Loughmore hand Holycross a reality check

After their great win over Nenagh Eire Og in round one, Holycross-Ballycahill suffered a reality check as they were soundly defeated by Loughmore-Castleiney in round 2 of group 3 of the County Senior Hurling Championship on Sunday.

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 3

Loughmore/Castleiney 0-21

Holycross/Ballycahill 0-14

Report: Michael Dundon at The Ragg

Apart from the opening seven minutes when Holycross established a slight 0-3 to 0-2 lead, Loughmore-Castleiney, with Noel McGrath pulling the strings, dominated a disappointing contest. They won by seven points, but they also shot seventeen wides, stats which give a pretty accurate picture of their dominance, but which will also give the winners something to think about now that their place in the quarter-finals assured.

Holycross-Ballycahill went into this game with high expectations but left The Ragg with question marks over their readiness as yet to grapple with the big hitters in the championship.

To be fair, they did not play to anything like their real potential, unforced errors and bad decision making when in possession spoiling their game, but this is largely a very young team, with still a bit of learning to do about life in the top flight. They can learn from this setback and chalk it down to a lack of experience.

Loughmore-Castleiney’s form so far this year has been most impressive and they are growing in self-belief with every outing. Noel McGrath is thriving in his roving commission. His ability to read the game and deliver precise and incisive passes has always been a feature of his play, one he used to devastating effect on Sunday in a man of the match performance.

Drawing on their many under-age successes of recent years, Holycross-Ballycahill cannot be faulted for not giving youth a chance, but the youngsters need the support of wise heads behind them, and this was not forthcoming in this outing. Robbie Ryan, Tadhg Gould, and James Doyle were Holycross’ top performers, all under-age players establishing themselves at senior level.

Loughmore were on the back-foot briefly at the start with Holycross leading 0-5 to 0-4 after ten minutes. Darragh Woods had the ball in the net after twelve minutes, but the whistle had blown before the crucial stroke.

In typical Loughmore fashion, with the minimum of fuss, they outpointed their rivals 0-5 to 0-1 in a seven minute spell for a 0-9 to 0-6 lead and subsequently kept a tight grip on proceedings without ever putting the game beyond Holycross’ reach. John McGrath got five of the points and John Ryan the other, to which Robbie Ryan, easily Holycross’ best attacker, replied.

Holycross moved Cathal Barrett to full-forward, but it made no difference as the winners’ defence continued to comfortably absorb the best thrown at them and reached half-way with a 0-11 to 0-7 advantage and looking on course for success.

Holycross needed a big lift in the second half and in the opening ten minutes they outscored their rivals 0-4 to 0-2, Robbie Ryan (2), Darragh Woods and James Doyle finding the target to which Noel & Brian McGrath replied for Loughmore but four unanswered points in an eight minute spell, stretched the lead to 0-17 to 0-11, with just over ten minutes to go.

It was by no means an unbridgeable gap, but Holycross never threatened to seriously challenge it. Tadhg Gould had a goal chance after 53 minutes, but it came to nothing.

The seven point margin separating the sides at the finish scarcely reflected Loughmore’s superiority. They face into their final group game against Nenagh Eire Og, topping the group and looking real title-winning candidates.

Noel McGrath’s form has been inspiring and he, along with brother Brian & John, Ciaran Connolly, John Ryan, and Eoin O’Connell were their key men in this win, achieved in the absence of the injured Joey Hennessy and Liam Treacy.

Holycross-Ballycahill are still well-placed to qualify from the group. They need to beat Lorrha in round 3, but it is going to take a big improvement in quality and commitment to achieve this.

Most encouraging is the form of their younger set with Tadhg Gould, Robbie Ryan, James Doyle leading the way while Ewan Bourke, Jimmy Ryan, and Evan Morris also did well in the absence of the injured Ben Hennessy and Jimmie Lahart.

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

Loughmore/Castleiney: Aidan McGrath (6); Ed Meagher (6), Eoin O’Connell (7), Willie Eviston (6); John Ryan (0-2, 7), Brian McGrath (0-1, 7), Tommy Maher (6); Tomas McGrath (0-1, 6), Noel McGrath (0-2, 1f, 9); Ed Connolly (0-1, 6), Ciaran Connolly (0-3, 7), Ciaran McCormack (0-1, 6); Ciaran McGrath (0-1, 6), John McGrath (0-8, 7f, 7), Liam McGrath (0-1, 6).

Subs: Dara McCahey (6) for McCormack (40); Lorcan Egan (6) for E Connolly (52); Philip O’Connell (6) for L McGrath (55); Joey Quinn (6) for C McGrath (56).

Holycross/Ballycahill: Ewan Bourke (7); Joe Caesar (6), Eoin Morris (6), Jimmy Ryan (6); Jim Ryan (6), Bryan O’Mara (6), Jack Ryan (6); Liam Doyle (6), Eoin Craddock (6); Tadhg Gould (0-1, 7), Cathal Barrett (0-1, 6), James Doyle (0-2, 7); Robbie Ryan (0-4, 7), David Fogarty (6), Darragh Woods (0-5f, 6).

Subs: Jack Dwan (6) for Fogarty (50); Padraic Russell (6) for Barrett (53); Conor Ryan (6) for Craddock (54).

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers).