Kiladangan power past Borris’ challenge

Reigning county champions Kiladangan powered past a disappointing Borris-Ileigh challenge in what proved a lackluster opening quarter final of the North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship last Wednesday.

GAA: The Hibernian North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Kiladangan 0-25

Borris-Ileigh 1-16

Report: James Hayden at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Tadhg Gallagher (Kiladangan)

SCORERS – Kiladangan: Billy Seymour 0-10 (8 frees, 1 65); Tadhg Gallagher 0-4; Shane Gleeson 0-3; Paul Flynn, Bryan McLoughney 0-2 each; Joe Gallagher, Declan McGrath, Darren Moran, Conor Byrne 0-1 each.

Borris-Ileigh: Eddie Ryan 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-5 frees); Dan McCormack, James Devaney 0-2 each; Liam Ryan, Ray McCormack, Seamus Burke, Tommy Ryan, Kevin Maher (free), Shane Kenny, Sean McCormack 0-1 each.

Borris-Ileigh went into this campaign hopeful of securing a tilt at their first divisional title since 2017 but standing in their way was a Kiladangan side hoping to go a long way in this year’s race for the Frank McGrath Cup.

Kiladangan were minus the services of the influential attackers Sean Hayes & Dan O’Meara through suspension, and Andy Loughnane, while Borris-Ileigh were also minus the services of their talisman Brendan Maher but they still fielded a strong side well capable of putting John O’Meara’s charges through a stiff test.

What transpired however was a limp enough performance from the men in maroon, and in particular a hugely disappointing opening thirty minutes which saw them register just two points from play, a paltry return from a side well capable of better.

For Kiladangan, their opening half performance effectively laid the necessary foundations for a resounding and deserved victory. By the quarter hour mark, they found themselves eight points to the good with a brace from Paul Flynn coupled with a super eighth minute Darren Moran point, the first of four from play from midfielder Tadhg Gallagher and five from Billy Seymour comprising three frees, a 65’ and fine effort from play straight from the throw-in.

For men in blue and gold it was all too easy in that opening quarter as Borris’ struggled to reach the pitch and tempo of the game. In attack their forwards were way off their men while in defense Kiladangan pace and movement proved difficult for the Borris-Ileigh backs to curtail.

Two points on the bounce in the 17th & 18th minutes from Dan McCormack and James Devaney served to offer only short reprieve from the onslaught. Kiladangan responded with four unanswered points with Tadhg Gallagher, Declan McGrath, Bryan McLoughney, and Joe Gallagher all chipping in with impressive efforts from range.

Kiladangan held a commanding ten-point lead as the interval approached, 0-13 to 0-3 as Borris-Ileigh continued to struggle in all sectors. Kevin Maher (free) and Conor Byrne traded 26th minute points before successive Eddie Ryan frees late in the half ensured they trailed by eight at the break, 0-14 to 0-6.

With seven first half wides to ponder on Borris-Ileigh took the opportunity to regroup at the break and enforced a number of positional changes for the second half while also drafting in the experienced Sean McCormack in a bid to reduce the deficit.

Credit to Borris’ they were a changed side from the re-start with three quick-fire points inside the first three minutes whittling down Kiladangan’s advantage. Eddie Ryan (free), James Devaney and Tommy Ryan were all on the mark before Shane Gleeson popped up with a sublime effort for Kiladangan.

Kiladangan had retreated noticeably in attack in a bid to protect their interval lead but by the 40th minute Borris’ were back to within five following a long-range Ray McCormack effort coupled with a well-struck Eddie Ryan free. Kiladangan retorted with points from Billy Seymour (free) and Tadhg Gallagher before Eddie Ryan floated over another point from a placed ball on 43 minutes, 0-12 to 0-18.

Shane Gleeson added his second, a fabulous 44th minute effort before Sean McCormack kept Borris’ within touching distance with a well-struck point from the stand side.

Kiladangan were starting to impose themselves again on the game though and almost bagged a 46th minute goal after Darren Moran brought the best out of James McCormack in the Borris-Ileigh goal. Billy Seymour pulled the resultant 65’ to the left and wide before Borris’ surged back up field and cut the deficit to five with a booming Dan McCormack point from range.

Shane Gleeson responded for the ‘Dangan but two further Borris-Ileigh points from Shane Kenny and Liam Ryan served to bring their side to within four, 0-16 to 0-20.

It was the closest a much-improved Borris’ were to get to the county champions though as Kiladangan, who interestingly made no substitutions over the course of the hour, powered home in the closing ten minutes.

Two points without reply from Billy Seymour, the second an audacious over the shoulder effort with his back to goal, opened the gap back out to six before efforts from Paul Flynn, Billy Seymour (free) and a fourth point of the day for Tadhg Gallagher ensured Kiladangan were well and truly on their way into the semi-finals.

Borris-Ileigh were afforded a late goal though, a well-struck Eddie Ryan penalty after David Sweeney was adjudged to have fouled James Devaney, but it served only to put a glossier look on the scoreboard as Kiladangan ran out convincing winners and now face Templederry in the semi-finals.

TEAMS - Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (7); Fergal Hayes (7), James Quigley (7), David Sweeney (8); Willie Connors (8), Alan Flynn (8), Joe Gallagher (7); Declan McGrath (7), Tadhg Gallagher (8); Darren Moran (7), Billy Seymour (8), Paul Flynn (7); Bryan McLoughney (7), Shane Gleeson (7), Conor Byrne (7).

Borris-Ileigh: James McCormack (7); Colm Boyle (7), Liam Ryan (7); John McGrath (7); Kieran Maher (7); Ray McCormack (7), Seamus Burke (7); Dan McCormack (7), Tommy Ryan (6), Shane McCormack (6), Eddie Ryan (7), Kevin Maher (7); James Devaney (7); Shane Kenny (6), Conor Kenny (6).

Sub: Sean McCormack (7) for C Kenny (HT); Eoin Boyle (6) for S Kenny (49).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).