Loughmore leverage experience to earn hard-fought win over Holycross
A day after the birth of his second child, Noel McGrath guided Loughmore through the rocky moments with four classy points from play.
This much-anticipated Tipperary semi-final was no classic, but Éamonn Kelly left perfectly comfortable in the knowledge that Loughmore-Castleiney must find a higher gear to retain the Dan Breen Cup.
It was the type of game where forwards weren’t just shackled, they were outscored. Between both teams, attackers registered 0-8 from play. Defenders and midfielders tallied 0-9. Both marquee forwards were restricted to placed balls, which accounted for the other 1-16.
That owed to ferocious defensive work from both teams, although the been-there-done-that experience of Loughmore prevailed once more against the coming force that is Holycross-Ballycahill.
“I’d hate to play in a classic and lose it,” smiled Loughmore manager Éamonn Kelly. “It's great to be back in a final after a tough game.
“Both sets of backs were outstanding, and maybe that didn't play out as the classic that neutrals would like to see, but a very tough game was what we expected.
“They curtailed us very well. It was hard-fought. Our work rate was as high today as it ever was. We were lucky we got a goal at the start, and that gave us the cushion we needed.
“We also realise that performance won't be good enough to retain the county title, so we have lots to work on.
“We just hope the boys can get through next weekend in the football semi-final without any injuries, and we have a full hand to pick from.”
Brian McGrath’s high fielding and smart positional play ensured that Holycross, scorers of 12 goals in four games, didn’t record a single goal chance.
Their full-back line was exceptional. Lorcan Egan produced two stirring blocks and limited Darragh Woods to a couple of party-piece sidelines until he was withdrawn.
Ed Meagher burst out of defence to assist two points. Full-back Willie Eviston nailed a long-range white flag to outscore his opposite number.
“I turned to Donal O'Rourke beside me, and I said, ‘If Willie scores this, we're not going to lose,’” said Kelly.
“Willie wouldn't be famous for scoring, but he’d an outstanding game. Listen, we're delighted to be there.”
A day after the birth of his second child, Noel McGrath guided Loughmore through the rocky moments with four classy points from play.
“Congratulations to himself and Aisling. It's fantastic. And I want to give great credit to Aisling for having it yesterday and not today to have him available to us,” quipped Kelly.
In the fortnight since defeating Toomevara, Loughmore had just one hurling session. Noel and John sat out last weekend’s football quarter-final victory over Ballina. Both completed the hour here.
Kilsheelan-Kilcash await next Saturday in the football semis. Such is the life of a true dual club.
“They had niggles, and they didn't play (against Ballina), but they have a very strong football squad as well,” said Kelly. “They had the luxury of being able to do that.”
Their double-double dream endures. The Mid Tipp men are just an hour away from defending Dan Breen for the first time in the club’s history – and three hours away from back-to-back doubles.
Holycross featured 10 players who started last December’s county U21 triumph. Loughmore started nine decorated warriors over the age of 30.
They leveraged that experience, while Holycross displayed jitters under early long balls.
The challengers leaked a fifth-minute goal as Ciarán McCormack’s sideline cut from his own 65 travelled untouched to the net. Another sideline missile sent John McGrath past Cathal Barrett.
Shorn of his hurley, he attempted a kicked finish, but only after taking too many steps.
Holycross matched Loughmore’s suffocating pressure for long spells to force four overcarrying frees and one for a throw. Cathal O’Reilly and Barrett were pivotal figures in holding Loughmore scoreless from play for 25 minutes. Wing-back Liam Doyle slung over a brace to draw level just before half-time.
Thereafter, despite the best efforts of Robbie Ryan in attack, they were ground down and outpointed 0-12 to 0-6 in the remaining 33 minutes. Manager Brendan Ryan, who featured in Holycross’s last semi-final appearance in 1999, was left to hail “one of the best club sides ever in Tipperary” for a finish.
“Any little mistake we made, they punished,” he said. “They forced errors from us that we hadn’t made in other games. That’s what quality sides do.”
J McGrath (0-9, 9 frees); N McGrath (0-4); C McCormack (1-0 s/l); W Eviston, C Connolly, T McGrath, L McGrath, C McGrath (0-1 each).
D Woods (0-5, 3 frees, 2 s/l); R Ryan (0-4, 1 free); L Doyle (0-2); E Bourke (free), J Caesar, E Craddock, T Ryan (0-1 each).
A McGrath; L Egan, W Eviston, E Meagher; T Maher, B McGrath, E O’Connell; N McGrath, C Connolly; Ed Connolly, T McGrath, C McCormack; L McGrath (capt), J McGrath, Ciarán McGrath.
P McCahey for E Connolly (39), J Ryan for Maher (59), P O’Connell for L McGrath (60+1), J Quinn for McCormack (60+3).
E Bourke; Evan Morris, C Barrett, C O’Reilly; L Doyle, Jim Ryan, B O’Mara (capt); T Gould, J Caesar; T Ryan, E Craddock, D Fogarty; R Ryan, M Nally, D Woods.
J Lahart for Fogarty (53), L O’Mara for Woods (53), Jack Ryan for Jim Ryan (55, inj), P Russell for T Ryan (59).
A Tierney (Shannon Rovers).
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