Carrick Swan return to last four of Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship

Carrick Swan 0-21 Silvermines 1-14

It wasn’t their best performance of the season but Carrick Swan still did enough to see off the challenge of Silvermines in the FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship quarter-final at Boherlahan on Saturday and qualify for the last four for the second year running.

Manager Kieran Reade will know that he will need to see a much-improved performance from his side to overcome the challenge of Boherlahan/Dualla in the semi-final, when they will try to achieve successive county final appearances.

Swan were thankful once again for the scoring contribution of Callum Lanigan, whose six points from frees and three from play proved crucial in their success. The inside forward line of Callum Walsh, Aaron Dunne and Stefan Tobin also chipped in with nine points from play between them.

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However, Swan were also guilty of careless shooting and there were rumblings of discontent among their fans when good scoring chances went awry, especially in the first half.

They were grateful that Tipperary player Jason Forde didn’t reach his usual high standard of free-taking. He scored 0-8, all but one from placed balls, but was also off-target from frees on a number of occasions when a score would have given Silvermines the momentum they needed.

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After leading by three at half-time, 0-11 to 0-8, Swan looked to be heading for a comfortable victory when they extended the lead to seven, 0-17 to 0-10, eleven minutes into the second half, but then they had to withstand a spirited Silvermines revival.

Three points on the bounce from the north side, from Seán Nolan and two from Andy Hayden, reduced the gap to four, before Swan hit back with an Aaron Dunne score. But what was looking like a victory for Swan suddenly turned into a dogfight.

Sloppy play from Swan in midfield saw Conor McKelvey intercept an intended pass, and he cut through the heart of the Swan defence before off-loading to Seán Nolan, whose low shot to the net gave goalkeeper Kieran Lonergan no chance.

The goal reduced the lead to just two points and the Carrick side were happy to see Lanigan push it out to four again with two points, one a fine effort from play and the second from a free. However, a Forde free in added time kept ‘Mines in touch, and searching for an equalising goal. 

However, it was the south champions who finished stronger, and in their last attack the always-dangerous Dean Waters was fouled, referee Alan Tierney flashed a red card to Silvermines substitute Oisín Murphy, and Lanigan popped over the free for a hard-earned win for Swan.

They led by 0-4 to 0-2 after thirteen minutes, scores coming from Callum Walsh, Callum Lanigan and two from Aaron Dunne, to Silvermines replies from a Forde free and Brian Seymour. But in that time Swan also had wides from Walsh, Lanigan, Gavin O’Halloran and Eric O’Halloran as they struggled to turn possession into scores. Jason Forde hit three wides in the same period.

By the 20th minute the sides were level for the first time, at 0-7 each, with Eric O’Halloran, Ben Mulcaire and Lanigan from a free on target for Swan, and Darragh Treacy, Conor McKelvey and three from Forde replying for Silvermines.

They were level again at 0-8 each, through the free-takers Lanigan and Forde, before Swan finished the half stronger with three points without reply from Aaron Dunne, who pounced on a loose ball, and two from Lanigan frees. 

The second followed their best move of the game, with Dean Waters and Callum Walsh involved in the build-up before Eric O’Halloran brought a great save from Silvermines goalkeeper Conor Murphy, and in the scramble that followed, Waters was fouled for Lanigan to point the free for a 0-11 to 0-8 interval lead.

Silvermines were pressing for a score in added time but were foiled by superb defence from Luke O’Dwyer, whose close attention to Conor McKelvey forced the forward to shoot wide under pressure.

Seán Nolan opened the second half scoring with a Silvermines point after just thirty seconds, but Swan hit back in style with four points without reply – Shane Torpey setting up Lanigan for the first; Stefan Tobin shooting over when he might have gone for goal; Tobin following up with a second from a Gavin O’Halloran pass; and Callum Walsh putting them 0-15 to 0-9 ahead six minutes into the half.

Forde had his side’s second of the half two minutes later, but as they did throughout the game, Swan responded impressively to Silvermines scores, with Eric O’Halloran finding Callum Walsh with a precision pass to score, and then Gavin O’Halloran making it 0-17 to 0-10 in the 41st minute.

With the game starting to slip from them, Silvermines upped their performance and hit three points without reply, Seán Nolan from a free followed by two from Andy Hayden. Aaron Dunne broke their run with his fourth point of the game, before Nolan’s goal for Silvermines introduced a real level of jeopardy for Swan as they chased a place in the semi-final.

But what they may have lacked in fluency on the day, they made up for in commitment. Two points from Callum Lanigan, one a free and other a fine effort from play, in the space of a minute was just the response they needed to the goal; and Lanigan completed another superb display with the last score of the game - the only Silvermines score following the goal was another Forde free.

Carrick Swan remain on course to achieve their dream of Dan Breen Cup hurling next season but difficult assignments remain, starting with a last four showdown against Boherlahan/Dualla in FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday week, October 11.

Carrick Swan: Kieran Lonergan; Jack Murphy, Scott Hogan, Dean Kiely; Ben Mulcaire (0-1), Gavin O’Halloran (0-1), Luke O’Dwyer; Aaron O’Halloran, Dean Waters; Eric O’Halloran (0-1), Callum Lanigan (0-9, 6f), Shane Torpey; Callum Walsh (0-3), Aaron Dunne (0-4) Stefan Tobin (0-2). Subs: Aidan Waters for Shane Torpey (56), Taylor Fleming for Callum Walsh (60).

Silvermines: Conor Murphy; Sean McGrath, Ronan Sherlock, Darragh Nolan; Luke O’Brien, Jason Forde (0-7, 6f) Noel Quirke; Darragh Treacy (0-1), Patrick Leamy; Conor McKelvey (0-1), Brian Seymour (0-1), Sean Nolan (1-2, 1f); Andy Hayden (0-2), Danny Quinn, Cathal Treacy. Sub: Oisín Murphy for Patrick Leamy (16).

Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers).