Carrick Swan push for home to reach semi-finals in Tipperary hurling championship

Carrick Swan 1-21 Burgess 1-12

Carrick Swan are through to the last four of the FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship, following a comprehensive nine-point victory over a disappointing Burgess side at Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds Clonoulty on Sunday afternoon.

This was a game in which Burgess were always playing second fiddle, despite scoring the opening goal after just 90 seconds.
The South champions dictated the pace of the game, were more aggressive in their tackling, won all the “dirty” ball and had a far greater spread of scorers throughout the game, with Calum Lanigan leading the attack. Their defence smothered the Burgess forwards with swarming tackles, while also being very disciplined and not conceding needless frees.

They recovered quickly from the concession of a very early goal when they failed to deal adequately with a long high ball into their goalmouth. They attacked immediately from the puck out and won a penalty at the other end, which was converted by Aaron O’Halloran.

Burgess, on the other hand were over-reliant on Stephen Murray for their scores. He hit 1-11 of their total while also setting up Donagh Maher for their only other score. Apart from their opening attack, which yielded a goal from Murray, they never really threatened the Swan rearguard. They also finished the game with 14 players, as Bill O’Flaherty was dismissed on a second yellow card on 56 minutes.

After a minute and a half Burgess goalkeeper Ronan Tucker worked the ball to Bryan Quinn, who launched a long high ball into the goalmouth. Swan goalkeeper Kieran Lonergan batted the ball clear but the clearance fell to Stephen Murray, who goaled from close range. From the resulting puck out Aaron Dunne won possession and fed the in-running Dean Fitzgerald-Walsh, who was hauled down inside the parallelogram. Aaron O’Halloran fired the resulting penalty to the bottom corner for the equaliser. It was one goal each after three minutes.

Swan settled and Dean Waters found Calum Lanigan, who put over the first of his ten points, giving his side a lead that they held until the final whistle. Their half forward line, and particularly Eric O’Halloran, began to win quality possession, which kept the scoreboard moving. Calum Walsh put over a great point from out near the corner, before Stephen Murray hit the first of his eleven points from midfield.

Swan went into a five-point lead following three points from Calum Lanigan, including one from open play, and one from Eric O’Halloran. Burgess recovered and hit five of the next six points, all from the stick of Stephen Murray, with four coming from placed balls.

Swan hit back and finished the half with a flurry of scores, two each from Eric O’Halloran and Calum Lanigan and one from Aaron Dunne. Stephen Murray chipped in with one for Burgess to leave the half-time score Carrick Swan 1-11, Burgess 1-7, with all the Burgess scores coming from Murray.

After the restart Swan started where they left off with Lanigan popping over two points in the opening five minutes and Aaron Dunne adding another. Stephen Murray won a Burgess puck out before beating his man to add another to his tally. Calum Walsh put over two in quick succession as Swan extended their lead to eight.

Murray scored from a placed ball before picking out Donagh Maher with a neat crossfield pass and the corner forward made no mistake from 35 metres. The deficit was back to six as the game headed into the final quarter.

Swan introduced Danny O’Hanlon off the bench and with his first touch he split the posts. O’Hanlon then set up Aidan Waters for a point with a neat flicked pass out as they pushed for home. Dean Waters and Calum Lanigan stretched the lead out to ten by the 50th minute, as Burgess wilted.

In the final ten minutes Bill O’Flaherty of Burgess was sent to the line on a second yellow card.

Overall Swan will be happy with their afternoon out West and will move into the semi-finals with confidence.

Carrick Swan: Kieran Lonergan, Dean Kelly, Scott Hogan, Jack Murphy, Colin Loughman, Gavin O’Halloran, Ben Mulcaire, Aaron O’Halloran (1-0), Dean Waters (0-1), Eric O’Halloran (0-3), Calum Lanigan (0-10, 6 frees), Aidan Waters (0-1), Dean Fitzgerald-Walsh, Aaron Dunne (0-2), Calum Walsh (0-3).

Subs: Danny O’Hanlon (0-1) for Calum Walsh (46), Shane Torpey for Dean Waters (49), Luke O’Dwyer for Aaron O’Halloran (54), Jamie Holloway for Aaron Dunne (54), Owen Harrigan for Dean Fitzgerald-Walsh (57).

Burgess: Ronan Tucker, Aidan O’Dwyer, Bryan Quinn, Daire Hogan, Willie Ryan, Keith Nealon, Danny Ryan, Micheál Ryan, Kieran Grace, Eoin Grace, Tony Dunne, Stephen Kirwan, Stephen Murray (1-11, 9 frees), Bill O’Flaherty, Donagh Maher (0-1).

Subs: Eoin Hogan for Willie Ryan (40), Danny Ryan for Stephen Kirwan (51), Jack O’Flaherty for Micheál Ryan (52), Tomás Ryan for Jack O’Flaherty (59).

Referee: Sean Everard (Moyne Templetuohy).