Who’ll be the lucky 13th in County Final Replays

By Liam Hogan

Willie Connors injury time equaliser means the next Sunday’s County Senior Hurling Final replay will be the thirteenth so far in the history of the competition.

Of the twelve so far, eleven were required following the sides finishing level while one after an objection way back in 1899. In that replay, Horse & Jocky defeated neighbours Two-Mile Borris, 2-5 to 2-4. The first game was played on Turtulla Road, Thurles and Horse and Jockey won 3-6 to 2-5. Two-Mile Borris objected and a replay was fixed for Cashel.

Toomevara were the superior side as Boherlahan disappointed after a high scoring drawn encounter for the time at Toome 5-5 Boherlahan 6-2.

Playing against a Roscrea side who were appearing in their second final ever the challengers almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat two weeks earlier in Nenagh.

In the replay, Roscrea led 1-0 to 0-2 at half time but Thurles Sarsfields, powered by five of the successful Tipperary team that won the All-Ireland final, over two months previous, were delighted to get a second chance and with an improved second half recovery they claimed their second victory in a three in a row success.

Thurles Sarsfield, once again, when they were in search of their second five-in-a-row and their tenth in eleven years as the sides drew 2-7 to 3-4 in Clonmel.

The replay went ahead a week later in Cashel and the holders won by seven points to record their 27th title. Jimmy Doyle, the Tipperary winning captain the previous September scored 1-6 all frees in front of an estimated 12,000 spectators. The experience was all worth it all for Carrick Davins who won the next two finals.

Len Gaynor’s late goal from a free meant a replay and Moneygall didn’t hang around at the second time of asking to claim their first ever Dan Breen success.

Two goals in the 18th & 24th minutes was the foundation for the win, the first from a Philip Ryan penalty and the second by Donal Kenedy (uncle to Kiladangan’s Darragh Egan) made it 2-4 to 0-3. The third goal came late in the game thanks to Jack Ryan’s sixty metre free. The attendance was 8,000.

Success at last for Kilruane MacDonaghs who did enough to win in a dour but competitive game. Seamus Hennessy’s goal from a free in the second half was the difference. In the drawn game, Kilruane overcame a slow first quarter to force the draw with Jim Williams scoring the equaliser late on.

Moycarkey went into the replay as underdogs and two goals in the first half paved the way for victory, their first county success in 42 years.

The replay was played on a Saturday for the first time with the closing stages producing the best of the excitement as Pat McGrath’s late goal gave Loughmore/Castleiney their first ever County senior win and the start of an exciting period for the club as they continue to be the club to beat right up to this very day.

A Seamus Quinn free helped Thurles Sarsfields force a replay but seven days later, Toomevara were champions for the first time since 1961 when Michael O’Meara brought home the Dan Breen for Toome’s eleventh success in the grade. The win was also the start of a great period in Toome’s history.

The mark of John Leahy was ever prominent in this historic first win for Mullinahone. Twelve months earlier the Tipp star limped off in the Munster championship game against Clare in what looked a career ending injury before collecting his third All-Ireland medal.

Played under floodlights, Loughmore’s John McGrath scored the winner at the end of a great final as they completed a hurling and football double. It was Liam McGrath’s equaliser that brought parity in the drawn game, played two weeks earlier, which ended a high scoring encounter Loughmore 0-23 Thurles Sarsfields 2-17

Willie Cleary’s equalising free in the drawn game, seven days earlier meant the sides met again. Seven days later, the replay was a much better game. Kiladangan led 1-9 to 0-7 at half time but Kilruane ramped up the tempo and took over in the second half thanks to Willie Cleary’s accuracy from frees with Cian Darcy’s 2-2 from play ensuring first senior victory since 1985.