Roscrea pose little resistance to Kiladangan in quarter-final

Hibernian Inn North Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Kiladangan 2-19

Roscrea 0-10

By Liam Hogan

The gulf in the standards between teams in tier one and tier two of the county championship became all too clear as Kiladangan displayed when defeating Roscrea at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh last Saturday afternoon.

Ok, the 15-point winning margin might be a bit unfair to the losers because they had a fair share of possession but shot 19wides.

Kiladangan had 15 but the truth is that Kiladangan were never in any danger from the word go. Maybe it was a bit unfair to judge Roscrea on this performance, whose preparation for the game was rocked to the core when they learned of the death of Fiona Phelan, their club PRO, last Thursday evening.

A minute’s silence was observed before the game commenced and once the action got underway it became clear who were the masters as the North and county final runners-up sailed into a 0-3 to nil lead before Roscrea opened their account with an Evan Fitzpatrick point after 12 minutes. Billy Seymour made it 0-4 to 0-1 by the 16th minute before Kenny Lee was quick to respond 30 seconds later.

That two-point margin was as close as Roscrea got because from there on, the blue and gold began to move away and by the 23rd minute the margin was out to five after Billy Seymour scored his fourth point and his second from play.

Seymour would become Kiladangan’s top scorer with 0-10, including five from play, in a man-of-the-match display. Eight of the starting lineup would score for Kiladangan while Roscrea had seven including Evan Fitzpatrick who scored his second point to reduce the margin to four on 25 minutes.

The Kiladangan lead stretched to five after Alan Flynn made it 0-9 to 0-4 but when Jason Fitzpatrick reduced the difference with a pointed free it looked as if Roscrea had recovered sufficiently for the second half happy in the knowledge that they would have the help of the breeze.

If only it was that easy because with three minutes of additional time allowed Kiladangan put the foot to the floor and after Tadgh Gallagher scored his second point, up popped Sean Hayes to score a great goal and Kiladangan led 1-11 to 0-5 at half time. A sufficient lead.

Once the second half began it became the Billy Seymour show as he scored the next six points in fifteen minutes including three points from play with one in particular coming from the right touchline and 40 metres out. It was 1-17 to 0-7 by then.
Sam Conlon and Jason Gilmartin had scored for the reds but they needed a goal and Shane Fletcher almost succeeded but Barry Hogan saved at the expense of a 65. Luke Cashin converted.

Roscrea needed more but their wide tally was increasing. Time was running out and in the 54th minute, Tadgh Gallagher’s great run yielded a point before Roscrea came again but Evan Fitzpatrick’s shot from close in was saved by Hogan.

Incredibly Roscrea then hit five wides in a row as their total reached 19. Kiladangan were not much better at 16 but Tadgh Gallaher scored his fourth point in added time and after another Evan Fitzpatrick point (his third) the supporters were thinking of heading towards the exits before Willie Connors great goal completed the day.

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; Darren Moran, James Quigley, David Sweeney; Johnny Horan (0-1), Joe Gallagher, Declan McGrath (0-1); Alan Flynn (0-1), Tadgh Gallagher (0-4); Paul Flynn, Billy Seymour (0-10, 0-4f, 0-1 65), Shane Gleeson (0-1); Sean Hayes (1-0), Eoghan Sharkey, Willie Connors (1-1).

Subs used: Conor Byrne for S Gleeson (36); John O’Meara for Horan (49).

Roscrea: Daryl Ryan; Glen Loughnane, Keith McMahon, Luke Seacy; Kenny Lee (0-1), Darren O’Connor, James Synnott; Daniel Ryan, Alan Tynan; Jason Fitzpatrick (0-1f), Sam Conlon (0-1), Evan Fitzpatrick (0-3); Luke Cashin (0-1), Conor Booth, Shane Fletcher (0-1).

Subs used: Jason Gilmartin for Booth (33); Jack Lee (0-1f) for J Fitzpatrick (47).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)