Kiladangan punish Thurles red card

Kiladangan 3-24

Thurles Sarsfields 2-20

By Liam Hogan in Thurles

Kiladangan qualified for the County Hurling League Division 1 final thanks to an impressive eight-point win over Thurles Sarsfields in Killinan last Wednesday.

In a fast, free-flowing game, it was Kiladangan’s extra pair of legs that helped them towards the winning line although it is arguable too that they would have won judging by their improved work-rate in the third quarter as they had cut a six point deficit to one before Thurles lost David Corbett to a second yellow card in the 40th minute. The last twenty minutes matched that work-rate as they outscored Thurles 1-9 to 1-5 and they set up a meeting with Upperchurch/Drombane or Toomevara in the final.

Scores were level three times in the opening ten minutes before Cathal Moloney gave Thurles the lead with a goal a minute later. By the sixteenth minute, the Thurles lead was out to six after Aidan McCormack made it 1-6 to 0-3 with his fifth point and second from play.

Thurles were gaining in confidence as Denis Maher, Henry Fogarty, and Jack Darby had shored up the defence while Cathal Moloney, Tommy Doyle, Eoghan Purcell and Aidan McCormack were certainly testing the Kiladangan defence. The loss of Cian Stakelum through injury was critical to Sarsfield’s cause. However, Kiladangan soon found a way of curbing the flow and long range points by Alan Flynn (two) and one from Declan McGrath was the start and after Willie Connors brilliant goal plus Paul Flynn point from play scores were level 1-7 each after 22 minutes.

Both sides never lost sight of each other throughout the remainder of half, but Thurles went three in front on the half hour mark thanks to the accuracy of Aidan McCormack, Tommy Doyle and Darragh Stakelum but two injury time frees by Shane Gleeson left Kiladangan one in arrears at the break, 1-13 to 1-12.

Thurles hit the field with purpose as they scored 1-2 inside the opening sixty seconds of the second half with Eoghan Purcell’s brilliant goal moving Thurles six in front.

Tadgh Gallagher hit back with a point, but Aidan Doyle responded with a 65 as Sarsfields were certainly in the driving seat or so it looked.

Kiladangan needed inspiration from somewhere and with Joe Gallagher, James Quigley, Darren Moran, Fergal Hayes, Declan McGrath, and Alan Flynn winning their positions they didn’t have long to wait as a well-worked move was complete when substitute Dan O’Meara put Eoghan Sharkey through for a goal. Two quick points by Shane Gleeson (free) and Willie Connors from play had the deficit down to one, 2-16 to 2-15, which coincided with David Corbett’s dismissal. Substitute Liam McCormack replied with a point, but that score was a mere token because Kiladangan were moving with purpose and by the time the game reached the 51st minute Kiladangan were 2-19 to 2-18 in front after another Shane Gleeson free.

Kiladangan continued to press for more with Willie Connor’s splendid goal in the 53rd minute plus Gleeson’s free a minute later moving them five to the good and they never looked back.

Thurles refused to go away though and they managed to cut the deficit to four on three occasions with Liam McCormack the latest in the 57th minute but Kiladangan’s extra firepower was a benefit as Paul Flynn picked off two fine points either side of a Shane Gleeson free.

TEAMS - Kiladangan: Liam Hayes (7); Fergal Hayes (7), James Quigley (7), David Sweeney (7); Johnnie Horan (6), Joe Gallagher (8), Darren Moran (7); Alan Flynn (8), Declan McGrath (8); Shane Gleeson (6), Tadgh Gallagher (6), Paul Flynn (8); Conor Byrne (6), Kieran Sharkey (7), Willie Connors (7).

Subs: Dan O’Meara (7) for T Gallagher (35); Conor Culhane (7) for Byrne (49); Niall Cahalan (NR) for Sharkey (58).

Thurles Sarsfields: Paddy McCormack (7); Joe Ryan (7), Denis Maher (7), James Armstrong (7); Henry Fogarty (7), David Corbett (6); Jack Darby (7); Cian Stakelum (NR), Henry Fitzgibbon (7); Tommy Doyle (7), Cathal Moloney (7), Darragh Stakelum (7); Eoghan Purcell (8), Conor Lanigan (7), Aidan McCormack (8).

Subs: Stephen Cahill (7) for C Stakelum (5 inj); Liam McCormack (7) for Lanigan (38); Michael Purcell (6) for Doyle (51); Sean McCormack (NR) for Fitzgibbon (55); Jack Lonergan (NR) for E Purcell (55).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).