Moyne/Loughmore see off battling Carrick Swan to book county final place

FBD Insurance County Minor B Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Moyne/Loughmore 1-18

Carrick Swan 1-13

Moyne/Loughmore were never behind as they proved too strong for a battling Carrick Swan in the FBD Insurance County Minor B Hurling Championship Semi-Final on the pristine grass pitch at Fethard Town Park last Wednesday.

The Mid combination were slicker, sharper and more threatening in their attacks than the South champions and were deserving winners to progress to the county decider.

A week after their impressive divisional final win over Ballybacon/Grange at the same venue, Swan were level only once, following a superb Noah Power goal after eleven minutes that left the score at 0-5 to 1-2. The Mid side quickly responded with four points in a row, and led by five at the break, 0-13 to 1-5 - a margin they maintained at the final whistle.

Swan had narrowed the margin to four points, 0-18 to 1-11, with just over two minutes to go when Moyne/Loughmore ensured victory with a well-worked team goal, captain Leo Cleere and Mark Campion involved in the build-up before Conor Campion rifled to the Swan net past goalkeeper Eoin Connolly. Swan hit the last two points from Noah Power and Charlie Walsh but didn’t have enough time to try and reel in the winners’ lead.

Conor and Mark Campion shared 1-7 between them, Jack Noonan was hugely influential throughout with runs up the left wing, with Cathal Ryan hitting 0-6 from placed balls for the Mid combination.

But the score of the game went to full-back Tommy Bohan with a textbook score on the stroke of half-time, with a brilliant leap, catch and point from halfway. Bohan, Cathal Ryan and Tristan Morris were outstanding in defence, with Leo Cleere and Jack Reddan on top at midfield.

Noah Power was the Swan go-to player in attack, with 1-1 from play as well as converting six frees, with Jack Kiely, Alex O’Dwyer, Charlie Walsh and Jay O’Gorman all keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Team captain Aidan Hanlon was outstanding in defence, with big displays also from Jack Raymond Walsh and Jack Torpey Walsh.

It was the Mid champions who started better, with Jack Noonan and Andrew Everard putting them two ahead inside two minutes. However, the Carrick side settled quickly and Jack Kiely opened their account a minute later. Conor Campion for the Mid men, and Kiely again for Swan, exchanged points, before two in a row from a Cathal Ryan free and Jack Noonan put the Moyne/Loughmore side three ahead, 0-5 to 0-2.

Swan supporters were then in full voice when a great ball from Alex O’Dwyer set Noah Power clear to shoot to the net past Paddy Ely. It was a huge boost for the Swan, but it was Moyne/Loughmore who responded better, and two points from Cathal Ryan frees, and two from play, from Conor Campion and a superb strike from the sideline from Mark Campion, put them four ahead, 0-9 to 1-2.

Swan hit back with two points from Noah Power frees, but the Mid men always appeared to have a response to those mini Swan revivals, and outscored them 0-4 to 0-1 in the last five minutes of the half. They came from Conor Campion - after the move of the game involving Ben Moran, Leo Cleere and Mark Campion - two from Mark Campion, including his second super strike from a tight angle on the touchline, and Bohan’s spectacular score, to a Swan reply from an Alex O’Dwyer free.

Another bright start to the second half saw the Mid side hit two in a row, both from Cathal Ryan frees, to extend the lead to seven, 0-15 to 1-5. Swan replied with two pointed frees from Power as they took the battle to Moyne-Loughmore in a high-tempo encounter, with plenty of blocks, hooks and committed tackles.

The margin switched between four and five points throughout the final quarter, with the Mid side just managing to keep a gap between them. They shared the next four points, Leo Cleere and Mark Campion for the winners, Alex O’Dwyer and a Power free for Swan. That was still the trend following a Cathal Ryan 65 and a great Jay O’Gorman point for Swan in the next move.

When another Power free reduced the margin to four points three minutes from time, and Swan were pressing for the goal that would have provided a grandstand finish, instead it came at the other end with Cleere and Mark Campion creating the chance for Conor Campion to hit the decisive score.

It was a deserved victory over the hour, and Moyne/Loughmore are deserving county finalists, but Carrick Swan will regret a missed opportunity to try and add a county title to their divisional success.

Moyne/Loughmore: Paddy Ely; Ben Moran, Tommy Bohan (0-1), Henry Meade; Cathal Breen, Cathal Ryan (0-6, 0-5f, 0-1 65), Tristan Morris; Leo Cleere (0-1), Jack Reddan; Ronan Murray, Conor Campion (1-3), Andrew Everard (0-1); Mark Campion (0-4), Jack Noonan (0-2), Daniel McConnell.

Subs used: Jack Guilfoyle for Murray (40); Rogan Lyons for Everard (40).

Carrick Swan: Eoin Connolly; Liam Walsh, Jay Fleming, Alex Walsh; Aidan Hanlon, Jack Raymond Walsh, Jack Torpey Walsh; Jack Holloway, Evan Moran; Jack Kiely (0-2, 0-1f), Alex O’Dwyer (0-2, 0-1f), Charlie Walsh (0-1); Noah Power (1-7, 0-6f), Aaron Brennan, Jay O’Gorman (0-1).

Subs used: Odhran Reade for Alex Walsh (HT); Craig O’Donnell for Holloway (35).

Referee: Cian Ryan (Éire Óg Annacarty)