Slick Kiladangan down Templederry

Reigning champions Kiladangan got back to winning ways in the race for the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship following an easy win over a below par Templederry Kenyons side on Sunday.

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 4 Round 2

Kiladangan 4-31

Templederry Kenyons 2-17

Report: James Hayden in Nenagh

This second round tie was well decided by the interval with the recently crowned North champions, leading by a whopping seventeen-point margin, proving far too strong for a depleted Kenyons outfit.

Templederry now face a winner-takes-all clash with Clonoulty/Rossmore in order to avoid a relegation battle, and following two losses on the bounce and with injury worries mounting they will be up against.

Going into this encounter they were without the services of Adrian Ryan while Brian Stapleton will be forced to sit out following the re-occurrence of a back injury.

Kiladangan were still without the services of the injured Sean Hayes but still fielded an experienced side. From the get-go, their movement, nous and guile proved too much for a Templederry side who afforded John O’Meara’s charges far too much room and space.

Points from Billy Seymour, Bryan McLoughney and Tadgh Gallagher set the tone and by the ninth minute Kiladangan had doubled their tally with Templederry registering two points from Colm Murray (65’) and Gearoid Ryan.

A dominant Seymour was pulling the strings in Kiladangan’s attack and two points on the bounce extended their advantage to six before Alan Flynn, who commanded all before him from centre-back, chipped in with a well-taken point. Up next was James Quigley who picked off what is a rare commodity for any full-back, a booming long-range point, to fire his side into an 0-11 to 0-2 lead as the game ticked towards the quarter-hour.

Kiladangan kept the pressure up with Alan Flynn flighting over his second of four from play while Andy Loughnane and Shane Gleeson arrowed over two more impressive points.

Gearoid Ryan, despite carrying a knock into the game, tried his utmost and added his side’s fourth point on 20 minutes but Kiladangan struck back with their first goal, a peach of the strike from Paul Flynn on 21 minutes.

Templederry responded with efforts from Colm Murray (free) and Liam McCutcheon, but it was merely token resistance as Kiladangan went on to hit 1-6 in the closing ten minutes of the half, their second goal coming on 25 minutes after Billy Seymour gathered possession on the edge of the ‘D’ and unleashed a unstoppable low drive to the bottom right corner of the net.

The goal, coupled with points from Conor Byrne, Paul Fynn and a delicious over the shoulder effort from Bryan McLoughney from close to the sideline meant Kiladangan took a comfortable 2-21 to 1-7 lead to the dressing room, although Templederry were buoyed somewhat by a goal in injury time after Sean Ryan neatly set Colm Murray up for a well-deserved three-pointer.

Despite trailing by seventeen points, Templederry, with a strong swirling breeze now at their backs, upped their game and despite the yawning chasm of scoreline they battled on gamely.

Three points from play from Eanna Murray and two more from Colm Murray, the first from play, lifted Templederry hearts but Kiladangan retorted with efforts from Alan Flynn, Billy Seymour and Conor Byrne keeping the scoreboard ticking before Darren Moran, who had replaced the injured Any Loughnane at the break, unselfishly set up the dangerous Conor Byrne up for their third goal in the 36th minute, 3-24 to 1-12.

Kiladangan, whose defence coped with the best Templederry could muster, continued tapping over the points with Willie Connors firing over from the stand sideline, their ninth different scorer.

Templederry kept battling and a second goal on 49 minutes from Sean Ryan, following a neat pass from his brother Mikie, served to put a more favourable look on the scoreline.

With the outcome a foregone conclusion, Kiladangan added to their tally with Paul Flynn and Billy Seymour finding their range with ease before a late Flynn goal brought his personal tally to 2-4 and capped off a thoroughly comfortable win for a dominant Kiladangan side.

Kiladangan, who are now in second place on three points in their group, will now face JK Brackens who top the group, in their final game in a mouth-watering clash that will provide for interesting fare.

For Templederry it’s do or die for their final round game against Clonoulty as they bid to avoid a relegation battle.

Player of the Match: Alan Flynn (Kiladangan)

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (7); John O’Meara (7), James Quigley (0-1, 7), David Sweeney (8); Willie Connors (0-1, 8), Alan Flynn (0-4, 8), Joe Gallagher (7); Declan McGrath (8), Tadhg Gallagher (7); Shane Gleeson (0-2, 7), Billy Seymour (1-13, 0-6f, 8), Paul Flynn (2-4, 8); Bryan McLoughney (0-2, 7), Andy Loughnane (0-1, 6), Conor Byrne (1-3, 7).

Subs: Darren Moran (7) for Loughnane (HT inj); Fergal Hayes (6) for Connors (48).

Templederry Kenyons: Tim McCutcheon (7); Padraig Hogan (7), Christy Coughlan (7), Dale Donnelly (7); Darragh Carey (7), Tom Stapleton (7), Michael Hayes (7); Gearoid Ryan (0-2, 7), Liam McCutcheon (0-1, 7); Colm Murray (1-8, 0-5f, 0-1 65’) 8), Padraic O’Leary (7), Pio Kennedy (7); Mikie Ryan (7), Sean Ryan (1-1, 7), Eanna Murray (0-5, 8).

Subs: Brian Rohan (6) for Hayes (41); Paidi Ryan (6) for O’Leary (45); Cillian Kennedy (6) for G Ryan (48); Sean Collins (NR) for Hayes (54); Conor Looby (NR) for L McCutcheon (54).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)