Noel McGrath impresses as Loughmore-Castleiney draw with Cahir in Tipperary senior football championship

Loughmore-Castleiney 1-8 

Cahir 2-5

A big result this for Cahir, and it might have been even better had Liam McGrath not kicked a levelling point from a free for Loughmore-Castleiney in the 59th minute to deny Cahir victory in this county senior football championship group two round three tie at Cashel on Sunday.

Both sides had won their opening game and victory here would have almost certainly guaranteed them their spot in the knock-out stages but at the end of a very entertaining contest that got a little niggly as the final whistle approached, they had to settle for a share of the spoils.

At that stage Cahir were hanging on as Loughmore piled on the pressure, twice having to come from behind to atone for goals at the start of each half. The south lads  courage and resolve in the face of the Mid siege deserved its reward and they will face into their final game in the group against Kilsheelan with some confidence.

Had they made more of their chances, particularly in the first half, they would be celebrating a significant victory but six wides in the opening twenty to minutes did not help their cause and against opposition of Loughmore’s calibre, there is no room for such waste. They also saw a Liam Casey ball fly over the bar at the start of the second quarter, when a goal might well have resulted.

 Cahir  settled very quickly and got a real boost with a  Niall McKenna goal in the 5th minute after a swift counter-attack worked the ball well through the lines and was finished with some aplomb. Noel McGrath was very influential for Loughmore and Liam Casey for Cahir as the Mid men chased their rivals but as half-time approached the goal still separated the teams. Then, in the 29th minute, John Ryan was grounded and Liam McGrath gave Aaron Wall no chance in the Cahir goal with a perfectly struck penalty  to leave it 1-4 each at half-time.

Cahir started the second half as they did the first punishing slack Loughmoe defending as Brian McKenna netted for them in the 35th minute.  Loughmore are never ones to dodge a challenge and  they hunted down their rivals in search of vital scores. Points by Liam and Noel McGrath had them hot on Cahir heels after 39 minutes but Brian McKenna’s point   eased the pressure temporarily. Another Liam McGrath point left a point between them entering the last quarter.

As the clock wound down, a needle crept into the exchanges and this saw Cahir lose two players to black cards. Loughmore piled on the pressure and were finally rewarded when Liam McGrath pointed a levelling free in the 59th minute. Liam Casey for Cahir, and Evan Sweeney and Liam McGrath had Loughmore chances but at the end of the day, a draw was probably the fairest result.

Loughmore-Castleiney need to get at least a draw in their final game against Aherlow Gaels to be sure of making the knock-out stages. Biggest threat to them this year again is their busy schedule between hurling and football and they were short-listed to succeed in both. Early on Noel McGrath pulled the strings for them but Joey Nyland, John Ryan, John McGrath, JohnMeagher, and Evan Sweeney also player their parts in ensuring  the game was not lost.

This as a big result for Cahir who face Kilsheelan-Kilcash next time out and will do so with come confidence.  The team showed great composure under the considerable pressure exerted by Loughmore, and this experience will surely stand to them for the rest of the campaign. Liam Casey was the team leader but the work of Sean O Connor, Eddie Kendrick, Ger Quinn, Tommy McDonagh and Niall McKenna was also of the highest order.

Loughmore scorers – L McGrath(1-5, all frees), E Sweeney, N McGrath, J Nyland(0-1 each);

Cahir scorers – B McKenna(1-1), N McKenna(1-0), L Casey(0-2), D Lonergan(0-1,f)T McDonagh(0-1);

Loughmore-Castleiney – Dominic Brennan; Lorcan Egan, John meagher, Tomas McGrath; John Ryan, Ciaran McGrath, Willie Eviston; Noel McGrath, Joey Nyland; Brian McGrath, Evan Sweeney, Aidan McGrath; Liam McGrath, Conor Ryan, John McGrath’; subs – Eamon Connolly for B McGrath; Joey Hennessy for W Eviston;

Cahir – Aaron Wall; James Walsh, Ger Hally, Keelan Looby; Sean O Connor, Conor Cashman, Ger Quinn; Liam Casey, Eddie Kendrick; Brian McKenna, Niall McKenna, Tommy McDonagh; Kieran O Dwyer, Dean Lonergan, Sean Murphy ;Subs – Patrick Meehan for Looby; Nicholas Reidy for B McKenna(black card), Ian Flannery for Sean O Connor; Jake Kiely for Murphy; S Grogan for Lonergan;

Ref – Tommy Ryan