Kiladangan get back on track with solid performance in defeat of Clonoulty Rossmore

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship - Group 4 - Round 3

Kiladangan 0-25

Clonoulty Rossmore 0-17

Kiladangan are through to this year’s Tipperary SHC quarter-finals following a point-perfect victory over Clonoulty/Rossmore at a sun-splashed Ragg pitch on Sunday afternoon last.

Last year’s defeated county finalists maintained their aspirations of capturing Dan Breen with an impressive performance over a Clonoulty/Rossmore 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 in this year’s championship 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 following Thurles Sarsfields’ win over Borris-Ileigh in the other group game.

In a game which ebbed and flowed from start to finish Clonoulty kept pace in the opening ten minutes with the men in blue and gold but Kiladangan’s attack was far sharper and far 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 (two frees), Stephen Quinn and Jack Ryan ensured Clonoulty kept pace. Clonoulty also chose to pack the middle third and snaffle up the majority of Barry Hogan’s puck outs but once Kiladangan adjusted slightly to counteract Clon’s tactics the points came in quick succession for the ‘Dangan with Johnny Horan, Billy Seymour (free), Seán Hayes and Andy Loughnane stretching Kiladangan’s advantage to four by mid-way through the half.

Clonoulty battled back though and responded with four unanswered points of their own with Conor Hammersley, Cathal Bourke (free), Robert Doyle and Danny Slattery restoring parity by the 21st minute. Clon’s 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 38-minute minute mark 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 and 45th minutes narrowed the gap to four once more.

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

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.

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’Keeffe, Caathal Bourke, Danny Slattery and Ronan Haffernan were to the fore for Clonoulty.

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

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

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

Subs used: Stephen Ferncombe (0-2, 0-1f) for Bourke (41); Jimmy Maher for M Ryan (41); James Hammersley for A Ryan (51); Tom Butler for Doyle (61).

Referee: John Dooley (Thurles Gaels)