McGrath show leaves Borris in a bind

Loughmore-Castleiney 2-22

Borris-Ileigh 0-17

 

By Michael Dundon at the Ragg

 

Nobody anticipated so comfortable a win for Loughmore-Castleiney in this rearranged County Senior Hurling Championship encounter last Wednesday.

However, the reality was that Borris-Ileigh simply did not turn-up and now find themselves with a very difficult must win game against Kiladangan to keep alive their chances of automatically qualifying from this group for the knockout stages of the championship.

Perhaps the sad passing of club stalwart Martin Hayes which delayed the playing of this game from the previous weekend, and who was remembered with a minute’s silence observed with due decorum, was still very much on the minds of the Borris boys but whatever the reason they never matched the intensity, pace, or skill levels of their opponents who themselves had to win after losing their first round game with Kiladangan.

Loughmore-Castleiney were in a different class to their rivals and face into their final game in the group against Portroe in buoyant mood despite losing two players to red cards, Tomas McGrath after 47 minutes and John Ryan, minutes from the end.

If this game is to be taken as a yardstick as to how the championship is evolving, then Loughmore-Castleiney are firm favourites to lift the Dan Breen Cup following a hugely impressive performance well ahead of anything shown by any of the other sides in the round two games.

The absence of county man Brendan Maher Was a major setback to Borris and while he is recovering from cruciate knee surgery, he will not figure in the championship, so Borris have to get on with it, and very clearly displays like this fall well short of what is required.

 

Full report in next weeks Guardian