Tipp SHC: Holycross-Ballycahill take another giant step, Borris-Ileigh face uphill battle

With the pressure on, Holycross produced the final 1-2 blow.

Tipperary SHC round 2 

Holycross-Ballycahill endorsed their status as Tipperary’s coming team with an eye-catching 4-19 to 2-18 victory over Kiladangan at Templemore.

Having already taken the scalp of 2024 runners-up Toomevara in the first round, Holycross accounted for the 2023 champions thanks to storming finishes to either half.

They found the net early as Mikey Nally grabbed a long ball and kicked past the keeper.

Kiladangan were back level in the 11th minute as Neil Cahalan’s fine pass picked out Dan O’Meara to unleash a rocket into the corner.

Four minutes later, Kiladangan netted another equaliser as Conor Byrne fed Seán Hayes to rifle home. That made it 1-7 to 2-4, and Ewan Bourke prevented a third quickfire goal with a flying save from Paul Flynn.

Just as Holycross fell behind, they rallied for the final 2-2 of the half. Joe Caesar was heavily involved in both goals. He drew the last man to tee up Nally’s second, and one minute later, his rebound fell for top-scorer Darragh Woods (1-6) to finish off. 3-12 to 2-8 at half-time.

Kiladangan pointed their way back into contention, making it a one-score game with 10 minutes to go.

With the pressure on, Holycross produced the final 1-2 blow. Barry Hogan saved from Jimmie Lahart, but All-Ireland minor champion Tiarnan Ryan scuttled in the rebound.

Champions of 2019, Borris-Ileigh, face an uphill battle to escape Group 4 after drawing with Roscrea, 0-19 to 1-16, in the earlier game at Templemore.

Roscrea did most of the front-running after Jason Gilmartin pinged in the game’s only goal in the 10th minute. The game was level 11 times, including at the break, 0-12 to 1-9.

James Devaney picked off 0-5 from play, but frees from Shane Fletcher and Enda Moloney appeared to have handed Roscrea the victory.

However, Patrick Ryan’s eighth free levelled in the fourth added minute, and Fletcher’s final 65 dropped short.

Thurles Sarsfields looked in trouble before rescuing a 1-23 to 2-15 win over Mullinahone at Cashel to record their first win in Group 2.

A well-worked Eoin O’Dwyer goal helped the underdogs to a 1-8 to 0-9 half-time lead, and it got even better when Martin Keogh netted again on the restart.

Sars reeled off the next five points in a row to level, and on the three-quarter mark, Darragh Stakelum picked out the top corner to put them into a lead they would never relinquish. He finished with 1-10 (10 frees).

With Seán Curran scoring 0-11 (7 frees), Mullinahone were within two points on the hour, but Sars clipped three more in stoppage time.

Drom & Inch also revived their hopes of escaping Group 3 with a hard-fought 3-24 to 3-20 triumph over Lorrha-Dorrha at Cloughjordan.

There were two goals in 30 seconds as Cian Hogan, who finished with 1-4, bagged the opener before Séamus Callanan returned fire at the other end. Lorrha were back level by the break; 1-12 apiece.

Callanan crafted the next goal for Cormac Fitzpatrick, but Lorrha jumped in front when Patrick Maher batted home a rebound.

Drom forged three ahead, but Donnacha O’Meara’s goal was followed by Colm Fogarty’s seventh point for a narrow Lorrha lead.

David Collins’ sixth point and Callanan’s fifth moved Drom ahead before Cormac Cahill blasted to the net with the last puck.