiladangan’s decline in the hurling world has been well chronicled. A short stay in Junior during 1996 was the moment of change and two years later a bright star shone when they won a county minor ‘B’ hurling title when defeating Moycarkey/Borris. Since then the club has went from strength to strength as they reached the stars with a county and All-Ireland Intermediate club title in 2004/2005. Since promotion to senior level in 2005, Kiladangan won five North senior titles 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019 having won two previously in 1938 and 1943.  

Tremendous underage success came in parallel with the senior success and they reached their first County Under 21 ‘A’ hurling final in 2014 when taking on Loughmore/Castleiney as it happens. 

Played on January 25th 2015, Loughmore emerged winners 1-8 to 0-10 in a pulsating game. Many players emerged as heroes that day and are well known at senior level and will be in action next Sunday such as Lorcan Egan, Joe Hennessy, Brian McGrath, Joseph Nyland, John McGrath and John Meagher who was an impressive man of the match that day for Loughmore. Liam McGrath’s goal made the difference. Familiar names on the Kiladangan team were Alan Flynn, David Sweeney, Willie Connors, Tadgh Gallagher and senior captain Paul Flynn. 

Three years later the teams met in the County Minor ‘B’ final at Semple Stadium and Kiladangan took their second title thanks to a convincing 4-17 to 0-5 victory. A younger breed was emerging in the blue and gold colours as the team backboned by James Quigley, Darren Moran and Willie Connors were joined by new kids on the block were about to carry the torch such as Barry Hogan, Ciaran Kelly, Andy Loughnane, Billy Seymour, Dan O’Meara and Declan McGrath. Billy Seymour and Andy Loughnane were first half goal scorers with Ben Banaghan and Dan O’Meara also getting in on the act.   

Both Brian McGrath and Peter Nyland were the only recognisable names from the Loughmore side who were completely out hurled that fine September evening.   

The past decade has been good to both teams as both sides have won two County Under 21 ‘A’ hurling titles each with Loughmore adding a second in 2014 while Kiladangan can boast of titles in 2017 and 2019. 

 

Not many players can seek three or four county medals in a ten year period. The Minor win in 2014 gives Kiladangan players the chance to win their fourth while Templederry will have to settle for three. Both teams have came along way since1980.