LONG READ: Another chapter was added in the expanding Loughmore Castleiney story

Another chapter in the expanding Loughmore Castleiney story sees the club retain the hurling title for the first time ever. It’s a growing legacy, now with six hurling crowns, three of which have been mined in the past five seasons. This is their greatest era and Sunday’s win typified the qualities that underlie their success.

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Once again it was too much for Nenagh. The Éire Óg side came to the fray with high hopes and couldn’t be accused of lacking drive. But when the game was in the melting pot down the home straight there was – almost inevitably – only going to be one winner.

It wasn’t a classic hurling contest but it was a fascinating battle. The early sparring was just that – a trading of tit-for-tat blows with no knockouts being delivered. Five times the game was level in the opening quarter before a mini-spurt from Loughmore saw them eventually take a three-point lead to the dressing room at half-time.

We should mention an early let-off for Nenagh when the referee blew for a ‘square ball’ after an Aidan McGrath free from some distance bounced all the way to the net. The replay showed that there was no forward in the parallelogram so the goal was legal.

If the referee blundered there then both goalies blundered in the third quarter. Nenagh’s Dermot McTiernan was unfortunate to let a John McGrath free from outfield slip through his fingers shortly after resuming.

Then it was the turn of Aidan McGrath when a Mikey Heffernan free somehow snuck in between the goalie and the post. The presence of Eoin O’Connell flailing at the dropping ball may have been a distraction for the goalie.

Anyway, I guess the goals cancelled each other and the sides went into the final quarter on level terms. This is where games are won and lost and it was here that Loughmore grasped the initiative. The key score was Liam McGrath’s goal. John McGrath made the initial advance before being grounded and laying off to his cousin. Again, the Nenagh goalie will feel he should have kept the shot out.

To their credit Nenagh kept chasing the game in the final stages but the greater composure was with Loughmore. Jake Morris stepped up his game but Mikey Heffernan missed a few crucial chances. Loughmore held firm. Noel McGrath was now back in defence securing the house and ensuring no late dramatics from the outsiders.

On a day when John McGrath didn’t score from play, Loughmore still had ten names on the scoresheet. The spread of shooters was impressive. Liam McGrath hit 1-3 in a man-of-the-match display.

‘Mossy’ McGrath clipped over 0-3 off Barry Heffernan. Brian McGrath was excellent at centre-back. Add in the Connollys, McCormack and others and you have a potent mix. They’re simply indefatigable.

For Nenagh, unfortunately, it’s more of the same. They’ve been down this road and by now it’s something of an albatross for a club that continues to lose finals. Josh Keller was excellent, easily his best display of the championship.

Jake Morris stormed into the game in the second half but Sam O’Farrell was strangely muted. They have younger guns coming on stream who might make a difference but for the moment they’re stuck in a losing rut.

Arguably, the most engaging game of the weekend was the clash of Golden and Kickhams in the intermediate final at Cashel on Saturday. A packed attendance, great atmosphere and a game that was as spirited as it was sporting kept the followers enthralled.

In the end Golden just about shaded it in the face of Kickhams’ late onslaught. Elliott Thompson’s second goal of the day as the game drifted into injury time created a late crisis for the winners as a five-point lead was pared back to the minimum. However, Adam Daly’s last-gasp effort to send the match to a replay drifted wide and with it went Kickhams’ chances of another day.

Neutrals would have loved another episode because this was gripping entertainment. Kickhams, with a strong wind at their backs in the opening half, dominated a lot of the exchanges. With Stephen Browne excellent on frees and Adam Daly hitting two classy points, Kickhams built a five-point advantage.

However, Golden came storming into it before the interval. They received a major boost when Sam Hall snatched Jack Leamy’s sideline ‘cut’ and buried a crucial goal four minutes from the break. In the last ten minutes of the half, they outscored Kickhams by 1-4 to 0-1 to lead at the interval by the minimum, 1-10 to 0-12.

It was a scoreline that flattered Golden at that stage but with the wind now at their backs for the second half, they seemed to be in pole position. However, Kickhams stayed on script, putting in the challenges and working beaverishly. They were rewarded with a goal eight minutes after resuming. It was a fine combination move involving Davy Butler and Shane Buckley before Elliott Thompson supplied the finish.

Kickhams were back in the lead but ultimately it was a two-goal salvo from Golden midway through the second half which decided this game. Jack Leamy flicked in the first from an almost impossible angle and substitute Andy Byrnes delivered the second after great approach work from Eanna Ormond and Josh Keane.

Eventually, Kickhams went five down before staging another gutsy response that had Golden clinging to the minimum at the end. It was that type of fluctuating contest, excellently refereed by John Dooley, which kept people engaged to the end.

On balance Golden had more firepower and that made all the difference. Their half-forward line of Jack Leamy (scorer of 1-9, 1-3 from play), Ben Currivan and Josh Keane was particularly influential, as was Eanna Ormond. Seanie O’Halloran too was impressive and Eoin Marnane did well in his man-marking job on Adam Daly. The defence was well marshalled by Niall Heffernan and Shane O’Connell.

After losing the final to Boherlahan two years ago it was a just reward for Golden’s perseverance.

As for Kickhams, there was generous acknowledgement afterwards of their role in this cracker of a contest. Michael Gleeson probably best epitomised the spirit of the side. A few missed chances here and there proved costly in the end but if this momentum can be built on for next year there’s no reason why they can’t return to the final in 2026.

That losing feeling is the lot of Carrick Swans also after they came up significantly short against Upperchurch in the preliminary intermediate final. An early goal off a Luke Shanahan effort from outfield was an immediate indicator of the day’s fate. The ‘Church eventually led by two at half-time.

Swans were chasing the game in the second half but the lack of forward finish was to cost them. One particular sequence of wides was especially damaging.

Upperchurch had more aces and when Paddy Phelan goaled on 50 minutes the gap was eight points. Calum Lanigan did rifle a free to the net to reawaken the Swans’ challenge but there was no way back for the South side in those closing stages. The end margin was a comfortable six as Upperchurch reclaimed their senior status following an absence of one year.

Losing successive finals is a heavy blow for Swans. Stefan Tobin and Calum Lanigan were their most dangerous attackers. The former had to retire injured in the second half. It was one of those days where Swans needed the breaks to fall their way and that didn’t happen.

P.S. The long delay between the two finals at the Stadium on Sunday drew much criticism. Nobody had an explanation. Otherwise, events on the showpiece day were efficiently handled, with Jonathan Cullen doing the honours in presenting the great four-in-a-row Toomevara side (1998–2001) as well as delivering a very fitting tribute to Philly Ryan. Ger Corbett produced yet another outstanding 72-page programme.

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