Tipperary SHC: JD Devaney drives Borris-Ileigh to comfortable win

Clonoulty-Rossmore were surprisingly comfortable winners over Nenagh Éire Óg, while Upperchurch-Drombane and Toomevara drew

Borris-Ileigh's Jerry Kelly attempts to gather ahead of Donagh Maher of Burgess at McDonagh Park, Nenagh. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Champions Borris-Ileigh had a comfortable 3-23 to 1-14 win over Burgess at Nenagh to keep the defence of their Tipperary senior hurling title on track. 

The holders produced an impressive first-half showing to lead 1-15 to 0-8 at half-time. They were 0-8 to 0-5 clear at the water break but JD Devaney’s goal after 25 minutes helped extend their advantage to 10 points by half-time. 

A Brendan Maher goal from a penalty early in the second half followed by another green flag from Devaney after 40 minutes had them 3-15 to 0-12 ahead and certain winners. Burgess had a goal from Bill O'Flaherty with seven minutes to go but they never threatened to catch their rivals.

Jack Butler’s second goal for Upperchurch-Drombane after 57 minutes enabled them to draw 3-17 to 1-23 with Toomevara in a thriller in which the sides were locked together all the way at Semple Stadium. 

Padraig Greene had an Upperchurch goal after five minutes but Russell Quirke netted for Toome five minutes later and at the water break, it was 1-5 each. They were still deadlocked at the interval, Butler netting after 28 minutes for Upperchurch to leave it 2-10 to 1-13. 

By the second water break, it was Toome 1-19, Upperchurch 2-16, but Butler’s second goal for Church looked a winner putting his side one point clear. Justice was done, however, as Mark McCarthy levelled for Toome before the finish.

Meanwhile, Kilruane MacDonaghs put in a strong finish for a 3-19 to 2-15 win over Moycarkey-Borris. Kian O'Kelly got Kilruane off to the ideal start with an early goal but Moycarkey were soon on their heels and goalie Rhyce Shelly netted a penalty to nudge his side ahead. Cian Darcy kicked home a second Kilruane goal before the break for an interval lead of 2-8 to 1-10.

Again Moycarkey responded and JJ Darmody’s goal after 36 minutes had them 2-11 to 2-10 ahead. At the water break, it was 2-13 each but Kilruane proved the stronger in the last quarter outscoring their rivals 1-8 to 0-6 for a win that sets up a knock-out tie against Loughmore-Castleiney, who were defeated 2-28 to 0-25 by Thurles Sarsfields on Friday, in the third round.

Clonoulty-Rossmore were surprisingly comfortable 1-22 to 1-16 winners over Nenagh Éire Óg at Semple Stadium on Sunday evening clinching their place in the quarter-finals with their second win. After a tight opening quarter which finished level at 0-6 each, Clonoulty took control and helped by Conor Hammersley’s goal in injury-time, led at the interval 1-13 to 0-8. 

A misfiring Nenagh needed a big effort to save the day but at the second water break, Clonoulty were 1-17 to 0-10 ahead. Jake Morris, Nenagh’s best player, had a goal after 52 minutes reducing the deficit to eight points but they never threatened to overtake the winners for whom Timmy Hammersley scored 13 points, three from play.

County defender Cathal Barrett led the Holycross-Ballycahill attack in inspiring fashion, scoring eight points from play, in their 0-23 to 1-18 win over Éire Óg Annacarty at Clonoulty.

Holycross made the running all the way and led 0-11 to 0-8 at half-time. They were 0-18 to 0-13 clear when Donal O'Dwyer hit a goal for Annacarty after 44 minutes leaving only two points between the sides at the second water break. In a tense finish, they each shot five points, the win keeping Holycross in the frame for a knock-out position.

Drom-Inch lost key player Johnny Ryan to a straight red card after only two minutes but were still good enough to beat neighbours JK Brackens 2-16 to 1-15 at Semple Stadium. Drom coped well with the loss of their centre-back and despite a Lyndon Fairbrother penalty goal for Brackens after 15 minutes, Drom led 0-10 to 1-5 at half-time. 

A big Brackens effort saw them draw level, 1-12 each, at the end of the third quarter but David Butler’s goal for Drom in the 54th minute tipped the scales in their favour, the win clinching their place in the knock-out stages.

First-half goals from Dan O'Meara and Bryan McLoughney were crucial as Kiladangan got the better of Roscrea by 2-19 to 0-14. O'Meara’s goal after 18 minutes put Kiladangan 1-6 to 0-5 ahead and McLoughney’s effort six minutes later helped them to a 2-8 to 0-6 interval lead. With Luke Cashin and Dara Tynan leading the charge, Roscrea tried hard to bridge the gap but Kiladangan, with Billy Seymour and Willie Connors to the fore, stayed well clear to the finish.