Loughmore draw on experience to see off stubborn Kilruane
Liam Treacy of Loughmore-Castleiney kicks the sliotar away from Niall O'Meara of Kilruane MacDonaghs at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Loughmore-Castleiney posted the last five points of this quarter-final to eventually see off a stubborn Kilruane MacDonaghs challenge in this Tipperary SHC quarter-final.
Injury-free and looking fresh after being used lightly by Tipperary this past inter-county season, John McGrath maintained his fine form in this competition with 10 points. Another 1-2 was provided by Loughmore-Castleiney substitutes in a game that was square nine times.
Three goals in the space of four minutes early in the second half set the game alight in FBD Semple Stadium. Willie Cleary’s 37th minute score for Kilruane came after a long ball was broken down to Kian O’Kelly and he fed the ball to Cleary over the Loughmore-Castleiney cover.
It pushed them four points up but was cancelled out less than two minutes later when Liam McGrath pounced on a puck-out mix-up. He supplied substitute Cian McCormack who with his first touch raised a green flag to level matters.
In the 42nd minute, Liam McGrath was at the end of a goal to send Loughmore-Castleiney two points ahead. It was a head-spinning spell for Kilruane but they were back level in the 50th minute.
However, Loughmore’s finish was most impressive. They reeled off three points in three minutes. A couple of Willie Cleary points suggested Kilruane weren’t going to go away but the 2021 champions showed their class in the finale.
John McGrath produced three of the last five, two from long-range frees, to give the mid-Tipperary men the cushion they required. Outside of him, Ed Connolly’s radar was in tune and John Ryan and Brian McGrath were effective in Loughmore’s half-back line.
At the interval, Kilruane McDonaghs and Loughmore-Castleiney were level, 0-11 apiece, the sixth time they were tied in the first half. Kilruane were slightly the better team. Their half-forward line was dominant in the air but they were a tad more wasteful than their mid-Tipp opponents.
Loughmore-Castleiney were closest to scoring a goal on two occasions. Tomás Maher had a shot cleared off the line and just before the break John McGrath’s goalbound shot was parried over the bar by Páidà Williams.
Kilruane MacDonaghs’s best spell was in the middle of the half when they hit their opponents for four points without reply. After a hat-trick of early wides, Jerome Cahill was winning frees while Thomas Cleary was so effective as a target man for his team’s puck-outs.
Noel McGrath opened the scoring after just six seconds but Aaron Morgan largely negated his influence for the remainder of the half. Morgan also had Kilruane’s biggest goal opening of the half. However, his 18th minute shot following a purposeful run was tame and Willie Cleary scored from a free after advantage had been played.
MacDonaghs went three points ahead on a couple of occasions, the latter in the 25th minute when O’Kelly converted a point off his knees. Yet Loughmore-Castleiney finished the stronger with John McGrath popping up twice and Tomás McGrath equalising in additional time.
A brace of Cahill points shortly after the resumption augured well for Kilruane but Loughmore’s responses to the punches thrown and landed on them was impressive.
J. McGrath (0-10, 7 frees, 1 65); L. McGrath, C. McCormack (1-1 each); E. Connolly (0-3); C. Connolly (0-2); N. McGrath, T. Maher, E. Meagher, T. McGrath, L. Treacy (0-1 each).
W. Cleary (1-9, 0-9 frees); C. Darcy (0-3); J. Cahill, A. Morgan (0-2 each); T. Cleary, N. O’Meara, K. O’Kelly (0-1 each).
A. McGrath; W. Eviston, J. Hennessy, L. Egan; J. Ryan, B. McGrath, E. Meagher; N. McGrath, C. Connolly; E. Connolly, T. McGrath, T. Maher; J. McGrath, C. McGrath, L. McGrath (c).
Subs for Loughmore-Castleleiney: C. McCormack for C. McGrath (38); L. Treacy for E. Meagher (50).
P. Williams; J. Cleary, C. Morgan, E. Hogan; D. Peters, N. O’Meara (c), K. Cahill; A. Morgan, C. Austin; T. Cleary, C. Darcy, W. Cleary; J. Cahill, M. O’Neill, K. O’Kelly.
Subs for Kilruane MacDonaghs: S. Hennessy for D. Peters (44); J. Peters for C. Austin (53); C. Moyles for M. O’Neill (59).
K. Jordan (Thurles Gaels).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
