Solohead into west semi-final after big win over Cashel

Tipperary Co-Op West Junior B Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Solohead 3-23(32)

Cashel King Cormacs 2-6(12) 

Francis Coughlan at Solohead 

Solohead booked their placed in the semi-final of the Tipperary Co-Op West Junior B Hurling Championship following a comfortable victory over Cashel King Cormacs in a sunny Solohead on Friday evening.  

James Dee pointed Solohead ahead in the second minute from a 65 but for the next few minutes it was Cashel King Cormacs who were in the ascendancy. A high ball from Daniel Bowes in around the Solohead full back line broke to the ground for Dean Harding who pulled first time passed the advancing Philip Doherty in the Solohead goal. Stephen Dee replied getting in for his first point – Dee playing inside with Aidan Riordan as a two-man full forward line with Christopher O’Connor further out the field.

Cashel King Cormacs seemed on top in a number of positions and responded with a Thomas Fitzgerald pointed free. The Dee brothers both pointed to tie the game by the tenth minute. The next score though completely turned the game and really gave a slow starting Solohead far more confidence for the remainder of the half.

Stephen Dee cut in from the road side at the Acraboy end with his initial shot for a point hooked but upon regathering possession his run brought him closer to goal and raised Solohead’s first green flag. The Solohead half back of Shane Farrell, Brendan Collins and Jack Redican was proving very solid with Noel Kennedy refusing to wilt when put under pressure at full back.

Both sides traded scores with James Dee on target for Solohead while Thomas Fitzgerald and Mikey McDermott both replied for Cashel. McDermott’s score in the fourteenth minute would be Cashel’s last score of the half. Solohead gradually pulled away with points from the Dee brothers and Anthony Owens to hold a nine-point interval advantage, 1-12 to 1-3.  

Solohead’s advantage was stretched when the sides resumed. Jack Redican hit a monster sideline cut from the dressing room side of the field to huge roars from the home support. Redican followed with a long-range point before Ross Minogue ended a half an hour with a score for Cashel.

By the eighteenth minute Jack Redican hit another long-range effort before Stephen Dee set Christopher O’Connor free for goal and he made no mistake. O’Connor covered a substantial amount of ground during the course of the game often at times going as cover between the full and half back lines and then could appear in the forwards in the next attack.

Thomas Fitzgerald did cut the gap but it was a mere consolation goal when a free in was brought forward for descent he hit the onion sack with his effort.

It got worse for Cashel when Damien Ryan’s effort after a short sixty-five from Stephen Dee went all the way to the Cashel net, the sun possibly playing a part. Solohead booking their place in the semi-finals on a final score of 3-23 to 2-6, of which they scored 3-15 from play compared to 1-4 for Cashel King Cormacs.

Scorers: Solohead: James Dee (0-11, 0-7f), Stephen Dee (1-6), Christopher O’Connor (1-1), Jack Redican (0-3, 0-1 sideline), Damien Ryan (1-0), Anthony Owens (0-1), Pat Power (0-1).

Cashel King Cormacs: Thomas Fitzgerald (1-3, 1-2f), Dean Harding (1-1), Mikey McDermott (0-1), Ross Minogue (0-1). 

Solohead: Philip Doherty, Brian Garvin, Noel Kennedy, Christopher Ryan, Shane Farrell, Brendan Collins, Jack Redican, James Dee, Denis O’Shea, Stephen Dee, Anthony Owens, Christopher Kirby, Thomas O’Mahoney, Christopher O’Connor, Aidan Riordan.

Subs Used: Christopher Irwin, Christopher Allen, Damien Ryan, Declan Riordan, Pat Power.

Cashel King Cormacs: Owen Quirke, Brian Davern, David Brennan, John Ryan, Jack Brown, Michael Killian O’Dwyer, Aaron Breen, Jamie O’Keeffe, Dylan Byrne, Ross Minogue, Daniel Bowes, Cian Moloney, Dean Harding, Thomas Fitzgerald, Mikey McDermott.

Subs Used: Eoghan Murphy, Donal Ryan, Alex Dunne, Niall Laffan, Aaron Breen.

Referee: David Grogan (Aherlow)