Moycarkey Borris confirm quarter-final place with goal hungry display in Templederry

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship - Group 4 - Round 2

Moycarkey Borris 4-20

Kilruane MacDonaghs 0-26

Goals were the currency of choice for a clinical and ruthless Moycarkey Borris team who defeated a lacklustre Kilruane MacDonaghs side in the final senior game of the weekend on Sunday evening in Templederry.

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Moycarkey Borris are one of the up-and-coming teams in Tipperary hurling in recent years, with young talent littering their ranks, but it was one of their long-serving, talismanic forwards in the form of Kieran Morris who created the necessary carnage in the Kilruane defence to lead his side to victory.

Morris finished with a fine total of 2-8 across the 60 minutes, but the scoring aside, he was involved in almost everything that was positive from a Moycarkey Borris viewpoint, and it was evident from early on that he and his forward teammates had goals on the mind.

The former Tipp underage talent netted his first goal of the game in the eighth minute after being fed in beautifully in front of goal by Kyle Shelly, and with the Kilruane defence being so open in the early exchanges, it gave Moycarkey belief to take on the extra pass.

Kilruane pushed into a one-point lead in the next five minutes with points from Jerry Cahill, Kian O’Kelly, and Eoin Hogan, but the second Moycarkey goal came in the 14th minute with Morris again providing the finish from close range after good work from Jack Hayes fed him close to goal.

By the time the third goal came in the 26th minute, Moycarkey had pushed out into a 2-6 to 0-8 advantage, with Kilruane losing Jerry Cahill to injury just before Joe Maher buried a close range effort past Paidi Williams after a Max Hackett set up, and with the momentum firmly in the Mid sides favour, they took a substantial 3-9 to 0-10 lead in at half-time.

The industrious Shane Cleary got Kilruane off to a strong start after half-time with a brilliant solo score - just what the doctor ordered for the North outfit.

However, the defensive frailties continued to hamper any chances of a Kilruane resurgence when, from the next Rhys Shelly puckout, Kieran Morris, this time turned provider with a clever pass to Jack Hayes, who slotted a fourth goal into the Kilruane net and made it what turned out to be an insurmountable lead for MacDonaghs.

In fairness to Kilruane, they did get the defensive shape right come the end of the game with Darragh Peters' introduction and Kieran Cahill’s relocation to full back helping and despite pulling the game back to four points at one point in the final ten minutes of the half, they just couldn’t prevent all the leaks at the back.

Moycarkey found late scores from Morris, Jack Fallon, and Kieran Cummins to eventually see off the revival and, in the process, confirmed quarter-final hurling and top spot in Group 4 with a game to spare.

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Scorers: Moycarkey Borris: Kieran Morris (2-8, 0-7f), Joe Maher 1-2, Jack Hayes 1-1, Max Hackett 0-3, Kyle Shelly 0-2, Rhys Shelly 0-1f, Kieran Cummins, Jack Fallon, Joe Egan all 0-1 each.

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Willie Cleary 0-9f, Shane Cleary 0-4, Kian O’Kelly 0-3, Michael Cleary (0-3, 0-1f), Niall O’Meara (0-2, 0-1f), Cian Darcy 0-2, Jerry Cahill, Eoin Hogan, Craig Morgan all 0-1 each.

Moycarkey Borris: Rhys Shelly; Kevin Hayes, Eoghan Hayes, Tom Ryan; Killian Cantwell, Tom Hayes, Jack Fallon; Rory Darmody, Kieran Cummins; Joe Maher, Joe Egan, Max Hackett; Kyle Shelly, Kieran Morris, Jack Hayes.

Subs used: 

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Paidi Williams; Eoin Hogan, Aaron Morgan, James Cleary; Kieran Cahill, Niall O’Meara, Jack Peters; Craig Morgan, Conor Austin; Mark O’Neill, Willie Cleary, Jerry Cahill; Shane Cleary, Kian O’Kelly, Cian Darcy.

Subs used: Michael Cleary for J Cahill (23, inj); Darragh Peters for Hogan (HT); Cormac Doheny for O’Neill (45).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla Kickhams)