Tipperary SHC: John and Noel McGrath fire Loughmore-Castleiney into quarter-finals

While Loughmore advanced, Éire Óg Annacarty and Moycarkey-Borris won their senior hurling relegation semi-finals to preserve their Dan Breen Cup status for next year

Éire Óg Annacarthy's Cian Mooney races away from Holycross-Ballycahill's Stephen Flanagan during the Tipperary SHC relegation semi-final at Clonoulty. Picture: Diarmuid Brennan / Sportsfocus

Beaten finalists last year, Loughmore-Castleiney had the easiest of passages to the Tipperary SHC quarter-finals when they saw off the challenge of a hugely disappointing Killenaule by 2-21 to 0-12 in the preliminary quarter-final at Semple Stadium. 

Though outsiders, Killenaule, the South divisional champions, were expected to push Loughmore to the limit, but at no stage did they threaten an upset with Loughmore racing into a 0-7 to 0-1 lead by the first water break.