Favourites Kiladangan end Clonoulty's emotional campaign

Tommy Ryan, Clonoulty/Rossmore, under pressure Joe Gallagher, Kiladangan  in the Tipperary SHC Quarter Finals

Tipperary SHC quarter-final: Kiladangan 1-14 Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-12 

Clonoulty-Rossmore overcame the trauma of a return to Semple Stadium but not the challenge of Kiladangan as their tragedy-marked campaign came to an end.

Their captain and county star Dillon Quirke collapsed here on the field of play and passed away that August night seven weekends ago. The life he lived most vibrantly when hurling in club and county colours on this field was no doubt remembered as they gathered together at full-time.

They will never stop honouring Dillon every way they know how – his team-mates gave some joy in knocking out Thurles Sarsfields to reach this quarter-final – and they lost no honour in defeat to the title favourites here when down to 14 men for the final 40 minutes; Aaron Ryan sent off after collecting two yellow cards.

Kiladangan have been slowly reassembling their best team across the summer while yet to show title-winning form. They failed to impress for long periods again here but outscored Clonoulty by 1-12 to 0-5 when playing with the man advantage. Tadhg Gallagher finished it as a contest with his 56th-minute goal capping a fine display, ending with 1-3 to his name.

Clonoulty also lined up without former Tipperary panellist Conor Hammersley, who was watching in from New York where he is studying on a Fulbright Scholarship, while free-taker Jack Ryan lined out with a heavily strapped right leg and limped through the first half until being withdrawn at half-time.

Clonoulty, after Bryan McLoughney’s opening point, started much the faster. The West Tipp side scored the next five, four from Ryan, who was positioned in the middle third and shooting on sight of the target.

Kiladangan continued their erratic shooting displays of the group stages, hitting four wides in that period (they finished with 12), while they made an early change at corner-back; the yellow-carded Fergal Hayes hooked for John O’Meara.

Two huge points by Cathal Burke and Ryan, from inside his own half, made it 0-7 to 0-2 before Aaron Ryan saw red.

From that free, Willie Connors gathered the ball and shot for goal, while falling to his knees, but Martin Sadlier produced a full-length diving save to keep Kiladangan out.

Kiladangan began to make use of their man advantage, with Alan Flynn playing the free man role. McLoughney’s frees were supplemented by a Gallagher point after a winding run to cut the deficit to two.

Burke took over free-taking duties from Ryan to land the final score of the half and give Clonoulty a three-point half-time lead, 0-8 to 0-5.

That was pared back to one within two minutes, a McLoughney free and Gallagher again, but their attacking play remained pockmarked by errors; overlaps wasted by a throw and then by handling the ball three times.

Still, Clonoulty’s goal lived an enchanted existence when Connors’ pull ran across the face of the goal and Billy Seymour then cracked a shot off the woodwork.

Kiladangan’s dominance was growing and their spread of scorers began to improve with Sean Hayes, Paul Flynn, and Seymour pointing to give the North men their first lead in 40 minutes, 0-10 to 0-9.

Gallagher was full of running and after adding another point, he finished this contest with a 56th-minute goal, teed up by corner-back John O’Meara.

Clonoulty got the final two scores – Burke frees – but never convincingly threatened a goal despite some late frees being lobbed into the danger area.

Scorers for Kiladangan: T Gallagher (1-3); B McLoughney (0-5, 4 frees); P Flynn (0-2); D Sweeney, A Flynn, S Hayes, B Seymour (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clonoulty-Rossmore: Jack Ryan (0-5, 2 frees, 1 65); C Burke (0-4, 3 frees); A Ryan, M Ryan, C Quirke (0-1 each).

KILADANGAN: B Hogan; F Hayes, J Quigley, D Moran; D Sweeney, A Flynn (capt), D McGrath; T Gallagher, T O’Meara; S Hayes, J Gallagher, B Seymour; B McLoughney, P Flynn, W Connors.

Subs: J O’Meara for Hayes (12), D O’Meara for S Hayes (46), J Loughnane for T O’Meara (53), S Hayes for McLoughney (55), E Sharkey for Connors (60).

CLONOULTY-ROSSMORE: M Sadlier; R Heffernan, S O’Connor, James Ryan; E Heffernan, J O’Keeffe, C Quirke; T Ryan, R Doyle; A Ryan, M Ryan, D Slattery; S Ferncombe, C Burke, Jack Ryan.

Subs: T Butler for Jack Ryan (h-t inj), J Maher for M Ryan (48), P White for Doyle (52), J Hammersley for Ferncombe (55), P Carew for T Ryan (58).

Referee: M Kennedy (Newcastle).