Nenagh Éire Óg destroy poor Templederry to reach senior decider

Hi-Bernian Inn North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Nenagh Éire Óg 4-18

Templederry Kenyons 0-13

Nenagh Éire Óg were very convincing winners over Templederry in the Hibernian Inn North Tipperary senior hurling semi-final at Cloughjordan on Saturday evening when they blitzed their rivals with three goals in the first half.

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The Nenagh lads were flying from the very start and they were out to make sure that they dominated the game from the beginning.

They certainly did that and it was a difficult game for Templederry to see out as they were well off the pace all the way through.

If this was an indication of intent from Nenagh, then Kiladangan had better beware in the final game to be played next weekend. For, not only were the Nenagh lads full of energy and running, they also played a very clever brand of hurling with Tipp star Barry Heffernan pulling the strings as a sweeper in defence - his precise delivery of the ball set up many an attack for the forwards who relished the supply they were receiving.

Nenagh had 0-5 on the board after 13 minutes - Michael Heffernan (4) and Jake Morris on target for them, against two pointed frees for Seanie Ryan.

But, Nenagh had also hit eight wides in this spell and had they been more accurate they could have been out of sight. They didn't have to wait long though to make their dominance pay with a 14th minute Jake Morris goal – a fine goal having taken on the defence -sparking them into life. Michael Heffernan followed up with a point immediately and then Tommy Heffernan goaled in the 15th minute to end the game as a contest by the end of the first quarter.

There was no way back for Templederry – even at this early stage. They simply were not playing well enough and by the half time break they were in arrears by 3-12 to 0-4 – Philip Hickey getting the third Nenagh goal in the 13th minute followed by Killian Malone, Michael Hefferan and three long range points from Barry Heffernan frees.

Conor Ryan had the only score from play of the half for Templederry and the seventeen point deficit was demoralising in the extreme for them. But, true to form, they continued to battle and they would hurl better in the second half – a combination, perhaps, of Nenagh taking the foot off the throttle and their opponents playing for pride as the minutes wound down.

If there were to be any hopes of a Templederry comeback in the second half, they were dashed within a minute of the restart when Jake Morris blasted his second goal to put the result beyond doubt.

Templederry actually lost the second half by only one point, but the damage had been done. They found second half scores through Darragh Carey (2) Seanie Ryan (4) and Eanna Ryan (2), but Nenagh also had Ben West and Jamie Cottrell on the scoreboard before the end too.

A chastening day at the office for the Templederry lads, no doubt, but they will sift through the ashes of defeat to try and uncover some form of positivity. They found the going too hot to handle but they did battle admirably with Darragh Carey, Christy Coughlan, Gearoid Ryan, Tom Stapleton, Seanie Ryan and Eanna Ryan working hard for them.

Nenagh will have learned little from this game, but they will be anxious to cut down on their erratic shooting – their wides tally finished at fifteen and that's a luxury they cannot afford going forward. Still, they will be pleased at having created so many chances and the form of Jake Morris, Barry Heffernan, Michael Heffernan, James Mackey, Killian Malone and keeper Mark Tuite will certainly please them.

Teams and Scorers: Templederry Kenyons: Tim McCutcheon, Christy Coughlan, Tom Stapleton, Tadgh McLoughlin; Odhran Murphy, Darragh Carey (0-1), Liam McCutcheon; Mikie Ryan, Michael Ryan; Gearoid Ryan, Adrian Ryan 0-2, Matthew Hogan; Colm Murray, Seán Ryan 0-10, Padraig O’Leary.

Subs: Brian Stapleton for Michael Ryan.

Nenagh Éire Óg: Mark Tuite, Conor Hennessy, Conor McCarthy, Sean Phelan; Conor Ryan, Barry Heffernan 0-4, Adam Healy; James Mackey, Daire Quinn; Killian Malone 0-2, Mikey Heffernan 0-8, Josh Keller; Tommy Heffernan 1-0 Jake Morris 2-2, Philip Hickey 1-0.

Subs: Ben West 0-1 for Quinn; Cian Crowley for T. Heffernan; Jamie Cottrell 0-1 for Keller.

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess)