Slick Drom dispose of Templederry challenge

Drom & Inch 2-30

Templederry Kenyons 2-19

By James Hayden in Borrisoleigh

A far slicker Drom & Inch side put Templederry to the sword in what proved an entertaining yet free-scoring County Senior Hurling Championship group 2 opener on Friday.

Having disappointed in their Mid-final loss to JK Brackens, Drom laid down a serious marker with this victory over a Templederry side that have failed to fire on all cylinders this year. Having been swept aside by Nenagh Eire Óg in the North semi-final, Templederry once again failed to reach the heights required, and if truth be told will face a major challenge if they are to avoid a relegation scrap.

Brian Boyle and Paul Collins have Drom ticking over nicely and even in the pre-match drills they were sharp and on-point. Once matters got going in earnest Templederry really had no real answer to Drom’s off the shoulder running, defensive nous and scoring prowess.

Playing with the aid of a stiff breeze, Drom dominated the opening half, racking up 1-14 of their 1-16 tally from play. John Campion and Podge Campion opened Drom’s account in the opening minute with successive points before an Eanna Murray free from range coupled with a well-taken Matthew Hogan goal fired Templederry in front.

Drom responded in kind though less than sixty seconds later with Jamie Moloney gathering possession on the 40-yard line and scything through the Templederry cover before rifling the sliotar to the roof of the net. Drom powered on from their instant riposte, hitting seven points without reply before an Eanna Murray free saw Templederry trail by 1-9 to 1-2 by the quarter-hour mark.

Cormac McGrath’s charges were unable to cope with the power of Drom’s running and although they employed the necessary tactics in an attempt to curb Drom’s influence this served to severely hamper their numbers in attack.

The reigning Seamus O Riain champions kept battling gamely though and a brace of Eanna Murray frees on 20 minutes narrowed the gap to seven but three wides in a row at this juncture did little to aid their cause.

Fintan Purcell and Gearoid Ryan traded points in the 22nd minute before a sublimely struck over-the-shoulder effort from Seamus Callanan put eight between the sides. Templederry responded with a cracking 24th minute goal after Matthew Hogan’s cross-field ball was seized upon by Seán Ryan who turned on sixpence on the 21-yard line before making a beeline towards the goal and firing low and hard past the advancing Eoin Collins.

Ryan’s goal brought Templederry right back into contention and it appeared they might push on to narrow the gap further before the break. However, Drom responded in style with John Campion, Tommy Nolan and Seamus Callanan (free) tacking on three points before a late Odhran Murphy point saw Templederry trail by seven at half-time, 2-6 to 1-16.

Templederry emerged determined to cut the deficit, but Seamus Callanan bisected the uprights straight from the re-start before Seán Ryan and Eanna Murray added to Templederry’s tally. Ryan and Murray ploughed a lone furrow in attack in the second half, but they were well-marshalled by Emmet Moloney and Stevie Nolan.

Templederry kept battling on though and through sheer perseverance had remarkably narrowed the gap to five points by the 37th minute. Drom clearly have strength in depth though and once they turned to their bench, they easily pulled clear of a waning Templederry challenge. Substitute, Johnny Ryan arrowed over two fine efforts after his 40th minute introduction and these points coupled with efforts from Seamus Callanan and Robbie Long extended Drom’s advantage.

Leading by seven once more, Drom finally brought the curtain down on Templederry’s challenge after Jamie Moloney’s powerful surging run set up Seamus Callanan for Drom’s second goal on 47 minutes, 2-23 to 2-13.

Templederry battled on gamely in the closing stages with efforts from Brian Stapleton and Gearóid Ryan, but Drom just had too much in the tank with points from Johnny Ryan, Seamus Callanan and substitute, David Butler adding to their impressive tally.

Player of the Match: Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)

Drom & Inch: Eoin Collins (7); Emmet Moloney (7), Liam Ryan (0-1, 7), Kevin Hassett (7); Fintan Purcell (0-2, 8), Podge Campion (0-2, 8), Stevie Nolan (7); John Campion (0-4, 8), Robbie Long (0-2, 7); Lorcan Campion (7), Jamie Moloney (1-1, 8), Seamus Callanan (1-9 (0-5f) 8); Michael Connors (0-1, 7), David Collins (7), Thomas Nolan (0-4, 8).

Subs: Michael Campion (7) for L Ryan (38); Johnny Ryan (0-3, 7) for L Campion (40); Jack Lillis (6) for E Moloney (52); David Butler (0-1, 6) for J Ryan (54); Tony Connolly (NR) for Connors (60).

Templederry Kenyons: Tim McCutcheon (7); Mike Ryan (7), Christy Coughlan (7), Tadhg McLoughlin (7); Darragh Carey (0-1, 8), Tom Stapleton (7), Liam McCutcheon (7); Odhran Murphy (0-1, 7), Brian Stapleton (0-3, 7); Gearóid Ryan (0-2, 7), Eanna Murray (0-7, 5f) 8), Matthew Hogan (1-0, 7); Adrian Ryan (0-2, 7), Seán Ryan (1-3 (0-1f), 7), Pádraig O’Leary (7).

Subs: Michael Ryan (NR) for Murphy (56); Colm Murray (NR) for Murray (56).

Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers).