Kiladangan hit top form in their dispatching of Thurles Sarsfields

FBD Insurance Senior Club Hurling Championship - Round 1 - Group 4

Kiladangan 2-23

Thurles Sarsfields 1-17

By Michael Dundon

Kiladangan got their FBD Insurance county senior hurling campaign off on the right track with a morale-boosting nine points win over a listless Thurles Sarsfields in group four at Semple Stadium on Sunday last, a victory which puts the North lads in the driving seat for qualification for the knock-out stages.

Having lost the North final in disappointing fashion, Kiladangan needed this win more than Sarsfields who have won a preliminary quarter-final spot through their Mid division success, but especially pleasing for the Kiladangan lads was the manner in which they out-played opponents who, like themselves, entertain serious title ambitions.

Despite conceding a goal after two minutes to Aidan McCormack for Sarsfields, Kiladangan dominated throughout. Factor in the statistic that Kiladangan also shot twenty one wides, and one gets a much clearer indication of the extent of Kiladangan’s dominance, admittedly over an understrength Sarsfields team, though they themselves were without Willie Connors.

Sarsfields joint captain and team leader Ronan Maher who was ill, was a huge loss in the Sarsfields defence and with fullback David Corbett and forward Eoin Purcell both injured, the Thurles lads found themselves with too many holes to plug but the most disappointing aspect of the game for them was the lack of energy and intensity in their play, perhaps a throw-back to their Mid final win a week previously against Upperchurch.

It all started so well for Sarsfields, Aidan McCormack feeding off Billy McCarthy’s delivery for a calmly taken goal and a 1-1 to 0-1 lead after two minutes. The setback did not upset Kiladangan who outscored Sarsfields four to one to be level after eight minutes. Kiladangan struck their first decisive blow after 19 minutes when Billy Seymour, who was the star of the show for them, raced through for a fine goal.

Sarsfields kept in touch but suffered a further setback on the stroke of half-time when Sean Hayes rifled home a second goal to give Kiladangan a 2-12 to 1-9 advantage at the interval. Kiladangan shot ten wides to Sarsfields five in that period, reflecting the measure of possession they enjoyed compared to their rivals.

One expected a reaction from Sarsfields on resuming but it never materialised. Indeed, by the end of the third quarter Kiladangan had extended their lead to 2-19 to 1-12 with the Sarsfields challenge wilting by the minute. The Thurles lads did manage a hat-trick of points to raise the hopes of a rally for their fans, but it was Kiladangan who finished the stronger and Eoghan Sharkey had a goal disallowed five minutes from time for an infringement of the square on Decky McGrath’s delivery.

A sweet win for Kiladangan which will obliterate the disappointment of the North final loss and a result that will give Sarsfields much to ponder facing into the next round. In Billy Seymour, Kiladangan had the man of the match racking up 1-3 from play in an overall tally of 1-8.

Equally impressive was Paul Flynn who hit six points from play and others to show the way for them were James Quigley, David Sweeney, Joe Gallagher, Tadhg Gallagher, and Sean Hayes.

Even allowing for the absentees, this was a much below-par performance from Sarsfields who never came to grips with the sweeper system employed by Kiladangan, and who never got close to the intensity required at this level. Granted they didn’t need a result with the urgency Kiladangan did and their hopes will be that this was a one-off lapse.

Billy McCarthy was easily their best performer with Michael Purcell, Darragh Stakelum, Stephen Cahill, Stephen Maher, and Aidan McCormack also doing their best in a performance they will want to put behind them as quickly as possible.

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; John O’Meara James Quigley, Fergal Hayes; David Sweeney, Joe Gallagher (0-1), Declan McGrath; Alan Flynn (0-2), Tadhg Gallagher (0-3); Dan O’Meara, Billy Seymour (1-8, 0-5f), Paul Flynn (0-6); Bryan McLoughney (0-1),Sean Hayes (1-2), Conor Byrne.

Subs used: Eoghan Sharkey for Hayes (48); Shane Gleeson for McLoughney (55); Darren Moran for D O’Meara (55).

Thurles Sarsfields: Patrick McCormack; Seosamh Ryan, Stephen Maher, Cathal Moloney; Jack Derby, Denis Maher, Michael Purcell; Stephen Cahill (0-1), Cian Stakelum; Conor Stakelum (0-1), Tommy Doyle (0-2), Darragh Stakelum (0-3); Paddy Creedon (0-1), Billy McCarthy (0-3), Aidan McCormack (1-6, 0-5f).

Subs used: Conor Lanigan for Doyle (HT); Seanie Butler for Creedon (43).

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Newcastle)