Loughmore power home to another Mid title

GAA: Centenary Agri Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Final

Loughmore/Castleiney 1-25

Moycarkey/Borris 1-16

Report: Michael Dundon in Templetuohy

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Noel McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

SCORERS – Loughmore/Castleiney: John McGrath 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-8 frees); Noel McGrath 0-6; Tomas McGrath 0-4; Ciaran Connolly, Ciaran McCormack 0-2 each; Ed Meagher, Liam McGrath 0-1 each.

Moycarkey/Borris: Jack Fallon 1-2; Kieran Morris (frees), Max Hackett, Jack Hayes 0-3 each; Kieran Cummins 0-2; Rhys Shelly (free), Pat Molloy, Bill Flanagan 0-1 each.

John McGrath’s penalty goal for Loughmore/Castleiney after fifty minutes was the turning point in this Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling final on Sunday, sparking a surge by the favourites which scuppered the Moycarkey-Borris challenge for a first title in 42 years.

Hoping to end the famine since 1982 when they accounted for Loughmore/Castleiney, Moycarkey-Borris had led all the way until then, with the possibility of an upset always on the cards. They were ahead 1-15 to 0-17 when Loughmore’s Ciaran McGrath, not long on the field, but creating problems, was fouled by Tom Ryan, and, a double whammy for Moycarkey, Ryan sent off on receiving a second yellow card while John McGrath blasted the penalty past county colleague Rhys Shelly in the Moycarkey goal.

That double blow seemed to knock the stuffing out of Moycarkey, and just as they did in the quarter-final win over Thurles Sarsfields, and the semi-final win over Drom & Inch, Loughmore-Castleiney moved to a different gear in those last ten minutes. They scored eight points to Moycarkey’s one to secure the title last won in 2018 and set themselves up for a crack at the Dan Breen Cup which begins the weekend after next.

It was morale-sapping for Moycarkey who, up until the penalty, had every chance of success. They began with a flourish, going 0-5 to 0-1 clear in six minutes. Hungry and aggressive, they carried the game to Loughmore and though the eventual winners slowly settled to be just 0-4 to 0-6 behind after thirteen minutes, a Jack Fallon goal for Moycarkey off Jack Hayes’ pass, raised the tempo of their game as they stretched 1-8 to 0-5 ahead after seventeen minutes.

Loughmore’s vast experience stood to them. They weathered the storm and by half-time were just a goal behind, 0-10 to 1-10, thanks to a run of four unanswered points to the break. It was still anybody’s game but one wondered if the energetic first half effort by Moycarkey would take its toll.

Three points in the opening three minutes of the second half seemed to answer that question as Moycarkey opened a six point gap but Loughmore gradually reeled them in, outscoring them seven to two to be just a point adrift (0-17 to 1-15) when they won the penalty that led to John McGrath’s goal.

A man short, and under constant pressure, Moycarkey wilted in those closing minutes as a dominant Loughmore surged forward in waves for points from John McGrath (2), Tomas McGrath (2), Ed Meagher, Ciaran McCormack, Noel McGrath, and Ciaran Connolly.

Jack Fallon had a Moycarkey point sandwiched between them, too little to stem the tide.

No one did more to bring about this Loughmore/Castleiney win than Noel McGrath. Wearing the number eleven shirt, he played everywhere and when Loughmore were struggling in the first half, he was the one to rally them. His positioning and passing were exceptional and he hit six point for them to boot in a man of the match performance.

Midfielders Tomas McGrath and Ciaran Connolly also had fine games while Brian McGrath grew more and more into the game as it evolved. Joey Hennessy and Ed Meagher were sound in defence also while Ciaran McGrath again made a big contribution off the bench.

While Moycarkey/Borris will be disappointed at the result, and how they fell away at the finish, albeit then a player short, they can take great heart from another good performance which augurs well for their upcoming county campaign.

The determination of such as Kieran Cummins, Jack Fallon, Peter Melbourne, Jack Hayes, Pat Molloy, and Max Hackett early on, was admirable and their hope now is to build on a good Mid campaign when they embark on their Dan Breen run.

TEAMS – Loughmore/Castleiney: Aidan McGrath (6); Ed Meagher (6), Joey Hennessy (7), Willie Eviston (6); John Ryan (6), Brian McGrath (7), Eoin O’Connell (6); Tomas McGrath (7), Ciaran Connolly (7); Tommy Maher (6), Noel McGrath (9), Ciaran McCormack (6); John McGrath (6), Liam Treacy (6), Liam McGrath (6).

Subs: Ciaran McGrath (7) for Treacy (42); Philip O’Connell (NR) for Eviston (58); Ed Connolly (NR) for Maher (58).

Moycarkey/Borris: Rhys Shelly (6); Steven Walsh (6), Peter Melbourne (6), Tom Ryan (6); Tom Hayes (6), Eoghan Hayes (6), Pat Molloy (7); Kieran Cummins (7), Jack Fallon (8); Joe Maher (6), Max Hackett (7), Kyle Shelly (6); Jack Hayes (7), Kieran Morris (6), Bill Flanagan (6).

Subs: Ruairi Ryan (6) for K Shelly (42); Niall Heffernan (6) for Flanagan (47); Chris McCullagh (6) for Maher (55).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).