Roscrea dominate second half to down Kiladangan in tight U21A hurling semi-final

North U21A Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Roscrea 2-12

Kiladangan 1-13

By Ronan Loughnane

A strong second-half showing from Roscrea was enough to propel them into this year’s North Final as they saw off a determined challenge from Kiladangan on Sunday last. 

There has been many a conversation over the future of this grade but there was certainly plenty of appetite for this one, both on and off the field, with the sizeable crowd enjoying the fare on offer. 

Despite playing against the stiffish breeze in the opening quarter it was the home side who settled best and had three points in the opening five minutes through Conor Donovan, Lee Loughnane, and Dylan Hogan. 

Neil Cahalan got Kiladangan up and running with a lovely strike from distance in the sixth minute with midfielder Ryan Gillick adding another in the ninth minute. Roscrea were playing some lovely hurling but only had Sam Dooley’s 11th-minute point to show for their efforts. 

Their high-fielding was a real feature of the game, but they failed to convert many chances which left the door ajar for a wind-assisted Kiladangan. 

Their goalkeeper Paul Seymour landed a monster free followed by a 90-yard strike from Conor Byrne to level the game at 0-4 apiece at the end of the opening quarter. The second quarter failed to produce a single score from play, but the encounters were tough on a greasy pitch which led to a number of frees. 

Kiladangan’s Shane Gleeson excelled here as he landed 1-4 from placed balls between the 17th and 26th minutes. 

The goal came in the 22nd minute as his long-range free deceived everyone and flew straight to the onion bag. Suddenly Kiladangan were seven clear but for four shots that dropped short, they could have been out of sight. Crucially Roscrea registered the last two scores of the half thanks to frees from Conor Donovan which reduced the gap to five at the short whistle, 1-8 to 0-6. 

The second half began with referee Philip Kelly capturing and red-carding a stray Jack Russell much to the amusement of the crowd. Another fine catch from Sam Dooley landed the opening score of the second act within thirty seconds before Gleeson stretched Kiladangan’s lead to six with a point from play and another from a free inside three minutes. 

Roscrea were gaining a foothold however but some poor shooting let them down. They needed inspiration and it came from corner-forward Jamie Ryan who goaled in the tenth minute as he buried the rebound after Seymour made a great save from Conor Dooley. 

Donovan tacked on a free and Hogan notched his second in the 14th minute to leave the minimum between the sides entering the final quarter. Ryan pounced again in the 46th minute after another brilliant catch was finished to the net and Roscrea were two to the good, 2-9 to 1-10. 

Seymour was a real inspiration for Kiladangan and he closed the gap to one with a great free into the wind in the 50th minute. A mix-up in the Kiladangan defence allowed Ryan in for another point and he could easily have had his hat-trick in the 53rd minute but the danger was averted. 

Ryan then set up substitute Josh McMahon for a point with his first touch in the 56th minute to leave the home side three clear at 2-11 to 1-11. Byrne and Donovan traded frees before Kiladangan got one last chance to level the game in the 66th minute but Byrne’s free from 30 yards flew over and Roscrea were out the gap. They had good performances from Harry Loughnane, Luke Seacy, Kenny Lee, Sam Dooley, and Dylan Hogan while Jamie Ryan’s second-half contribution proved the difference. 

They will face Toomevara in the final knowing there is plenty of room for improvement and if they can convert their excellent approach play into more scores, they are in with a real shout. Kiladangan will rue those missed opportunities in the first half when they were on top while they also only scored a single point from play in the final 51 minutes. Paul Seymour was excellent between the sticks while Shane Gleeson was accurate from placed balls. Ryan Gillick, John O’Meara, Neil Cahalan, and Conor Byrne were also to the fore. 

Roscrea:  Harry Loughnane; Lee Doran, Owen Larkin, Conor McDonald; Conor Shanahan, Luke Seacy, Brian O’Rourke; Conor Donovan (0-5f), Kenny Lee; Diarmuid McLoughlin, Dylan Hogan (0-2), Lee Loughnane (0-1); Sam Dooley (0-2), Conor Dooley, Jamie Ryan (2-1). 

Subs used: Jamie McMahon (0-1) for Diarmuid McLoughlin. 

Kiladangan: Paul Seymour (0-2f); John O’Meara, Cathal Ryan, Gavin McGrath; Neil Cahalan (0-1), Jack McGrath, Darragh Ryan; Cian Ryan, Ryan Gillick (0-1); Bill Cleary, Conor Byrne (0-3, 0-2f), James O’Meara; Noel Gleeson, Shane Gleeson (1-6, 1-5f), Chullain McGrath. 

Subs used: Ciaran Taplin for James O’Meara. 

Referee: Philip Kelly (Ballinahinch)