Loughmore Castleiney return to hurling final after dishing out lesson to Holycross

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship semi-final

Loughmore Castleiney 1-18

Holycross Ballycahill 0-15

By Michael Dundon

Loughmore Castleiney stay on course for back-to-back FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling titles following their six-point win over the heirs apparent Holycross Ballycahill in a keenly contested county senior hurling semi-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

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In the lead-up to this game, many speculated that an up-and-coming Holycross Ballycahill would lower the colours of the champions, but on the day, the experience and resilience of Loughmore Castleiney were very much in evidence as they contained the threat of the challengers, if not with comfort, then certainly with the conviction of a battle-hardened outfit that knew what needed to be done and did it in their own inimitable way.

It was not Loughmore Castleiney’s best performance of the year, but they have always had the ability to do just enough to win, with no frills attached. Holycross Ballycahill’s youth and pace were expected to cause problems in the spacious Thurles arena, but Loughmore Castleiney answered all the questions that were asked of them in that regard, and they go through to the decider in great shape to retain their title.

The pattern of this game was set as early as the fifth minute when Ciaran McCormack’s line cut for fifty yards went all the way to the Holycross net, the challengers’ goalkeeper Ewan Bourke wrong-footed by action in front of him. 

That goal put Loughmore one-one to nil-one ahead. It was to be the difference between the sides for much of the game as Holycross worked hard to get back on terms but, significantly, they never led at any stage. However, Robbie Ryan’s twenty-sixth-minute point did bring them level briefly, one-six to nine points, only for the champions to edge away again before the break.

It was a fine contest and a credit to both teams, and while both will reflect on errors made, Loughmore Castleiney are the ones with the opportunity to address them before the final. For Holycross Ballycahill, there is the consolation of progress in their development as title contenders, and the experience of this campaign and last year’s will surely stand to them in the coming years.

John McGrath was the key man for the winners early on, and his tussle with his former county colleague was a feature of this game. The Loughmore man looked the big threat for his side in the first half, but Barrett was hugely influential in the second period as Holycross chased down their rivals.

After McCormack’s early goal for Loughmore, the sides matched each other stroke for stroke. John McGrath shot six points from frees for the winners, with brother Noel adding two, while Darragh Woods registered five points for Holycross, two from sideline cuts and three from frees, and Liam Doyle landed two sweet points for Holycross as the champions forged an interval lead of one-nine to ten points.

In terms of quality of play, the second half did not match what went before. By the three-quarter stage, Loughmore had extended their advantage marginally, one-thirteen to thirteen points. But Holycross were still right in the game. 

The challengers needed a goal, but Aidan McGrath’s lines were never threatened, and by the fifty-sixth minute, Loughmore had edged further ahead, one-sixteen to fourteen points, a run of scores which included a long-range effort from full-back Willie Eviston.

Some faulty shooting cost Holycross scores (eight second-half wides), lapses they could ill afford, although Loughmore too faltered in that regard. A brace of Robbie Ryan points brought Holycross within four points of their rivals with three minutes of ordinary time to play, but Loughmore Castleiney, as they have done so often in the past, finished well, points from Liam McGrath and John McGrath extending their winning margin to a somewhat flattering six points.

So the champions press on, making light of their heavy game schedule between both codes. If anything, they look a better side this year than last, and they have leaders all over the field to steer them to safety when difficulties arise. This was again the case on Saturday. John McGrath was a constant threat in the first half, even though he did not score from play, but much less so afterwards. 

Noel McGrath led the way with five points from play, a huge contribution, but the quality of the play of Lorcan Egan, Willie Eviston, and Brian McGrath closed off all avenues to goal for Holycross. Ciaran Connolly and Tomas McGrath’s hard work made things easier for colleagues around them.

Holycross Ballycahill’s disappointment is understandable, particularly as they will feel they did not play as well as in previous outings. They are “a work in progress,” and there is little doubt that as their young side matures, their day will come at this level as they seek to bridge the gap since their last senior county title in 1990. 

Their challenge here was not helped by an early injury to influential centre-back Jim Ryan, which eventually forced his withdrawal. They needed to have the full squad, all at their best, to topple the champions.

Cathal Barrett’s second-half performance was a reminder of the former Tipp defender at his best. Tadhg Gould, Joe Caesar, Bryan O’Mara, Liam Doyle, and Evan Morris all worked their socks off, but at the end of the day, their effort came up just short.

Scorers: Loughmore Castleiney: John McGrath 0-9f, Noel McGrath 0-5, Ciaran McCormack 1-0 sl-cut, Tomas McGrath, Ciaran Connolly, Liam McGrath, Ciaran McGrath 0-1 each.

Holycross Ballycahill: Darragh Woods (0-5, 0-3f, 0-2 sl-cuts), Robbie Ryan (0-4, 0-1f), Liam Doyle 0-2, Tiarnan Ryan, Eoin Craddock, Joe Caesar all 0-1 each, Ewan Bourke 0-1f.

Loughmore Castleiney: Aidan McGrath; Lorcan Egan, Willie Eviston, Ed Meagher; Tommy Maher, Brian McGrath, Eoin O’Connell; Noel McGrath, Ciaran Connolly; Ed Connolly, Tomas McGrath, Ciaran McCormack; Liam McGrath, John McGrath, Ciaran McGrath.

Subs used: Paul McCahey for Ed Connolly (38); John Ryan for Maher (58); Philip O’Connell for Liam McGrath (60); Joey Quinn for McCormack (62).

Holycross Ballycahill: Ewan Bourke; Cathal O’Reilly, Cathal Barrett, Evan Morris; Tadhg Gould, Jim Ryan, Liam Doyle; Joe Caesar, Bryan O’Mara; Robbie Ryan, Eoin Craddock, Mikey Nally; Tiarnan Ryan, Darragh Woods, David Fogarty.

Subs used: Jimmie Lahart for Fogarty (52); Luke O’Mara for Woods (52); Jack Ryan for J Ryan (54); Paraic Russell for T Ryan (58).

 Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers)

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