Éire Óg Annacarty prove too strong for Moneygall in preliminary quarter-final

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship - Preliminary Quarter-Final

Éire Óg Annacarty 2-22

Moneygall 3-13

Éire Óg Annacarty's experience, physicality and greater work-rate proved decisive as they produced an impressive performance to comfortably account for Moneygall in their FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship preliminary quarter-final in Littleton on Sunday afternoon.

The six-point winning margin, 2-22 to 3-13, scarcely did justice to Éire Óg's superiority, with two late Eoghan Doughan goals from frees putting a considerable gloss on the final scoreline for a youthful Moneygall side who never managed to build up the expected head of steam.

Moneygall couldn't have asked for a better start when Seán Kenneally fired them ahead inside 30 seconds, finishing brilliantly from a tight angle after excellent work from Joe Fogarty.

But Éire Óg quickly settled, with Dinny Crosse, Donal O'Dwyer, Paudie Bradshaw and an Aidan Griffin free registering four unanswered points to move them ahead by the seventh minute.

Fogarty and Adam Hogan briefly restored Moneygall's lead before the vastly experienced Kevin Fox began to exert an influence at full-forward, using his strength to gather a Griffin free which had dropped short before firing over.

Bob Kenny edged Moneygall back in front in the 13th minute, but it would be the last time they would lead.

Éire Óg were beginning to take control around the middle third, where Connie and Paudie Bradshaw were hugely influential, while their physically imposing half-back line provided a strong platform.

The swirling breeze did make shooting difficult, with Éire Óg guilty of dragging several efforts wide, allowing Moneygall to remain within touching distance.

Scores from Doughan and Kenny helped Moneygall stay in the contest, but late points from Conor O'Brien and Bradshaw ensured Éire Óg carried a 0-12 to 1-6 advantage into half-time.

With Moneygall set to have the assistance of the breeze after the restart, there was every expectation that they would make their move.

Instead, Éire Óg became even more dominant.

Crosse, O'Dwyer and Daniel Kelly were among those finding the target, while Doughan was doing much of the heavy lifting at the other end. Two quick scores from the Moneygall marksman helped reduce the deficit to three, 1-16 to 1-10, by the 42nd minute.

But Moneygall could never wrestle control of the middle third away from Éire Óg.

Goalkeeper Daragh Mooney was also having a major influence with his distribution, repeatedly restarting play quickly and finding the Bradshaws around midfield, allowing Annacarty to maintain their grip on proceedings.

Griffin pointed before Darragh Kelly finally burst into the game with two excellent scores on the run, stretching Éire Óg's advantage to seven.

The decisive breakthrough arrived in the 53rd minute.

Kelly was fouled close to the Moneygall goal and Griffin stepped forward to dispatch the resulting penalty beyond Paddy McCormack, leaving Moneygall with a mountain to climb.

They could have responded immediately but for an extraordinary passage of goalkeeping from Mooney.

Kenneally unleashed a powerful effort from close range which Mooney parried, only for substitute Aodhan Ryan to gather the rebound and fire another fierce shot towards goal. Somehow, the former Tipperary goalkeeper recovered to save again.

It wasn't his last intervention either.

With Moneygall desperately chasing a route back into the contest, Doughan was denied by Mooney in the 58th minute before substitute Cian Ryan doubled on the rebound first time, only to see the Éire Óg goalkeeper produce another superb reflex save.

Éire Óg swept downfield from that escape and Connie Bradshaw eventually put the result beyond any lingering doubt when he found the net.

Moneygall continued battling and Doughan twice buried 21-yard frees late on to complete an impressive personal haul of 2-7, but those goals merely narrowed a deficit which had already become insurmountable.

It was a disappointing end for Moneygall, particularly having defeated Éire Óg in the corresponding championship encounter last year, but Annacarty were worthy winners and now advance to a quarter-final meeting with Lorrha-Dorrha next weekend.

Scorers: Éire Óg: Aidan Griffin (1-8, 1-0 pen, 0-6f, 0-1 65), Connie Bradshaw 1-1, Kevin Fox 0-3, Donal O’Dwyer, Paudie Bradshaw, Darragh Kelly, Dinny Crosse all 0-2 each, Conor O’Brien, Daniel Kelly 0-1 each.

Moneygall: Eoghan Doughan (2-7, 2-3f), Sean Kenneally 1-0, Bob Kenny 0-2, Adam Hogan, Joe Fogarty, Tadgh Whyte, Shay Gleeson all 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: Daragh Mooney; Paul Devlin, Conor O’Brien, Michael Bradshaw; Brian Fox, Daniel Kelly, David Fox; Connie Bradshaw, Paudie Bradshaw; Dinny Crosse, Tom Fox, Donal O’Dwyer; Aidan Griffin, Kevin Fox, Darragh Kelly.

Subs used: Liam Óg O’Dwyer for Crosse (60); Darragh O’Brien for C O’Brien (61);

Moneygall: Paddy McCormack; Jack Kirwan, Brendan Toohey, Roddy Teehan; Eoin Whyte, Shay Gleeson, Andy Hoolan; Sean Fogarty, Adam Hogan; Bob Kenny, Cormac Hoolan, Joe Fogarty; Sean Kenneally, Eoghan Doughan, Tadgh Whyte.

Subs used: Cian Ryan for Kenneally (21, temp sub); Cathal Greene for C Hoolan (25, temp sub); Aodhan Ryan for C Hoolan (33, inj); Cathal Greene for Kirwan (49); Cian Ryan for Kenny (55); Mark Fanning for T Whyte (59).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels)