RED CARDS GALORE! Toomevara dismiss Kiladangan in fiery final round senior hurling clash

FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Championship - Group 1 - Round 1 

Toomevara 1-26

Kiladangan 1-13 

By Liam Hogan 

Toomevara’s 13-point win over Kiladangan brought an end to a 14-year spell since last defeating Kiladangan in a championship game, but the most fervent of Toomevara supporters didn’t see a win of such high margins.

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The big attendance that came to Dolla expected a great game and wanted a repeat of their North Championship thriller played in Templederry last July, but instead they got a game that was played on the edge all through and threatened to spoil over at times, and as the game approached the 59th minute, Michael Kennedy decided enough was enough.

As a result, Toomevara player Kevin McCarthy was to the line for a straight red following an altercation in front of the Kiladangan goal just seconds after Darragh McCarthy had scored the game’s first goal. 

Kiladangan’s David Sweeney followed McCarthy to the line at the same time, the corner back receiving two yellow cards as did Robbie Quirke a minute later, before Kiladangan’s Daragh O’Dwyer made way for a straight red. Not a game to satisfy the palate, and a number of other players might consider themselves very lucky not to have walked the plank.  

The Greyhounds deserved their win with their direct, no-nonsense style, posing problems for Kiladangan. In addition, they had twelve players on the scoresheet as opposed to six for the Blue and Golders.

Darragh McCarthy led the way, scoring 1-12 including 1-2 from play. Adam Hall and Darren Delaney were contenders for man of the match not to mention the Toome defence who outdone their opponents as Barry O’Connell, Liam Ryan plus Josh McCarthy stamped their authority on the game in front of an eagle eyed Rory Brislane in goal who produced one brilliant save to deny Dan O’Meara in the 23rd minute when Toome led 0-10 to 0-5. 

That save was vital, and late in the game, the Toomevara netminder was brave when coming of his line to deny a goal chance, but had to leave the scene with a head injury after taking a heavy knock. 

It was never Kiladangan’s day, but for the work of Daragh Butler, James Quigley, Joe Gallagher, David Sweeney, Dara O’Dwyer, and Willie Connors, the outcome could have been much worse.  

Both sides took turns at taking the lead in the opening ten minutes, with scores level for the third time at 0-3 each. Conor O’Farrell grabbed the opener, and the McCarthy brothers added a point each while Paul Flynn, Billy Seymour, and Sean Hayes responded in kind. Playing with the breeze, Toomevara began to dominate, and points by Darren Delaney, Kevin McCarthy, Conor O’Meara, and three Darragh McCarthy frees made it a six-point advantage, 0-10 to 0-4 lead, and 22 minutes gone. As the half developed, we saw worked points by Willie Connors and Paul Flynn bring Kiladangan within four of the leaders before Conor O’Farrell and Jack Delaney made it double scores four minutes from the break.

Conor Byrne’s second point and first from play was Kiladangan’s response, but Toome went on a scoring spree with superb long-distance points coming by Josh McCarthy and Barry O’Connell, making it 0-15 to 0-7 at half-time.  

Two long-range frees by Darragh McCarthy had the margin out to ten by the 35th minute before a Kiladangan revival began to materialise in the shape of two Tadgh Gallagher points plus another by Willie Connors. 

However, any time Toome were threatened, they simply had the ammunition to pull away, and between the 35th and 51st minute period they outscored Kiladangan 0-6 to 0-2 with Darragh McCarthy frees sprinkled by points from Conor O’Farrell, Adam Hall and Austin Duff. 

Willie Connors was Kiladangan’s sole response, and in the 53rd minute, he scored two back-to-back frees from distance. The closing five minutes of normal time had little to cheer about in terms of scores until Darragh McCarthy found space to strike home a goal. 

Tempers flared seconds after the green flag was raised, and four players were heading for a cold shower in the next two minutes of madness. 

As play went deep into injury time, a Willie Connors goal was window dressing for the scoreboard, and as play continued, Toome continued their hunger for more as Jake Hackett became Toome’s twelfth player on the scoresheet, as Darragh McCarthy's point from play was the final piece of action as the Greyhounds sealed second place behind Holycross in Group 1. 

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; Darragh Butler, James Quigley, David Sweeney; Dara O’Dwyer, Alan Flynn, Joe Gallagher; Tadgh Gallagher (0-2), Willie Connors (1-5, 0-2f); Dan O’Meara, Billy Seymour (0-1), Sean Hayes (0-1); Conor Byrne (0-2f), Paul Flynn (0-2), Neil Cahalan. 

Subs used: Bryan McLoughney for Cahalan (36); Conor Culhane for Dan O’Meara (blood 38-40); Declan McGrath for Byrne (48); Conor Culhane for Dan O’Meara (49); John O’Meara for Hayes (60).

Toomevara: Rory Brislane; Jake Ryan, Andrew Ryan, Joshua Powell; Barry O’Connell (0-1), Liam Ryan, Josh McCarthy (0-1); Conor O’Farrell (0-3), Paul Ryan; Darren Delaney (0-1), Kevin McCarthy (0-2), Conor O’Meara (0-1); Jack Delaney (0-1), Adam Hall (0-2), Darragh McCarthy (1-12, 0-10f).

Subs used: Robbie Quirke for Paul Ryan (42); Austin Duff (0-1) for J Delaney (51); Jake Hackett (0-1) for O’Meara (53); Cathal Frend for O’Connell (60); Jack Ryan for Josh McCarthy (61); Darragh Hayes for Brislane (61, blood sub). 

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Newcastle) 

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