Impressive Kiladangan dispose of Toomevara challenge

Kiladangan take step closer to first Tipp senior crown

A competitive first half saw Toome hanging in as Kiladangan made the running

Tipperary SHC quarter-final: Kiladangan 3-16; Toomevara 0-18

Kiladangan saw off the challenge of Toomevara with more ease than expected at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

Favourites Kiladangan, chasing their first title, controlled the game but until Joe Gallagher shot their third goal after 40 minutes for a 3-12 to 0-14 lead, they found it difficult to shake off a persistent Toome challenge.

A competitive first half saw Toome hanging in as Kiladangan made the running. It was 0-5 to 0-4 in Kiladangan’s favour at the water break and approaching half-time they were 0-11 to 0-8 ahead when Dan O Meara pounced for their first goal and an interval lead of 1-11 to 0-8.

Two goals in the third quarter tipped the scales in Kiladangan’s favour. Willie Connors got the first minutes when his sideline ball went all the way to the net. On 40 minutes Joe Gallagher availed of Dan O Meara’s creative touch to bag the third goal and by the water break they led by 3-13 to 0-16.

Toomevara lacked penetration in attack and lost Russell Quirke to a second yellow card after 55 minutes. Then in injury time Josh McCarthy joined him on the line, also for a second yellow.

Eleven second-half wides were the only blot on the Kiladangan performance. They were slick and confident with county footballer Dan O Meara a huge threat in the full-forward line using his height and strength to great effect. Paul Flynn, Decky McGrath, Joe Gallagher, James Quigley and David Sweeney were others to have big games.

Scorers for Kiladangan: B Seymour (0-7, 4 frees); P Flynn (0-4), J Gallagher (1-2), D O Meara, W Connors (1-0 each), B McLoughney(0-2), S Hayes (0-1);

Scorers for Toomevara: K McCarthy (0-7, 3 frees); J Delaney (0-5), Jason Ryan (0-2), K Ryan, P Ryan, D Young, K McCarthy (f) (0-1 each);

KILADANGAN: B Hogan; D Flannery, J Quigley, F Hayes; D McGrath, D Sweeney, A Flynn; W Connors, T Gallagher; S Hayes, J Gallagher, B Seymour; D O Meara, P Flynn, B McLoughney; 

Sub: A Loughnane for McLoughney (44)

TOOMEVARA: R Delaney; L Ryan, A Ryan, Jake Ryan; Jason Ryan, J McLoughney, J McCarthy; J Delaney, R Quirke; W Coffey, C O Meara, D Young; R Quirke, M McCarthy, K McCarthy

Subs:  P Ryan and K Ryan for M McCarthy and O Meara(half-time), A Ryan for Young(44 mins);

Ref: K Jordan, Thurles Gaels