Roscrea heading for relegation battle after Mullinahone defeat

Roscrea face into a relegation battle following their second successive defeat in the County Senior Hurling Championship to Mullinahone in Holycross on Saturday.

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 2

CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 1-26

Roscrea 2-20

The South Tipp side had lost their opening game against Thurles Sarsfields, but they got off the blocks quicker here when they raced into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after just eight minutes.

Roscrea had the first goal chance two minutes later, but Mullinahone goalie Eoin Kelly easily stopped Kenny Lee’s weak attempt.

Roscrea responded with scores from Luke Cashin to only trail by two after fifteen minutes, 0-6 to 0-4.

The North Tipp side then put Cashin into the full forward line, which caused trouble for the Mullinahone full back line.

However, Roscrea’s problem throughout the first half was their finishing, as they had nine wides in total, with some Hail Mary shots.

The closing quarter of the half was nip and tuck, with neither side pulling away as they headed into the half-time break level at 0-12 apiece.

Roscrea came out for the second half and scored two points in the opening sixty seconds, but Mullinahone took control. Former inter-county hurler Sean Curran played an instrumental role, scoring three points in a row before the decisive moment in the match came.

A long ball by Eoin Kelly was caught by player/manager Jack Shelly who left a Roscrea defender with no option but to drag him down for a penalty. Up stepped the former Tipperary All-Ireland winning captain Eoin Kelly, who blasted the penalty into the top left corner of the net.

Two more points by Sean Curran had Mullinahone leading 1-19 to 0-17 with sixteen minutes remaining.

Roscrea got a life-line when Shane Fletcher was quickest to react from a Luke Cashin free to pull on the ball into the back of the net to bring the gap back to five in the 58th minute, 1-25 to 1-20.

Another green flag was raised after a long-distance strike from Luke Cashin hopped into the net, but Eoin Kelly was saved any embarrassment as referee Fergal Horgan deemed that the Roscrea attackers were interfering with play, and a square ball was called.

The third green flag was raised in the 61st minute for Roscrea, and this one was allowed as Tipp star Alan Tynan rattled the crossbar and then followed in the dropping ball to pull the arrears to three points.

Roscrea tried to get another goal, but the Mullinahone defence stood firm and claimed the victory to set up a winner-takes all clash with Moycarkey/Borris in the battle for second place, while Roscrea will play for pride against Thurles Sarsfields.

Player of the Match: Sean Curran (CJ Kickhams, Mullinahone)

CJ Kickhams, Mullinahone: Eoin Kelly (1-0 pen, 7); Darragh Linnane (0-1, 7), Paul Curran (8), Colin Shelly (7); Eanna Ryan (0-1, 7), Eoin Fennelly (6), Martin Kehoe (0-1, 7); Daire O’Brien (6), Sean Curran (0-9, 4f, 1 65) 8); Kevin Walzer (0-1, 6), Jack Shelly (0-1, 7), Eoin O’Dwyer (0-1, 7); Sam Rowan (0-2, 7), Michael Dunne (0-8, 3f, 8), Danny Dunne (0-1, 6).

Subs: Rian O’Halloran (6) for O’Brien (47); Matthew Direen (NR) for Walzer (56).

Roscrea: Enda Moloney (7); Glen Loughnane (6), Shane Davis (6), Luke Seacy (6); Dan Ryan (6), Darragh Tynan (0-1, 6), Conor Sheedy (0-2, 1f, 7); Luke Cashin (0-10, 8f, 7), Owen Tynan (6); Alan Tynan (1-2, 7), Conor Booth (6), Evan Fitzpatrick (0-1, 6); Shane Fletcher (1-2, 8), Conor Dooley (0-1, 6), Kenny Lee (0-1, 6).

Subs: Leigh Loughnane (6) for Booth (44); Sam Dooley (6) for Lee (50).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams).