Drom & Inch make use of chances

COMING into this, the first of the two Tipperary senior hurling county semi-finals in Semple Stadium yesterday, Killenaule were the only unbeaten team left in the Tipperary championship, the only divisional champions still standing (they had won the South).

This morning they’ll surely be kicking themselves: ten wides they hit in a first-half in which they looked clearly the better side, while Drom & Inch ended the game with a total of one, just one, a missed 65 by captain Seamus Butler in the 14th minute

Killenaule created four gilt-edged goal chances in the second half, three of which they squandered, corner-forwards Tony Doyle and Niall O’Dwyer each hitting a soft shot from close range straight at Drom & Inch keeper Damien Young, with O’Dwyer also booting another just wide.

Killenaule’s fourth opportunity was drilled just over the bar by impressive substitute Jonathon Gleeson, but one point from four goal chances isn’t a match-winning statistic. They led seven points to one after ten minutes, those points coming from a variety of shooters, while Matthew Ryan got Drom & Inch’s sole point. You’d have put your house on Killenaule at this stage, so what happened?

Improved performance by Drom & Inch is one explanation, but implosion by Killenaule is the other. They looked like they suddenly lost belief in themselves, but for Drom & Inch, the dream continues. Like Killenaule, they have never won a senior title; unlike yesterday’s victims, but the experience of losing the final two years ago to Thurles Sarsfields saw them through yesterday. After the early barrage from Killenaule, Drom & Inch settled with points from Seamus Butler, midfielder Paul Collins, and half-forwards Matthew Ryan, Johnny Ryan and Seamus Callanan had them back within a point after 19 minutes, 0-7 to 0-6.

Minutes later, the game changed even more emphatically; after the sides had swapped points, the impressive Callanan had a shot which seemed to screw off his stick into the top left corner for the only goal of the game, giving Drom & Inch a lead they would never subsequently relinquish.

It put them in control, 1-10 to 0-9 ahead at the break; that became 1-15 to 0-9 seven minutes into the second period and from there on it was Drom & Inch’s game to lose.

Killenaule still made a contest of it and in the final quarter they had a flurry of points bringing them within three of Drom & Inch, with time running out. but in the final action of the match Seamus Butler emerged with the ball after Joe Caesar had lobbed in a high free.

Drom & Inch advance, while Killenaule retreat to the hills, to dream of what might have been.

Scorers: Drom & Inch: S. Callanan 1-8 (0-5 frees); M. Ryan 0-4; S. Butler 0-3 (all frees); P. Collins, J. Woodlock, J. Ryan, E. Woodlock, 0-1 each. Killenaule: J. Caesar 0-7 (0-4 frees 0-2 65’s); N. O’Dwyer 0-3; P. Keswick 0-3; M. O’Donnell 0-2 (0-1 free); J. Gleeson 0-2 (0-1 free); T. Shelly, M. Hickey 0-1 each.

DROM & INCH: D. Young; E. Costello, E. Buckley, K. Butler; P. Butler, D. Kennedy, T. Cantwell; P. Collins, J. Woodlock; J. Ryan, S. Callanan, M. Ryan; S. Butler (c), E. Woodlock, M. Cantwell. Subs: D. Ryan (M. Cantwell 44); M. Butler (M. Ryan inj. 46); L. Kennedy (P. Butler 58).

KILLENAULE: G. Kennedy; S. Browne, D. Fanning, D. Ryan; V. Hannigan, J. Caesar (c), P. Codd; T. Shelly, P. Blake; M. O’Donnell, P. Kennedy, P. Keswick; T. Doyle, K. Browne, N. O’Dwyer. Subs: J. Gleeson (Browne 21); M. Farrell (O’Donnell 39); M. Hickey (Doyle 53); M. Doyle (Blake 59).

Referee: T. Ryan (Kildangan).