McCarthy brothers hit 2-12 as Toomevara ends 16 year wait to qualify for county decider

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Toomevara 2-19

Moycarkey Borris 0-20

By Michael Dundon

Toomevara’s bid to bridge the 16-year gap to their last county senior hurling title faces one last hurdle after they saw off the challenge of Moycarkey-Borris in the FBD Insurance-sponsored semi-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

Two Darragh McCarthy goals in the seven minutes coming up to half-time were to prove decisive giving “The Greyhounds” the impetus they needed to absorb a Moycarkey-Borris challenge that was always threatening but which in the end faltered, two second-half goal chances being stymied by the excellent Rory Brislane in the Toome goal.

While always a keen tussle, this game did not meet expectations in terms of quality or intensity but nobody was leaving their seats early as Moycarkey-Borris sought to make up the ground lost to those two McCarthy strikes. 

On reflection Moycarkey fans will say they had their chances from play and frees, and at the finish, they were pressing and hoping for an escape akin to that pulled off against Kiladangan who they beat in the quarter-final with a late goal, but overall they can have no complaint- the better team won.

It's forty years since Moycarkey-Borris last won a county senior title and things were moving well for them as they shared 12 points with Toome in the opening thirteen minutes. In the next nine minutes however, Moycarkey enjoyed a productive spell, with points from Kieran Cummins, Kieran Morris, Joe Maher, and a Rhys Shelley free to go 0-10 to 0-7 clear, Kevin McCarthy having split the run with a Toome point.

In the 23rd minute however, Darragh McCarthy sent a rasper to the Moycarkey net to level for Toome and though Kieran Morris restored Moycarkey’s advantage with a point, Toome finished with a flourish, points from Kevin and Darragh McCarthy followed by a Darragh McCarthy goal after thirty minutes following a neat link-up with Adam Hall, for an interval lead of 2-9 to 0-11.

It was by no means an unbridgeable gap and Moycarkey got it down to two points at one stage in the second half, but, as it transpired, it was enough of a cushion to see Toome through to the final. 

The third quarter saw Toome marginally increase their lead to 2-14 to 0-5 as the sides traded points but three Moycarkey points from Kyle Shelly (2) and David Costigan narrowed the gap to two points (2-14 to 0-18) with ten minutes to play. The stage looked set for a grand finale with Moycarkey fans hoping for a repeat of their quarter-final late smash and grab.

After Darragh McCarthy pointed for Toome, goalie Rory Brislane, as he had done earlier to deny Joe Maher, again rescued Toome with a smart save from Niall Heffernan in the 53rd minute. 

What those two goals would have done for the Mid challenge is anybody’s guess but, though under sustained pressure, Toome were showing their mettle and by the hour mark had their lead out to five points again, Jack Delaney, Kevin McCarthy, Darren Delaney and Darragh McCarthy all stretching their tally despite a pair of Kyle Shelley points from frees for Moycarkey.

And that’s how it stayed through injury time, a Shelley blast for a Moycarkey goal from a close-in free coming to nothing as Kenny Dunne’s charges held their ground to claim their place in the final and continue the admirable progress made by the club under his direction. Toome will most likely start as outsiders in the final and they will have no problem with that. 

They will also concede that they have some work to do to lift the Dan Breen Cup but it is now a two-horse race, and they are where they want to be at this stage of the year. Irrespective of what happens in the final Toome would have asked for nothing more at the start of the championship.

There is a lot to admire about this Toome side, particularly their great spirit, and in the McCarthy’s Darragh and Kevin, they have two match-winners. 

Underage county star Darragh got both their goals and was always a threat in possession, while Kevin whipped over five points from play, a huge contribution to their success. 

Goalkeeper Rory Brislane too had a big game, with two saves vital to their success, and was generally lively and alert to all that was happening about him. A solid Toome defence snuffed out the Moycarkey threat with Andrew and Liam Ryan rock-solid at its heart.

Having juggled with relegation in recent years, Moycarkey-Borris, although understandably disappointed at this defeat, will look with satisfaction at the progress made this year. 

The introduction of some promising younger players by manager Eddie Brennan of Kilkenny has energised the side and fashioned hopes of a return to former glory. The challenge now is to build on this year’s campaign, to take their game to a higher level and possibly a stage further next year.

Midfielder Kieran Cummins was Moycarkey’s top performer with three points from play while in defence Peter Melbourne,  goalie Rhys Shelley, and the Hayes’ did their stuff. Joe Maher and Kieran Morris also had their moments in what was a solid Moycarkey performance that fell marginally short of what was required.

Scorers: Toomevara: Darragh McCarthy (2-7, 0-4f, 0-1 65); Kevin McCarthy 0-5; Mark McCarthy (0-2, 0-1 sl-cut); Conor O’Farrell, Adam Hall, Robbie Quirke, Jack Delaney, Darren Delaney all 0-1 each.

Moycarkey Borris: Kieran Morris (0-5, 0-3f); Kyle Shelly (0-4, 0-3f, 0-1 65); Kieran Cummins 0-3; Joe Maher 0-2; Max Hackett 0-1; Rhys Shelly 0-1f; Bill Flanagan, Eoghan Hayes, Jack Hayes all 0-1 each.

Toomevara: Rory Brislane; Barry O’Connell, Andrew Ryan, Seamus O’Farrell; Josh McCarthy, Liam Ryan, Jack Ryan; Robbie Quirke, Conor O’Farrell; Jack Delaney, Kevin McCarthy, Mark McCarthy; Darragh McCarthy, Adam Hall, Darren Delaney.

Subs used: Conor O’Meara for M McCarthy (44); Jake Hackett for Jack Ryan (47); Colm Canning for J McCarthy (57); Joshua Powell for S O’Farrell (58); Shane Nolan for D Delaney (60).

Moycarkey Borris: Rhys Shelly; Steven Walsh, Peter Melbourne, Tom Ryan; Tom Hayes, Eoghan Hayes, Kevin Hayes; Kieran Cummins, Jack Fallon; Kieran Morris, Max Hackett, Joe Maher; Jack Hayes, Joe Egan, Bill Flanagan.

Subs used: David Costigan for B Flanagan (37); Kyle Shelly for Morris (40); Niall Heffernan for Fallon (48); Joe Doran for J Hayes (55).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)