FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship – Group 1 – Round 2
Holycross Ballycahill 4-19
Kiladangan 2-18
By Stephen Barry
Holycross Ballycahill endorsed their Dan Breen
Cup credentials by claiming a second major scalp in an entertaining seven-point victory over
Kiladangan.
Having previously disposed of Toomevara, they continue to make waves even without the presence of All-Ireland-winning linchpin Bryan O'Mara. The club captain did tog out this week and took part in the warm-up as he works his way back to fitness.
U20 champion Jim Ryan returned to anchor the team from centre-back, where he played a stormer, backed up by Cathal O'Reilly and Cathal Barrett. That said, Kiladangan, led by Seán Hayes, could've taken them for more than the two goals they managed.
Mikey Nally (2-0), Darragh Woods (1-6), and Tiarnan Ryan (1-2) did the most scoreboard damage, but Joe Caesar and Robbie Ryan were heavily involved in their best attacking play. The timing of their scoring flurries, closing out either half with 2-2 and 1-2 bursts, was the winning of the game.
Woods sent an early goal chance wide before Holycross raised the opening green flag from a booming Ewan Bourke clearance. Nally drifted behind his marker, grabbed the sliotar, and kicked past the keeper. Woods backed it up with an outstanding over-the-shoulder point from under the stand, but Kiladangan were level a minute later.
Neil Cahalan kept his composure to pick a brilliant pass to Dan O'Meara, who unleashed a rocket into the far corner; 1-4 apiece.
Corner-back O'Reilly landed a brace, but Kiladangan struck for a second goal within four minutes. Conor Byrne played a clever one-two with Cahalan before lofting the sliotar into Hayes's path. Another lethal finish made it 1-7 to 2-4.
It could've been three goals in seven minutes only for Bourke to produce a top-drawer save from Paul Flynn. Holycross closed the stronger. From Barrett's clearance, Tiarnan Ryan was again the ball-winner to release Caesar. He drew the last man for Nally's sidestepping finish.
It took just 90 seconds for the next green flag. Robbie Ryan escaped his marker and turned down the simple point to feed Caesar. The midfielder's venomous hit was saved by Barry Hogan, but Woods was on hand to tidy up.
David Fogarty and Robbie Ryan tacked on points for a 3-12 to 2-8 half-time lead. Byrne had three early points before Alan Flynn, Paul Flynn, and Willie Connors opened their accounts, but it wasn't until Billy Seymour's 50th-minute point that Kiladangan clawed within one score.
Then, Holycross found their insurance policy. Jimmie Lahart's shot was saved, but creator Tiarnan Ryan followed in to scuttle the sliotar home before Eoin Craddock and Woods tagged on the final points.
Scorers: Holycross Ballycahill: Darragh Woods 1-6 (0-4f), Mikey Nally 2-0, Tiarnan Ryan 1-2, Cathal O'Reilly, David Fogarty, Robbie Ryan 0-2 each, Cathal Barrett, Joe Caesar, Tadhg Gould, Eoin Craddock, Paraic Russell all 0-1 each.
Kiladangan: Conor Byrne 0-7 (5f), Seán Hayes 1-2, Dan O'Meara 1-1, Billy Seymour, Paul Flynn 0-2 each, Willie Connors, Alan Flynn, Joe Gallagher, Tadhg Gallagher all 0-1 each.
Holycross Ballycahill: Ewan Bourke; Evan Morris, Cathal Barrett, Cathal O'Reilly; Jack Ryan, Jim Ryan, Liam Doyle; Joe Caesar, Tadhg Gould; Tiarnan Ryan, Eoin Craddock, David Fogarty; Robbie Ryan, Mikey Nally, Darragh Woods.
Subs used: Paraic Russell for Fogarty (48); Jimmie Lahart for Nally (54); James Doyle for Jim Ryan (58); Luke O'Mara for R Ryan (60).
Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; Darragh Flannery, James Quigley, David Sweeney; Willie Connors, Alan Flynn, Joe Gallagher; Tadhg Gallagher, Dara O'Dwyer; Dan O'Meara, Billy Seymour, Paul Flynn; Seán Hayes, Conor Byrne, Neil Cahalan.
Subs used: Daragh Butler for Cahalan (49); Bryan McLoughney for Flannery (51, inj).
Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla Kickhams)
