Mixed emotions as north rivals must meet again 

Admitting his players were 'devastated' after this draw, Liam O’Kelly had to remind his Kilruane MacDonagh's charges that it was they who equalised to force a second game, not Kiladangan

KEY SCORE: Willie Cleary of Kilruane Mac Donaghs after the Tipperary County Senior Club Hurling Championship Final match between Kilruane MacDonaghs and Kiladangan at Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Kilruane MacDonagh's manager Liam O’Kelly insists there is nothing to suggest his team will fall in a replay as underdogs invariably do.

Admitting his players were “devastated” after this draw, O’Kelly had to remind them that it was they who equalised to force a second game, not Kiladangan.

It’s been quite the journey for Kilruane who faced Clonoulty-Rossmore earlier in championship when Dillon Quirke tragically passed away. And O’Kelly maintains they are not finished yet.

“I can’t comment on that as it is unknown territory for me,” he said of the replay. “There is no rulebook on how to deal with that.

"I commented on that before in relation to our good friend, we all wore black armbands today in recognition of Dillon Quirke with the No11 on it. There was no rulebook in how to deal with Dillon Quirke and there is no rulebook for today but by God we’ll come back fighting next week, there is no doubt about that.” 

Kilruane certainly showed steel to recover from Alan Flynn’s goal and it was further exemplified when Willie Cleary pointed the ultimate equaliser at the death.

“We were behind, I thought it was over but we came back. Willie Cleary, what pressure he was under with that free! Testament to him, the boys tell me he throws darts every second night, he is a very good dart thrower. I have had huge confidence in him for the past two years and he has been our go-to man in those two years.” 

O’Kelly also heaped praise on his captain Jerome Cahill for his two goals. 

“I can’t say enough about Jerome Cahill. For me as a club player, he is outstanding, he is our leader, our captain, our go-to man. He had a superb game again today. We are delighted to have Jerome Cahill in our ranks.

“A few lads around him picked up a few injuries. I had to bring off my own son Kian O’Kelly, I had to bring him back in again, he wanted to go back in. Those guys in there will play on one leg for me and that is how those lads are.” 

Kiladangan selector Seán O’Meara felt his players were edgy despite this final being the fourth for many of the group. “It’s funny, having been there in 2019 and 2020, I felt our lads were a small bit nervy today. What it’s from, I don’t know.

“There was a huge momentum behind Kilruane this week, whether that had an effect on them or what, I don’t know but we were a little bit nervy. We dropped a lot of ball, stuff that we would normally have a straight ball into the hand and gone, we fumbled it and when you’re doing that… fair play, it’s down to Kilruane’s work rate as well. It’s not just that we were poor on the ball, it’s pure workrate from Kilruane and they deserve great credit for it.” 

Like O’Kelly, he felt conflicted at the final whistle having seen Kiladangan go ahead for the first time via Paul Flynn’s 52nd-minute goal and then turning around a deficit in additional time.

“You’d have mixed emotions about it. At one stage we looked as if we were in control, with a few minutes to go we were up two or three points. They brought it back and then they went ahead. In the end you’d be delighted just to get away with a draw and live to fight another day.

“I’ve been saying all week, it’s a local derby. Two teams fairly evenly matched. A bit of experience and some youth and serious fitness levels. We drew with each other in the North Championship, today is another draw so it just shows where we’re both at and we both have room for improvement to get ready for a replay next weekend.”