Holycross survive Tipp scare but '25 finalists beaten

Robbie Ryan’s 68th-minute free nudged Holycross-Ballycahill to a 1-22 to 2-18 victory after Kilruane MacDonaghs

Action from Holycross v Kilruane via Clubber TV

Still standing amid the wreckage of beaten favourites, Holycross-Ballycahill survived a scare on a Tipperary SHC opening weekend which saw both of last year’s finalists defeated.

Robbie Ryan’s 68th-minute free nudged them to a 1-22 to 2-18 victory after Kilruane MacDonaghs after goalkeeper Páidí Williams received a straight red card for a loose swing on Eoin Craddock.

They trailed the 2022 champions by three points late on at Templemore, but a brace from substitute Jimmie Lahart was followed by Ryan’s equalising and winning frees.

Tipp U20 Ryan had fed Joe Caesar to hit the net after just 80 seconds, but Kian O’Kelly and Niall O’Meara’s point-taking kept Kilruane within range. O’Meara then squared the sliotar for Thomas Cleary to finish, but having played with the wind, Kilruane went in 1-13 to 1-12 behind.

Within 45 seconds of the restart, they were ahead as Cian Darcy whipped to the net. The corner-forward then drew a save from Ewan Bourke.

O’Kelly’s fifth point from play looked to have provided the winning cushion, but Holycross had one last push in them.

The other Group 1 clash saw Thurles Sarsfields fend off All-Ireland intermediate champions Upperchurch-Drombane by 0-28 to 3-13 at Holycross.

Without Ronan Maher, who is sidelined with a broken ankle, youngsters Kieran and Daniel Rossiter, Euan Murray, Keith Loughnane, and Aidan Stakelum chipped in with almost half their tally.

Paul Shanahan had an early Church goal, but they trailed by 11 before rocking Sars towards the end with quickfire goals from a Gavin Ryan penalty and Philip O’Dwyer. It was a one-point game, 0-22 to 3-12, but the record champions steadied with the next six points.

In Group 4, last year’s runners-up Nenagh Éire Óg fell to a 4-18 to 0-22 defeat against JK Brackens at Templederry.

Jack Kennedy produced a brilliant low save from Jake Morris to set the platform for Brackens, who put daylight between the sides in first-half stoppage time as Shane Doyle swept home Andrew Ormond’s rebound.

There was no guarantee their 1-11 to 0-8 lead would be enough turning into the wind, but three second-half goals did the job.

Brilliant combination play by Doyle and Ormond allowed substitute Dean McEnroe to tap in. In the 55th minute, Ormond got his green flag after a one-two with Doyle. Seventy seconds later, Éanna McBride gambled onto a loose ball and sold the keeper a dummy before scooping to the net.

Meanwhile, Toomevara salvaged a draw as they split 40 points with underdogs Mullinahone at Dundrum.

Lining up without the injured Darragh McCarthy, Toome required the final three points through Adam Hall, Patrick Hackett, and a Kevin McCarthy free to snatch a share of the spoils; 0-20 apiece.

McCarthy scored 0-8 (six frees), while Micheál Dunne did the heavy lifting for Mullinahone with 0-12 (11 from placed balls) in a game that was level 11 times.

In Group 2, superb stoppage-time points from Cathal Bourke and Jack Ryan carried Clonoulty-Rossmore to a cracking 3-20 to 2-21 victory over North champions Borris-Ileigh at The Ragg.

Their keeper, Jason O’Dwyer, made a stunning save from James Devaney straight from the throw-in, but was soon deceived by Kieran Maher’s mishit shot.

Robert Doyle turned defence to attack for a Jack Ryan goal, but Borris still led 1-14 to 1-10 at the break.

Tipp corner-back Doyle pulled off a fine block to grab a goal on the restart and a third from Stephen Quinn scrambled them ahead. The lead lasted just 40 seconds before Paddy McCormack bounced home at the other end, but wind-assisted Clonoulty would nail seven of the final 10 points.

On Friday evening, back-to-back champions Loughmore-Castleiney lost a group-stage game for the first time in 15 outings, dating back to 2021. Premier prospect David Costigan scored the goal as Moycarkey-Borris defeated them by 1-19 to 0-15 at Templetuohy.

Three of that group, Clonoulty, Borris, and Loughmore, are already guaranteed at least a preliminary quarter-final berth as divisional winners.

One of last year’s semi-finalists was also beaten as Cashel King Cormacs were never headed by Drom and Inch at Littleton. There were 60 points across the 60 minutes, evenly split between both halves, as the Seán Guiheen and Eoin Cadogan-mentored side won by 0-32 to 0-28.

Eoghan Connolly (0-6, three frees) and Oisín O’Donoghue (0-4) both slotted sideline cuts, while Devon Ryan (0-8, five frees) top-scored for the victors, who led by six at half-time.

Tipp U20 Cormac Fitzpatrick kept Drom in touch with six from play, while Séamus Callanan tallied 0-9 from placed balls. Backed by the second-half wind, they twice trimmed the gap to the minimum, but back-to-back Connolly scores took Cashel beyond the 30-point mark.

The other game in Group 3 saw Kiladangan weather a Roscrea storm to win 2-23 to 0-21 at Cloughjordan.

Playing with a strong wind, Bryan McLoughney’s goal helped Kiladangan into a 1-18 to 0-9 half-time lead. Yet Luke Cashin’s accuracy saw Roscrea make it a one-score game entering stoppage time.

The 2023 champions dug it out with the last 1-2 as Seán Hayes netted the 66th-minute clincher.