Final four in FBD Insurance Tipperary County Senior Hurling Championship has unfamiliar look

The final four in the county championship has thrown up a novel formation. Who would have predicted in advance of the championship that Upperchurch would be facing Kilruane MacDonaghs in a penultimate tie? Kiladangan and Drom/Inch is less of a revelation, having met at the same stage in 2020.
Such is the fallout from the quartet of quarter-finals at the Stadium last weekend. There was nothing that could be labelled a major turn-up, I’d suggest, from games of modest quality, the Upperchurch v JK Brackens affair probably the pick of the four.
Clonoulty/Rossmore’s traumatic year finally closed out. More than anything else it petered out in the second half, as the sheer weight of losses took its toll. Already depleted going into the match, they had Aaron Ryan red- carded after about twenty minutes and when Jack Ryan failed to appear for the second half there was an inevitability about the result.
True to form, Clonoulty kept competing, refusing to be overawed by the odds. Enda Heffernan was outstanding in defence but their problem was when trying to switch play to the attack. Try to run it out and you get smothered up in traffic and the ball is turned over. Go long and the numbers are stacked against you by a Kiladangan defence very ably marshalled by James Quigley and Alan Flynn.
Not that Kiladangan were anything to rave about. In truth, they were very poor and just about limped to victory here. When the game was a real contest in the first half it was Clonoulty who had the best of it. Jack Ryan led the scoring from play and frees, including one truly outrageous flag from near the sideline and inside his own half in front of the New Stand. A save by Martin Sadlier in this half deserves acknowledgment too – the save of the weekend.
Kiladangan managed a mere two points from play in the first thirty minutes. However, the red card was a game changer, especially when coupled with Jack Ryan’s failure to continue. Kiladangan themselves were very lucky to retain full numbers later in the first half when a defender was yellow-carded for an off-the-ball hit on Cathal Bourke.
The second half was a bore. You knew Kiladangan were going to win, even though they continued to struggle. Clonoulty now had free-taking difficulties, yet at the three-quarter stage the north side’s lead was a mere two points. Eventually Tadhg Gallagher’s goal settled all debate and Clonoulty exited with dignity from a championship that will forever be recalled for the tragedy of Dillon Quirke’s passing.
Upperchurch’s win in the other Sunday game was the big story of the weekend. It came in an extraordinary climax, as they rallied from five-down to win by three against a shell-shocked Brackens, who looked almost home and hosed heading into the final quarter. What a finish!
Paudie Greene had an instant goal at the start when he rounded his marker and flashed in a shot from the left corner after about twelve seconds of play. However, Brackens responded well and the game stayed pretty tight up to the interval, when the ‘Church led by the minimum.
There was a hectic resumption to play, with the sides swapping goals within minutes. Upperchurch hit first through Colm Ryan but Andrew Ormond responded immediately into the Killinan End. Thereafter the Templemore side took charge for about fifteen minutes, Lyndon Fairbrother the main scorer as frees, breaks and the general drift of play went Brackens’ way.
Heading into the final ten minutes it looked a done deal. Depending on your perspective then the remainder of the match was either a great collapse or a great comeback. It’s impossible to rationalise how Brackens went into their shell and Upperchurch suddenly bolted for the line.
And it wasn’t as if there was any dramatic tipping point to explain the late twist in the game. For whatever reason Upperchurch suddenly started picking up the breaks, coming to the play stronger and getting the frees. They hit eight points on the trot - and unanswered. Brackens looked stunned and unable to react. Paudie Greene hit five of those points from frees and a ‘65.
Brackens were left reeling but you have to credit the other mid side with finding the resolve to strike so late and so devastatingly. The dream lives on for the ‘Church.

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The Saturday games had the virtue of tightness, which I suppose is a key ingredient for spectator enjoyment. In advance I’d have given Drom v Loughmore top billing in terms of potential and it did have sustained uncertainty, though Drom always looked the likely winners.
As with Clonoulty, context is everything when assessing Loughmore’s display. Already depleted this year, they lost centre back, John Meagher, to injury after thirteen minutes and later still lost John Ryan. Such a drain on their resources should have meant a smooth passage for Drom but instead it was a nervous win – and would have been a terrible one to lose.
John Meagher’s departure actually did more for Loughmore than Drom. Brian McGrath went in centre back, and with Noel McGrath playing deep and directing traffic they actually upped their game in the second quarter. Still, there was little in it at half-time, with Drom a point up, and it would remain tight for the second half.
In fairness, Drom/Inch had the more expansive game with a spread of scorers while Loughmore relied heavily on Noel McGrath frees, some softly conceded. Podge Collins hit a few big ones for the winners in a goalless contest.
Drom maintained that two/three-point edge but couldn’t make the game safe. True to character, Loughmore kept in tow and the finish always held the prospect of some late dramatics. It came closest with a Noel McGrath free being deflected away when the game was seven minutes over time.
On balance Drom deserved the win, even if they gave their following some jumpy moments near the end. They’ve been on a pretty steady trajectory since losing the mid and will have their fanciers now for the title. For Loughmore, the loss of key players just proved too much, their cause not helped by an unhealthy wides tally.
The final contest, the all-north affair between Toomevara and Kilruane, was likewise a close finish. A David Young goal near the interval was the half-time difference, with Toome two-up. The leaders certainly weren’t lacking in intensity but by game’s end Kilruane would prove slightly more clinical.
Goals either end of the second half tilted this game Cloughjordan’s way. Kian O’Kelly delivered the first and ‘Buggy’ O’Meara made a grand entrance to supply the second, a smashing finish at the end of an ensemble movement.
There was also the little matter of a Seamus Hennessy arrival midway through the second half, which yielded two instant points. In tight contests the added value that impact subs bring can often be the difference - and so it was here.
Jack Delaney pulled off a really fine finish for a Toome goal near the end and it set up another jittery finish. Toome were still pressing when the referee called time, earlier than was justified according to the losers - and they had a point. Still, on balance, Kilruane deservedly shaved this one and will feel well pleased by the semi-final draw that pits them against Upperchurch.
I don’t often agree with Pat Spillane but I certainly found myself in full accord during the week in relation to his published comments on how football tactics and statisticians are damaging hurling. His central point was that hurling has embraced some of the worst features of football, which is hurting the game.
Spot on Pat. Think about it, where does the swarm tackle come from? Remember Paul Kinnerk’s background was in football. Where does all this running off the shoulder come from? Where does this emphasis on physicality come from? And possession at all costs? And short passing? And back passing? And lateral passing?
You had the ultimate football absurdity last weekend in a Laois championship game when a defender, taking a free out from the left corner of his defence, tried to kick across goal to another defender in the right corner and instead scored an “own point”. It could as easily happen in hurling, with some of the craziness that now passes as modern tactics.
Hurling has definitely been infected by the football malaise and a central part of the problem is the handpass, or more accurately hand-throw. Last weekend at Semple Stadium we had a rash of thrown passes and what was the refereeing response? A few token frees here and there, as if to pretend something is being done about it. Even a football diehard like Pat Spillane can see the problem, yet others choose to ignore.
Finally, Boherlahan’s intermediate hurlers bowed out of the championship last weekend when losing a penalty shootout to Kilsheelan/Kilcash, after the sides finished level in extra-time. It’s an appalling way to decide a game. Why the haste to complete this intermediate grade when there’s no deadline to be met? I ask but I don’t expect an answer.