Toomevara punish wasteful Loughmore

Toomevara 0-17 Loughmore-Castleiney 0-13

How do you explain a final tally of just 13 points on a perfect afternoon for hurling, on the superb Semple Stadium sod? A wides tally of 15 tells its own story, but this was poor.

Nor can Toomevara take any great credit away from this afternoon. They won, which was the primary aim, but they too have their problems, finished with as many wides (17) as points. They’re back in another county final but they still have a way to go.

Scorers for Toomevara: K. Dunne 0-7 (0-4 frees 0-2 65’s); W. Ryan 0-4; J. O’Brien 0-2; M. Bevans, E. Brislane, P. O’Brien, F. Devanney, 0-1 each.

Loughmore-Castleiney: E. Sweeney 0-7 (0-3 frees); N. McGrath 0-3 (0-2 frees); E. Connolly, D. McGrath, T. King, 0-1 each.

LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY: J. Gleeson; A. Stapleton, D. Bourke (c), P. Ormonde; E. Ryan, D. Kennedy, T. King; C. McGrath, G. Sweeney; J. Egan, E. Sweeney, N. McGrath; E. Connolly, M. Webster, D. McGrath.

Subs: M. Gleeson (Egan 30); P. Brennan (G. Sweeney 47); J. Campion (D. McGrath 55).

TOOMEVARA: J. McGrath; P. Touhy, D. Young, P. McGrath; J. McLoughney, Benny Dunne, P. Hackett; F. Devanney, T. Dunne; P. O’Brien, K. Dunne, E. Brislane; M. Bevans (c), J. O’Brien, W. Ryan.

Subs: D. Kennedy for Brislane (47); Barry Dunne for P. O’Brien (57); K. McGrath for T. Dunne (63).

Referee: S. Roche (Kilsheelan).

Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-17Thurles Sarsfields 1-14

HOW CAN two talent-laden teams combine to produce a display as sterile as we saw for most of this Tipperary SHC semi-final in Semple Stadium yesterday? With 12 minutes to go the scoreline read 1-9 to 0-11 in favour of Thurles Sarsfields, and it was dire stuff. Consider this; of the 11 Clonoulty-Rossmore points, 10 had been scored by wing-forward Tommy Hammersley, and eight of those were from placed balls.

Of the Sars 1-9, free-taker Pa Bourke had 1-6, and again, 1-5 from dead balls. Passionless, lifeless, bloodless, it appeared as though neither side had any great interest in reaching the county final. There were exceptions of course but this was training-field hurling, early season training-field at that.

Scorers for Clonoulty-Rossmore: T. Hammersley 0-11 (0-7 frees 0-2 65’s); John O’Neill 0-3; J. Devane, Thomas Butler, A. Butler, 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: P. Bourke 1-8 (1-6 frees); S. Ryan 0-2; L. Corbett 0-2; W. Cully, R. Ruth, 0-1 each.

CLONOULTY-ROSSMORE: D. O’Dwyer; Joey O’Keeffe, J. Heffernan (c), K. Horan; John O’Keeffe, J. Heffernan (c), J. Devane; C. Ryan, Tom Butler; J. Forrestal, T. Hammersley, Thomas Butler; F. O’Keeffe, A. Butler, J. O’Neill.

Subs: P. White (Forrestal 35); L. Devane (Ryan 55).

THURLES SARS: P. McCormack; M. Collins, P. Maher, K. O’Gorman; T. King, L. Cahill, M. Cahill; S. Lillis (c), S. Ryan; J. Corbett, G. O’Grady, W. Cully; T. Ruth, L. Corbett, P. Bourke. Subs: G. Mernagh (O’Gorman inj. 11); J. Lawlor (King 44); R. Ruth (Cully 50); D. O’Dwyer (Corbett 55); J. Enright (T. Ruth 58).

Referee: J. McDonnell (Roscrea).