Roscrea put Kiladangan to the sword

GAA: FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 2

Roscrea 1-33

Kiladangan 4-12

Report: Joe Scully in Cloughjordan

Roscrea had an impressive twelve points to spare over fourteen-man Kiladangan in the opening round of the Premier Intermediate Championship on Sunday evening.

The Rossie’s victory was made much easier after Kiladangan centre-back and captain Ruairí Gleeson was sent off in just the thirteenth minute. With the numerical advantage, Roscrea played some scintillating hurling throughout the hour, and were fully deserved of their win, as they sent out a warning to the rest of the sides in the championship.

Overall, it was an excellent team performance, with the winners playing some wonderful hurling at times, and hitting some top-class scores throughout. While a total of 1-33 is impressive going in anyone’s book, even more is that 1-25 came from play.

While they did produce some great hurling throughout, they will be slightly concerned at the fact they hit fifteen wides, and also by the concession of four goals.

It was a victory that was built on an excellent defensive performance, with their half-back line of Michael Campion, Darren O’Connor and Darragh Tynan, dominating and winning an untold amount of ball, especially on the Kiladangan puckout.

Kiladangan will obviously look back on the sending off as a pivotal moment in the game, but they can have very little complaint with the decision of referee John Cleary to send Gleeson off for a dangerous pull across the arm of midfielder Daniel Ryan who was baring down on goal before being taking out.

Kiladangan, despite the disadvantage of been down to fourteen for a large period, showed a lot of spirit and never gave up and kept plugging away right till the end, and will take great solace from this. They opened the scoring in the third minute with a point from Jonathan Horan.

Roscrea after a nervy start, would soon settle and hit four unanswered points, three from the impressive Darragh Tynan, Shane Fletcher and Joe Carroll, before Luke Cashin added a fourth from a free in the seventh minute.

However, Kiladangan would be back in the lead by the eleventh minute as their star man Shane Gleeson first knocked over a free, and followed it up with a goal two minutes later, a great finish from close range, after been set-up by Ciaran Kelly.

Then came the games’ pivotal moment, when Ruairi Gleeson was sent off, with Luke Cashin knocking over his second point from the resulting free to level things up.

Shane Gleeson had Kiladangan back ahead again with another free before Roscrea would score three unanswered points, with a Cashin free, sandwiched in between two Jason Gilmartin points from play. Eoin Meagher reduced the deficit before Roscrea hit another purple patch with three unanswered points from play with Jason Fitzpatrick, Dan Ryan and Evan Fitzpatrick scoring.

Billy Cleary got one back, but Roscrea would finish the half the stronger as they outscored Kiladangan 1-5 to 1-1, with the goals coming from Shane Gleeson again for Kiladangan, but Roscrea replied almost immediately with a goal of their own from Jason Gilmartin, as Roscrea went in at the break, 1-16 to 2-6 up.

Kiladangan started the second-half brightly and hit the first two scores through points from Ciaran Kelly and Bill Cleary. But Roscrea would reply through Joe Carroll and Jason Fitzpatrick (free).

Kiladangan had the gap down to five in the 35th minute when they got their third goal through Eoin Meagher after a long puckout broke his way and he finished smartly.

But Roscrea as they did throughout the game responded brilliantly and hit the next three points from play. Roscrea would see out the game out comfortably, despite another Kiladangan goal as Shane Gleeson would complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot. But Kiladangan despite never giving in and fighting till the final whistle were well beating.

Best for Roscrea were Keith McMahon, Darragh Tynan, Dan Ryan, and Jason and Evan Fitzpatrick, and Jason Gilmartin, while for Kiladangan Shane Gleeson, Bill Cleary and Ciaran Kenny and Eoin Meagher caught the eye.

Player of the Match: Darragh Tynan (Roscrea).

Roscrea: Enda Moloney (6); Shane Davis (7), Keith McMahon (8), James Synott (6); Michael Campion (6), Darren O’Connor (0-1, 7), Darragh Tynan (0-4, 9); Dan Ryan (0-3, 7), Shane Fletcher (0-2, 7); Joe Carroll (0-2, 7), Jason Fitzpatrick (0-4, 1f) 8), Evan Fitzpatrick (0-5, 1 65) 9), Jason Gilmartin (1-3, 8), Sam Conlon (6), Luke Cashin (0-6f, 6).

Subs: Kenny Lee (0-1, 6) for Cashin (HT), Conor Dooley (0-2, 7) for Conlon (44), Aidan Booth (6) for J Fitzpatrick (58).

Kiladangan: Darragh Egan (6); Jack McGrath (7), Shane Seymour (6), Darragh Ryan (6); Johnny Horan (0-1, 7), Ruairí Gleeson (5), DJ McGrath (6); Ronan Ducie (6), Martin Minehan (6); Neil Cahalan (6), Shane Gleeson (3-6, 1-5f) 9), Bill Cleary (0-2, 7), Darren Ryan (6), Ciaran Kelly (0-1, 7), Eoin Meagher (1-1, 7).

Subs: Johnny McGrath (6) for Cahalan (20); Paddy Coen (0-1, 6) for Darren Ryan (50); Tom McLaughlin (6) for DJ McGrath (52); Darren Ryan for Kelly (60); Jim Minehan (NR) for J McGrath (60+1).

Referee: John Cleary (Knockshegowna).