Kiladangan exit Munster as Clonlara edge dramatic semi-final
Clonlara (Clare) 0-23
Kiladangan (Tipperary) 1-19
By Shane Brophy
A Diarmuid Stritch point five minutes into added time saw Clonlara to victory over a Kiladangan side that finished with thirteen men in a pulsating Munster Club Senior Hurling semi-final at FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles on Sunday.
Second half red cards for Dan O’Meara and Sean Hayes looked to have ended Kiladangan’s hopes and with newly crowned All Star John Conlon bringing his tally to four from play, Clonlara were three points to the good on 55 minutes.
Then Kiladangan produced a storming response landing five points on the bounce to take a two point lead going into the five minutes of added time but Clonlara themselves had resolve with Aidan Moriarty, sub Cian Moriarty and Stritch landing the decisive scores, with the latter having been signalled to be subbed off shortly before but the management changed their mind, to their ultimate favour.
Both sides were quick out of the blocks with Billy Seymour and Colm Galvin pointing inside the opening minute but backed by a strong breeze and wing forward Colm O’Meara to the fire, the visitors were the first to get into the ascendency with Michael O’Loughlin converting the first of six placed balls in the first half before All Star centre back John Conlon landed two from play inside a minute.
Bryan McLoughney stopped the bleeding for Kiladangan on ten minutes with a point but was subbed off shortly after with a hamstring injury. Two more O’Loughlin points stretched the Clonlara lead to four before Kiladangan got a tonic goal on fifteen minutes when Andy Loughnane did superbly well to keep Billy Seymour’s sideline cut alive before passing to Dan O’Meara to goal from close range.
The sides traded the next four points before two Seymour free and the first of two points from Declan McGrath gave Kiladangan their first lead after 25 minutes.
Clonlara finished the half strongly, outscoring Kiladangan 0-5 to 0-1 with corner back Michael Clancy getting the pick of the scores for a 0-13 to 1-8 advantage at the break.
Kiladangan wiped out the deficit within a minute of the restart from Sean Hayes and Billy Seymour before the drama began on 37 minutes when the Tipp side were reduced to fourteen men with Dan O’Meara issued with a straight red card.
The numerical disadvantage didn’t impact Kiladangan initial as they were only a point behind on 49 minutes when Sean Hayes was red-carded following an incident with Paraic O’Loughlin.
Points from Ian Galvin and John Conlon forged Clonlara three clear and that looked to be that but Kiladangan produced some incredible possession hurling to go from three points down to two up before Clonlara’s late burst which sees them through to a Munster Final.
SCORERS – Clonlara: Michael O’Loughlin 0-9 (7 frees, 1 ’65); John Conlon 0-4; Cian Moriarty, Colm O’Meara 0-2 each; Michael Clancy, Paraic O’Loughlin, Aidan Moriarty, Colm Galvin, Ian Galvin, Diarmuid Stritch 0-1 each.
Kiladangan: Billy Seymour 0-11 (7 frees); Declan McGrath 0-3; Dan O’Meara 1-0; Bryan McLoughney, Tadhg Gallagher, Alan Flynn, Paul Flynn, Sean Hayes 0-1 each.
Clonlara: Seimi Gully; Ger Powell, Logan Ryan, Michael Clancy; Paraic O’Loughlin, Dylan McMahon, David Fitzgerald; John Conlon, Jathan McMahon; Colm O’Meara, Aidan Moriarty, Colm Galvin; Diarmuid Stritch, Ian Galvin, Michael O’Loughlin.
Subs: Cian Moriarty for J McMahon (43); Michael Stritch for C Galvin (51); Daniel Moloney for O’Meara (57 inj).
Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; David Sweeney, James Quigley, Fergal Hayes; Joe Gallagher, Alan Flynn, Willie Connors; Declan McGrath, Tadhg Gallagher; Sean Hayes, Billy Seymour, Paul Flynn; Bryan McLoughney, Dan O’Meara, Andy Loughnane.
Subs: Eoghan Sharkey for McLoughney (13 inj); Conor Byrne for Sharkey (48); Darren Moran for McGrath (60+4)
Referee: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork)