County Hurling League Review

By Liam Hogan

DIVISION 1

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-17 Thurles Sarsfields 3-24

Lining out with just seven of the county final winning team, Kilruane MacDonaghs found Thurles Sarsfields too hot to handle in the opening game of this year’s County Hurling League in Cloughjordan last Friday.

The home played their best hurling in the first half and Cormac Doheny’s goal in the 19th minute kept them in front but Sarsfields, thanks to a Cathal Moloney goal before the break, went 1-10 to 1-7 in front at half way.

The teams went toe to toe in the third quarter with Sarsfields holding a four-point advantage in the 45th minute before taking over with a 2-7 tally in the final fifteen minutes with Seanie Butler and Tommy Maher each finding the net. Aidan McCormack scored eleven points with eight coming from play while Willie Cleary contributed ten from placed balls for Kilruane.

Nenagh Eire Og 1-6 JK Brackens 2-17

A depleted Nenagh Eire Og side fell to a heavy fourteen point home defeat to 2022 championship conquerors JK Brackens on St Patrick’s Day. Philip Hickey got the Nenagh goal.

Moycarkey/Borris 1-19 Mullinahone 0-15

Eddie Brennan’s term in charge of Moycarkey/Borris got off to a winning start with a seven point win over Mullinahone in Littleton on Saturday. Last years Tipp U20 hurler Kyle Shelly top scored with 1-12 for the victors while Jack Shelly was Mullinahone’s top scorer with six points from frees.

Upperchurch/Drombane 2-14 Kiladangan 1-13

Kiladangan’s 2023 campaign got off to a losing start with a four point defeat to Upperchurch/Drombane at a very wet Drombane on Sunday.

DIVISION 2

Burgess 0-21 Roscrea 2-15

Liam Seacy’s free in the dying seconds helped Roscrea earn a draw against Burgess in Kilcolman on Sunday.

Burgess led 1-10 to 0-12 at half time thanks to a Ger Fitzpatrick goal. Fitzpatrick scored 1-4. Dan Ryan got Roscrea’s second goal after half time. Stephen Murray was top scorer for Burgess with seven points while Ciaran Grace contributed three.

Gortnahoe/Glengoole 2-20 Templederry Kenyons 0-10

Gortnahoe/Glengoole were much too good for a wasteful Templederry side following a one-sided game in Gortnahoe on Friday. The winners led 1-11 to 0-7 at half time with Keane Hayes getting the goal with Darragh Maher adding the second.

Clonakenny 2-12 Eire Og Annacarty 0-18

An injury time free from Seanie Ryan earned Eire Og Annacarty a share of the spoils in a rain-soaked opening round County Hurling League game in Clonakenny last Sunday.

The Mid side had the better of the play in the opening quarter and led 1-7 to 0-2 after seventeen minutes before Annacarty responded with points by Seanie Ryan, Kevin Fox and Donal O’Dwyer and by half time the margin was down to five, 1-8 to 0-6.

Annacarty continued their momentum in the third quarter by which time scores were level, 0-12 to 1-9. Darragh Mooney produced a great save to keep Clonakenny at bay, but the Mid side regained the lead with a goal five minutes from time. However, Annacarty fought back with three late points, the third from Seanie Ryan to see a share of the spoils.

Elsewhere, Portroe fell to a heavy 1-32 to 2-13 defeat to Killenaule in UL on Thursday.

DIVISION 3

Ballina 0-18 Lorrha 1-20

2022 County Intermediate champions Lorrha continued their winning momentum at the start of 2023 as they earned a five-point win away to Ballina on St Patrick’s Day.

Lorrha led 0-11 to 0-8 at the end of a first half they dominated but failed to take a number of goal chances that came their way.

The margin was down to one point midway through the second half when Cian Hogan struck for the crucial goal, as part of a 1-5 haul from play from the former county under 21 hurler. Colm Fogarty top scored with eight points while Niall McIntyre also impressed with five points from play.

Ballina had eight different scorers with Donal Whelan contributing eight while centre back Sam Loughran and Terry O’Halloran were also to the fore.

Moyne-Templetuohy 0-20 Newport 3-14

Newport’s visit to Templetuohy proved to be a positive one as they came from behind to claim a valuable win over Moyne-Templetuohy on Friday.

Newport played against the breeze in the first half and trailed for much of the it but thanks to an Oran Connors goal, they managed to come within two points of the home side at the interval, 0-11 to 1-6.

Newport took charge in the second half and Connors helped himself to a second goal before Aidan Moloney grabbed Newport’s third to help claim a deserved three-point win. Elsewhere, Borrisokane fell to a two-point home defeat to Skeheenarinky on Sunday.