Kilruane impress in seeing off Nenagh

GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Championship Group 4

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-26

Nenagh Eire Og 2-21

Report: Liam Hogan in Toomevara

Kilruane MacDonaghs survived a late Nenagh Eire Og rally to deservedly win a splendid County Senior Hurling Championship contest on Sunday afternoon.

Kilruane looked home and hosed on the hour mark, leading 1-25 to 0-20 before Nenagh salvaged 2-1 in injury time which made the scoreboard much more pleasing for them.

Scores were level nine times in the opening half in a splendid display of great scores and plenty goalmouth action.

Full of running Kilruane were by far the more adventurous. Kian O’Kelly set the scene with a splendid sideline ball after ninety seconds before Jerome Cahill doubled the lead over a minute later.

Jake Morris replied with two points, the second from a free. However, the Tipp man was unable to shake off county teammate Craig Morgan. In addition, he missed three frees, with one coming back off the upright.

Nenagh were always chasing the game but Tommy & Michael Heffernan were always good for a score with the former scoring a great point from the right touchline to make it 0-4 to 0-3 after twelve minutes.

But Kilruane dictated matters as Jack Peters made many clearances while Jerome Cahill, Sean McAdams, Kian O’Kelly, Niall O’Meara, and Cian Darcy were popping up all over the place with the quintet scoring seven points from play in the first half.

Conor Ryan had the task of picking up Jerome Cahill but the Kilruane man was an inspiration as he scored four points from play (3 in the first half) and could have scored a goal but Nenagh cleared their lines with desperation, one of three occasions in the first half when their goal-line might have been breached with Thomas Cleary and Cian Darcy also denied.

By the time Pearse Morris scored to make it 0-11 each and level for the ninth time Nenagh would have settled for that at half time but Kilruane availed of almost five minutes of additional time as Jerome Cahill and Cian Darcy picked off a point each to give Kilruane a two point lead, 0-13 to 0-11, at the break.

The opening five minutes of the second half provided six scores, three each with Cian Darcy scoring his third point followed by a Thomas Cleary. Pearse Morris replied from half-way and Jake Morris added a free before Niall O’Meara and Michael Heffernan (free from halfway) traded scores.

It was a case of who would blink first and when Thomas Cleary won a high ball, he switched play to Kian O’Kelly on the run who firmly sunk a low one to the Nenagh net.

Michael Heffernan’s super point was the perfect reply but when Willie Cleary’s menacing run abruptly came to an end it was Seamus Hennessy who pointed the resulting free.

It was end-to-end stuff as Killian Gleeson was fouled when posing danger close to the Kilruane goal, allowing Jake Morris to convert the free. Both O’Kelly and Morris (free) then traded scores before Kilruane hit three unanswered points through O’Neill, O’Kelly, and Darcy. However, a quick response from Pearse Morris arrived in time for the water break after 49 minutes.

After the play resumed Kilruane began to pull away as Cian Darcy and Jerome Cahill stretched their lead to eight, 1-23 to 0-18. The gap was widening but the next seven minutes produced no scores, but Nenagh broke the spell through Michael Heffernan who scored two quick frees before Ciaran Doheny’s puckout reached Thomas Cleary who pointed.

Nenagh tried to hit back but the Kilruane defence led by Jack Peters and Sean McAdams averted danger and up front an unmarked Kian O’Kelly had room to pick off an easy point.

It was only a matter of how much Kilruane could win by, but Nenagh never lost focus and after Tommy Heffernan pointed free in the 63rd minute, Michael Heffernan was at the end of a Nenagh attack when his ground shot went low to the corner of the net.

There was more and another Nenagh attack finished up with Pearse Morris poking the ball over the goal-line from close range before Conor Doyle blew for full time after.

Kilruane held out for a good win, especially after losing the North final and judging by this performance their odds for Dan Breen should shorten.

Player of the Match: Jerome Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Ciaran Doheny (7); James Cleary (7), Jack Peters (8), Aaron Morgan (7); Kieran Cahill (6), Craig Morgan (8), Mark O’Neill (0-1, 7); Sean McAdams (0-1, 8), Niall O’Meara (0-1, 7); Willie Cleary (0-5, 3f, 1 65) 7), Jerome Cahill (0-4, 8), Kian O’Kelly (1-5, 0-1 s-cut) 8); Thomas Cleary (0-2, 7), Seamus Hennessy (0-1f, 6), Cian Darcy (0-5, 1f) 7).

Subs: Thomas Hogan (6) for K Cahill (51); Paidi Williams (0-1f, 6) for W Cleary (55); Eanna Hogan (NR) for O’Neill (60+3); Robbie Austin (NR) for Darcy (60+5).

Nenagh Eire Og: Mark Tuite (7); Adam Grattan (7), Barry Heffernan (7), Paul McLoughlin (6); Conor Hennessy (6), Conor Ryan (6), Adam Healy (6); James Mackey (6), Killian Gleeson (7); Michael Heffernan (1-6, 0-3f) 7), Pearse Morris (1-4, 8), Paddy Murphy (6); Tommy Heffernan (0-4, 1f) 7), Anthony Walsh (0-1, 6), Jake Morris (0-6, 5f) 6).

Subs: Sean Phelan (6) for McLoughlin (37); Ben West (6) for Murphy (49); Philip Hickey for Healy (Blood 51-53); Philip Hickey (NR) for Walsh (53); Jamie Cottrell (NR) for J Morris (60+1).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).