Kiladangan point their way into quarter finals

GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship Group 4

Kiladangan 0-25

Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-17

Report: James Hayden at The Ragg

Kiladangan secured safe passage to the quarter-finals of the County Senior Hurling Championship as group 4 winners following a point-perfect victory over Clonoulty/Rossmore on Sunday afternoon.

Last year’s defeated finalists maintained their aspirations of capturing Dan Breen with an impressive performance over a Clonoulty side that struggle to keep pace with a well-oiled Kiladangan outfit that impressively bagged all but four of their tally from play.

Despite being without the services of the injured full-back James Quigley, Kiladangan laid down a serious marker with a comprehensive eight-point victory over a Clonoulty side who still have the safety net of a preliminary quarter final as reigning West champions. However, Declan Ryan’s side must now prepare for combat on two fronts after being consigned to a relegation battle if they fail to go on and win the Dan Breen Cup as they did in 2018.

In a game which ebbed and flowed from the start, Clonoulty kept pace in the opening ten minutes with the men in blue and gold but Kiladangan’s attack was far sharper and more dangerous looking. Seán Hayes, who was tremendous throughout, knifed over two early points with the dangerous Dan O’Meara and Paul Flynn chipping in with two more.

Cathal Bourke (2 frees), Stephen Quinn and Jack Ryan ensured Clonoulty kept pace as the West side chose to pack the middle third and snaffle up the majority of Barry Hogan’s puckouts but once Kiladangan adjusted to counteract Clon’s tactics, the points came in quick succession with Johnny Horan, Billy Seymour (free), Seán Hayes and Andy Loughnane stretching Kiladangan’s advantage to four mid-way through the half.

Clonoulty/Rossmore battled back and responded with four unanswered points with the returning Conor Hammersley, Cathal Bourke (free), Robert Doyle and Danny Slattery restoring parity by the 21st minute.

Their resurgence appeared to spark Kiladangan back into action though and they surged clear once more thanks to a sublime Dan O’Meara point after he plucked the sliotar from the sky before four points in quick succession from Bryan McLoughney, Tadgh Gallagher, Dan O’Meara and Seán Hayes handed Kiladangan a five-point advantage as the interval loomed.

Cathal Bourke, who was in fine form for the West men, managed to convert from close-range in time added on to see Clonoulty trail by four at the break, 0-10 to 0-14, but even at this juncture Kiladangan looked to have all the aces.

Kiladangan had doubled their interval advantage by the 38th minute thanks to fine points from Bryan McLoughney, Tadgh Gallagher, Declan McGrath and Paul Flynn and while Clonoulty mustered a number of impressive attacks they just appeared to lack the necessary firepower in attack to threaten a dominant Kiladangan defence. David Sweeney, Joe Gallagher and Alan Flynn mopped up a huge amount of ball, but Clonoulty kept plugging away and three points on the bounce between the 41st & 45th minutes narrowed the gap to four once more.

Kiladangan introduced Conor Byrne on 50 minutes and with his first touch he arrowed over a beautifully-struck point before Billy Seymour boomed over an effort from way out field to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Clonoulty’s Stephen Ferncombe narrowed the gap again with a curving 57th minute strike from close to the stand sideline but a tenacious passage of play which culminated with Declan McGrath clearing to Tadhg Gallagher for a cracking 59th minute point served to quell any semblance of late Clonoulty resurgence.

Kiladangan saw out the rest of the game easily in time added on to ensure a top of the table finish and with it a top seeding for the upcoming county quarter-finals. Impressive for Kiladangan were David Sweeney, Alan Flynn, Declan McGrath, Tadgh Gallagher, Dan O’Meara, Billy Seymour, and Sean Hayes while Enda Heffernan, John O’Keefe, Cathal Bourke, Danny Slattery, and Ronan Heffernan were to the fore for Clonoulty/Rossmore.

Player of the Match: Seán Hayes (Kiladangan)

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan (7), John O’Meara (7), David Sweeney (7), Fergal Hayes (7); Jonathan Horan (0-1, 7), Joe Gallagher (7), Alan Flynn (8); Tadhg Gallagher (0-3, 7), Declan McGrath (0-1, 7); Seán Hayes (0-3, 8), Billy Seymour (0-7, 3f, 1 65) 7), Paul Flynn (0-2, 7); Dan O’Meara (0-3, 7), Andy Loughnane (0-1, 7), Bryan McLoughney (0-2, 7),

Subs: Darren Moran (7) for J O’Meara (35); Conor Byrne (0-2, 7) for McLoughney (50); Willie Connors (6) for Loughnane (52).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Martin Sadlier (7), Sean O’Connor (7), Enda Heffernan (7), Tommy Ryan (7); Ronan Heffernan (7), John O’Keefe (7), Ciaran Quirke (0-1, 7); Michael Ryan (7), Danny Slattery (0-2, 7); Cathal Bourke (0-7, 6f, 8), Jack Ryan (0-1, 7), Stephen Quinn (0-2, 7); Conor Hammersley (0-1, 7), Aaron Ryan (7), Robert Doyle (0-1, 7).

Subs: Stephen Ferncombe (0-2, 1f, 7) for Bourke (41); Jimmy Maher (6) for M Ryan (41); James Hammersley (6) for A Ryan (51); Tom Butler (NR) for Doyle (60+1).

Referee: John Dooley (Thurles Gaels).