Loughmore Castleiney falter in extra time as Éire Óg Ennis prevail in thriller at Sixmilebridge

AIB Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Loughmore Castleiney 1-16

Éire Óg Ennis 2-20

After extra time

Loughmore Castleiney fell short of the mark in an extra-time classic in Sixmilebridge on Sunday afternoon, again falling at the first provincial hurdle, this time against a stubborn and extremely committed Éire Óg Ennis side in the Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final.

A titanic and frantic contest for the most part, Loughmore looked to have won it in the 62nd minute after the incredible John McGrath fired over a lead score with less than a minute to go, but the game was salvaged late on by Éire Óg from a last-gasp Danny Russell free to take the game to extra time.

However, with the sides separated by only a single point going into the second half of extra time, Loughmore's legs began to visibly waver with Éire Óg clinching the contest with an unanswered 1-3 to eventually break Loughmore hearts.

In the end, the biggest regret for Loughmore will be their shooting as they finished the match with no fewer than 15 wides in direct contrast to the six hit by Éire Óg, who proved more economical. Those wides came more so in normal time, where the Tipp champions were probably the better side by a small margin.

Devastation for the back-to-back Tipperary champions, who have now failed to win a provincial tie in each of their last three county title-winning seasons, dating back to 2013.

This contest had all the common hallmarks of winter hurling with an attritional contest unfolding in normal time as Loughmore Castleiney just about edged the first half of normal time with a Liam McGrath goal late in added time, giving them a 1-4 to 0-6 lead.

The game did improve in the second period to be fair, with recently anointed Hurler of the Year John McGrath and his freetaking counterpart in Danny Russell the main men in the scoring stakes, with the Éire Óg stalwart netting a priceless goal within nine minutes of the restart to put the Clare champions three ahead.

Again, though, the Loughmore charge was led by the McGraths in the form of John and Noel and with two minutes of added time played in the second half, John picked off what looked like the winning scores with less than 60 seconds remaining on the clock to put Tipperary's representatives into a narrow 1-13 to 1-12 lead.

However, the extra time carrot loomed large to all in attendance, and it was exactly where this one would go, as Éire Óg fashioned a late free after Shane O'Donnell gathered possession in midfield, with the in-form Russell drilling over the resulting free to send the game to overtime.

The first half of added time followed a similar pattern now as both teams emptied the bench to try and inject fresh energy in their efforts as John McGrath (two frees) and a major from deep by Brian McGrath helped the Loughmore charge, but it was Éire Óg who took a narrow lead in at the turnaround with Danny Russell pointing three (two frees) and a tidy finish from Marco Cleary putting them ahead.

Éire Óg though looked far more energetic and able-bodied now as Loughmore legs began to tire and it told in the second period of extra time with the Clare champions taking over.

Tom Kavanagh, Rian Mulcahy (free), Danny Russell (free) and a brilliantly finished goal from newly re-introduced Darren Moroney after an excellent setup from David Reidy sent the home crowd into ecstacy as the gap was now too severe for Loughmore to overcome.

Late flashes of efforts at goal ensued as Loughmore lay siege to the Ennis goalmouth, but it was futile as Éire Óg confirmed their place in the Munster final against Ballygunner in two weeks time.

Scorers: Loughmore Castleiney: John McGrath (0-12, 0-5f, 0-2 65s), Liam McGrath 1-0, Noel McGrath, Brian McGrath, John Ryan, Ed Connolly all 0-1 each.

Éire Óg Ennis: Danny Russell (1-14, 0-13f), Darren Moroney 1-0, Marco Cleary, Shane O'Donnell 0-2 each, Tom Kavanagh 0-1, Rian Mulcahy 0-1f.

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

Subs used: Ciaran McGrath for McCormack (39); Liam Treacy for Maher (49); Philip O'Connell for C McGrath (51, blood sub); Paul McCahey for E Connolly (63); Ciaran McCormack for T McGrath (ET).

Éire Óg Ennis: Darragh Stack; Fionan Treacy, Ciaran Russell, Liam Corry; Robert Loftus, Aaron Fitzgerald, Rian Mulcahy; Oran Cahill, Darren Moroney; Shane O'Donnell, David Reidy, David McNamara; Darren O'Brien, Danny Russell, Marco Cleary.

Subs used: Tom Kavanagh for O'Brien (HT); James O'Dwyer for Moroney (52); Rian Mulcahy for McNamara (55); Eoin O'Regan for Cahill (62); Aidan McGrath for Collins (58); Darren Moroney for A McGrath (ET); Oran Cahill for O'Regan (ET).

Referee: Nicky O'Toole (Waterford)