Kilruane MacDonaghs record narrow win over stubborn Borris-Ileigh effort

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship - Group 1 - Round 2

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-18

Borris-Ileigh 1-17

By James Hayden

Kilruane MacDonaghs are on the cusp of the knock-out stages of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship following a closely fought battle with Borris-Ileigh on Friday evening.

With both sides having impressed in their opening round victories many in advance of this clash predicted a tight, close encounter, and so it transpired with Kilruane pipping the men in maroon right at the post, albeit in somewhat controversial circumstances.

Having trailed for the vast majority of the game, Thomas Williams’ charges hit the front on 58 minutes thanks to an impressive Cian Darcy point and although Borris’ quickly tied matters up with Eddie Ryan’s seventh free of the game, Kilruane secured victory with a well-struck injury-time free from Willie Cleary from what was a very tight angle on the sideline.

Kilruane did fluff two further chances to create a greater buffer before a last-gasp effort from Borris-Ileigh’s Paddy McCormack lacked the purchase to secure a last-gasp leveller. Kilruane’s goalkeeper Paidi Williams gathered the dropping ball but then appeared to concede a 65’ in his efforts to avoid being pinged for holding on to the sliotar for too long. Referee John Dooley however had just called time on proceedings and despite the post-match protestations of Borris-Ileigh’s backroom team, Kilruane secured back-to-back victories.

The breeze was a decidedly influential factor in this game but the fact that Kilruane switched up their tactics for the second half proved the ultimate deciding factor. Kilruane, with the aid of the elements played noticeably more direct hurling and it sure paid dividends following an opening half which saw them trail by five points at the break. Kilruane outscored Borris’ 1-12 to 1-6 in a second half which saw them garner greater possession and create the majority of scoring chances.

Borris-Ileigh will come away from this encounter genuinely disappointed not to have secured at the very least a share of the spoils. The loss of Kevin Maher early on through injury proved a big blow but regardless their impressive first half performance should have set them up nicely for a win, especially considering they had the comfort of a five-point cushion at the interval.

After just eight minutes, Borris led 0-4 to 0-1 thanks to a brace of Eddie Ryan frees and further points from Brendan Maher and Conor Kenny, while Sean McAdams registered Kilruane’s only score, a point from range.

With Brendan Maher playing a pivotal role as sweeper both he and Dan McCormack provided the platform for the majority of Borris’ attacks but the concession of needless frees in defence allowed Kilruane back to within one point by the quarter-hour mark with Willie Cleary on target. A poor Paidi Williams clearance to Dan McCormack culminated in a fine point for the impressive Kieran Maher before Eddie Ryan knifed over a 19th minute 65’ to open up a three point advantage for Borris’, 0-6 to 0-3.

Jerome Cahill popped up with Kilruane’s fourth point two minutes later before Colm Boyle surged up the sideline for a thumping effort to restore Borris-Ileigh’s three-point advantage. Borris’ started to turn the screw and two further points from Kieran Maher and Eddie Ryan (free) extended their advantage.

Kilruane hit back on the cusp of half-time with the rangy Thomas Cleary and dangerous Cian Darcy firing over points in succession. Borris’ responded with Conor Kenny arrowing over his second before a late Eddie Ryan free ensured Borris led 0-11 to 0-6 at the break.

Kilruane re-jigged their side positionally at the interval and from the get-go there was a noticeable pace and directness to their game that was clearly lacking in the opening half. Within seconds of the re-start, Conor Austin and James Cleary combined to send Niall O’Meara through on goal and the former county man made no mistake with a cracking strike to the back of the net.

Borris-Ileigh responded two minutes later after Eddie Ryan expertly dispatched a penalty past Paidi Williams following a foul by Paddy Ryan on the raiding Paddy McCormack. Kilruane retorted with a brace from Willie Cleary and Craig Morgan as the Kilruane comeback gathered momentum.

Borris-Ileigh responded with a brace of Eddie Ryan frees but were lucky not to concede a second goal on 36 minutes after Cian Darcy’s snapshot drew a great reaction save from James McCormack.

Borris were showing signs of strain in attack and while Brendan Maher mopped up a lot of ball in defence, primary possession wasn’t being transferred into scores. Kilruane, on the other hand, really began to build a head of steam with successive Willie Cleary frees edging them to within a point by the 39-minute mark.

Once more, Borris found a way to respond though with successive points from Dan McCormack book-ending a Eddie Ryan (free) and thus opening the gap back out to four with ten minutes of normal time remaining, 1-16 to 1-12.

Kilruane rallied once more and in the closing ten minutes showed what they were made of. Four points on the bounce including a brace from Thomas Cleary coupled with further points from Conor Austin and Willie Cleary brought them level with one minute of normal time remaining before the dramatic finale.

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Paidi Williams; James Cleary (0-1), Kieran Cahill, Eoin Hogan; Paddy Ryan, Craig Morgan (0-1), Aaron Morgan; Jerome Cahill (0-1), Conor Austin (0-1); Kian O’Kelly, Willie Cleary (0-8, 0-7f), Niall O’Meara (1-0); Sean McAdams (0-1), Thomas Cleary (0-3), Cian Darcy (0-2).

Subs used: James Williams for Ryan (44).

Borris-Ileigh: James McCormack; Colm Boyle (0-1), John McGrath, Liam Ryan; Ray McCormack, Dan McCormack (0-3), Seamus Burke; Tommy Ryan, Kieran Maher (0-2); Paddy McCormack, Eddie Ryan (1-8, 1-0 pen, 0-7f, 0-1 ‘65), Conor Kenny (0-2); Kevin Maher, Brendan Maher (0-1), Tom Delaney.

Subs used: Sean McCormack for Kevin Maher (21, inj).

Referee: John Dooley (Thurles Gaels)