Kilruane face relegation battle after latest defeat

GAA: FBD Insuranec County Senior Hurling Championship Group 2

Moycarkey/Borris 1-23

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-21

Report: Liam Hogan in Templederry

Kilruane MacDonaghs reign as county senior champions may have been lost since their round 2 defeat to Roscrea, but they have a battle on their hands to save their senior status following their defeat to Moycarkey/Borris on Saturday evening which confirmed a bottom place finish in the group.

Kilruane lined out without Eoin Hogan or Niall O’Meara, with the latter out of action due to concussion in a game that saw both teams contest with great zest.

Morcarkey were a different team to the one that lost to Toomevara, but it wasn’t for the want of trying by Kilruane either as they kept in the game and produced a great fightback in the second half after trailing by six points at half time before almost snatching victory at the death but Cian Darcy’s effort from close range was saved by Rhys Shelly. Indeed, Shelly was responsible for a number of saves which kept Moycarkey in front, including two important in the first half; the first a goal-line save in the 14th minute as he got over to Willie Cleary’s attempt from close range. The second came in the 25th minute when Eoin Carroll’s rasper looked goal-bound but Shelly saved at the expense of a 65.

This save came after Kilruane were in the throes of making up lost ground. They trailed 0-7 to 0-4 due to the excellent long range shooting by wing back Pat Molloy who had scored four brilliant points.

After Molloy’s latest score, Kilruane began to enjoy a period dominance with Conor Austin pointing before Kian O’Kelly had Shelly beaten after an assist by Jerome Cahill in the thirteenth minute. Pat Molloy levelled and after Moycarkey added two more points, it was Molloy on target again for a sixth time to make it 0-12 to 1-5 after 21 hectic minutes.

Rhys Shelly’s wonderful save from Carroll presented a 65 which Willie Cleary converted and it led to a flurry of scores approaching half time with Kieran Morris moving Moycarkey four in front before Mark O’Neill and Willie Cleary reduced the margin to two.

With Tom & Eoghan Hayes to the fore in the spine of the Moycarkey defence there was plenty of supply for Kieran Cummins, Kyle Shelly, and Rory Ryan to pose problems and they had the perfect tonic as Kyle Shelly’s shot somehow deceived Paudie Wiliams. Eoghan Hayes added a point, but Seamus Hennessy’s point softened the blow before Joe Maher gave Moycarkey a six point advantage at half time, 1-15 to 1-9.

Helped by the breeze in the second half, Kian O’Kelly’s point after fourteen seconds set the crowd alive with Kilruane producing a three point run with Willie Cleary adding two frees. Moycarkey recovered with the impressive Rory Ryan scoring but points by Willie Cleary and the equally impressive Jerome Cahill brought Kilruane within two on forty minutes.

But Moycarkey had the ability to create scores and they were five in front after points by Kieran Morris (free), Kyle Shelly and a ninety metre free by Rhys Shelly. However, the concession of frees would pose problems for the Mid men and none better than Willie Cleary to take advantage with two more to his tally.

The trouble was Kilruane needed more than Cleary to produce the scores and with Jack Peters, Kieran Cahill, Craig Morgan, and Mark O’Neill becoming more prominent, they began to arrive. After a Kieran Cummins for Moycarkey, the County holders took over with four unanswered points by Cleary (3 frees) plus a point from Aaron Morgan on the left wing had them level at 1-20 each on 55 minutes.

But Moycarkey were always dangerous, and Kieran Morris had them in front with a free closely followed by a long range point by Kyle Shelly. Another Cleary free left the minimum between the teams with four minutes to go as Kilruane came in search of an equaliser but the Moycarkey defence held firm before Kieran Morris did the needful with an injury time free.

There was time for more and Cian Darcy appeared to have the winner in his grasp, but Rhys Shelly saved and Moycarkey survived with their delight at the final whistle softened when they learned that Roscrea had done enough to gain a place in the quarter finals at the Mid sides expense.

Player of the Match: Pat Molloy (Moycarkey/Borris)

Moycarkey/Borris: Rhys Shelly (0-1f, 8); Peter Melbourne (7), Tom Hayes (7), Chris McCullough (7); Stephen Walsh (7), Eoghan Hayes (0-1, 8), Pat Molloy (0-6, 9); Kieran Cummins (0-2, 7); Jack Fallon (7); Kyle Shelly (1-3, 8), Rory Ryan (0-2, 7), Joe Maher (0-1, 7); Bill Flanagan (0-1, 7), Kieran Morris (0-6, 5f, 7), Liam Corcoran (6).

Subs: Pat Ralph (NR) for Flanagan (59); Rory Darmody (HR) for Ryan (59); Johnny Bergin (NR) for Corcoran (59); Rory Regan (NR) for Molloy (60+3).

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Paudie Williams (6); Aaron Morgan (0-1, 7) Jack Peters (7), James Cleary (7); Kieran Cahill (7), Craig Morgan (7), Mark O’Neill (0-1, 7); Conor Austin (0-2, 7), Jerome Cahill (0-1, 8); Seamus Hennessy (0-2, 6), Conor Cleary (0-1, 6), Kian O’Kelly (1-1, 7); Eoin Carroll (6), Willie Cleary (0-12, 9f, 2’65) 7), Cian Darcy (6).

Subs: Eoin Hogan (6) for Carroll (26); James Williams (6) for Hennessy (43); Martin Grace (NR) for K Cahill (59).

Referee: PJ Nolan (Killea).