St. Mary's get the better of Carrick Swan in thrilling game

St Mary’s 2-26 Carrick Swan 3-21

South champions St Mary’s are back on track in the FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship following their thrilling Group 2, Round 2 win over Carrick Swan at Fethard on Saturday evening.

An absorbing contest had the attendance spellbound for the 66 minutes played with superb point-scoring, five great goals, outstanding goalkeeping and end-to-end play, with the lead regularly changing hands.

In the end, it was an outstanding St Mary’s side that prevailed, with the brilliant Peter McGarry leading the way. In the absence of Ruairi Leahy and Aaron Cagney, both out injured, the onus fell on the 2025 All-Ireland senior medal winner to spearhead the Clonmel attack and he did so in style with a sublime display – setting up both goals, hitting four points from play and converting eight frees.

St Mary’s had slumped to a disappointing defeat to Killenaule in the first round but bounced back in style for their first win over Swan in 25 years. The previous one came in 2001 and the sides didn’t meet again until 2017, following St Mary’s relegation to intermediate in 2002. However, they had lost three in a row to the Carrick team since 2017, including a one-point defeat in the group stages last year.

A second defeat on the bounce in the group was a blow to a Swan side that has contested the last two county finals, but they battled to the final whistle in a compelling and end-to-end encounter.

Swan suffered a major blow when county player Stefan Tobin took a heavy knock late in the first half and failed to reappear for the second. His loss was significant, as he had shown his goal-poaching instincts within 37 seconds when he hit an unstoppable shot past Enda Dunphy in the side’s first attack.

Dunphy was beaten twice more but made a wonder save in added time from substitute Michael Loughman when Swan trailed by two points and were pressing hard to keep their championship hopes alive.

In one of St Mary’s’ best displays in years, McGarry was the star performer, while his county team mate and club captain Seamus Kennedy was outstanding at the heart of the defence; Harry Lawlor was a huge threat upfront with 1-4 from play, with Tadhg Condon and Conor Deely chipping in with 0-3 each.

But it was very much a team performance with Tadgh Sheehan, Darragh O’Connor and Sammy Ryan working tirelessly in defence throughout; Cathal Deely joining his brother Conor on the scoresheet with a fine goal; James Morris a significant presence on his return to the team, and Joe Higgins and Sean Kennedy busy throughout.

True to their DNA, Swan battled bravely to keep their championship hopes alive. Brothers Gavin and Aaron O’Halloran rallied to the cause with big displays; Aaron Dunne and Callum Walsh were huge threats upfront, and Callum Lanigan was as usual unerring from placed balls, as well as prominent in open play.

Two goals in the first 90 seconds signalled what was to follow – Tobin scoring in Swan’s first attack, and McGarry setting up Harry Lawlor for a St Mary’s reply a minute later. When Callum Lanigan put Taylor Fleming through for the second Swan goal five minutes later for a 2-1 to 1-1 lead, it looked as if Swan were about to take control.

But St Mary’s began to play with a swagger, and a run of 1-6 without reply – the goal from Cathal Deely after another McGarry assist, and three points from Conor Deely, two McGarry frees and Harry Lawlor from play – put them 2-9 to 2-3 ahead by the 20th minute. Swan hit back with their third goal from Eric O’Halloran and had drawn level again by the break, 3-10 to 2-13.

The Swan play was outstanding at times – Sean Foley, Aaron O’Halloran and Callum Walsh involved in one flowing move that ended with a brilliant Eric O’Halloran point. Tadhg Sheehan hit a great St Mary’s score after slick play from defence.

Play continued to swing from end to end throughout an absorbing second half, with the lead regularly changing hands. Swan had a two-points advantage midway through the half, 3-18 to 2-19 – the Swan scores from Lanigan (3), Aaron O’Halloran (2) as well as Walsh, Fleming and Dunne, and St Mary’s replies from McGarry with 0-4, three from frees, Lawlor and Condon.

But with their championship survival on the line, the Clonmel side edged the final quarter.

Three in a row - from Lawlor, whose goal-bound shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Swan ‘keeper Kieran Lonergan with a diving block; McGarry and substitute Ross Peters put St Mary’s back in front, but it was level again three minutes from the break, 3-20 to 2-23.

St Mary’s went two ahead again through Lawlor and a McGarry free before Dunphy’s wonder save denied Loughman, but a Lanigan free reduced the margin to a single point again. Nerves were tingling as over six minutes of added time were played, with a late Tadhg Condon point giving St Mary’s that extra bit of breathing space before the final whistle.

It may have been just a group game, with St Mary’s still having plenty to do to advance to the knockout stages, but the celebrations at the final whistle reflected what the win meant to the Clonmel side.

Scorers: St Mary’s: Peter McGarry 0-12 (8f), Harry Lawlor 1-4, Cathal Deely 1-0, Tadhg Condon, Conor Deely 0-3 each, Tadhg Sheehan, Sean Kennedy, Ross Peters, Joe Higgins 0-1 each.

Carrick Swan: Callum Lanigan 0-9 (7f), Aaron O’Halloran 0-4, Taylor Fleming, Eric O’Halloran 1-1 each, Stefan Tobin 1-0, Aaron Dunne, Callum Walsh 0-3 each.

St.Mary’s: Enda Dunphy; Richie Gunne, Liam Ryan, Darragh O’Connor; Tadhg Sheehan, Seamus Kennedy, Sammy Ryan; Tadhg Condon, Cathal Deely; Conor Deely; James Morris, Sean Kennedy, Harry Lawlor; Peter McGarry, Joe Higgins.

Subs: Ross Slattery for Liam Ryan (HT), Michael Murphy for Cathal Deely (47), Thomas Charles for Sheehan (51), Ross Peters for Sean Kennedy (55), James Power for Higgins (58).

Carrick Swan: Kieran Lonergan; Jack Murphy, Scott Hogan, Dean Kiely; Ben Mulcaire, Gavin O’Halloran, Sean Power; Aaron O’Halloran, Sean Foley; Stefan Tobin, Eric O’Halloran, Taylor Fleming; Callum Lanigan, Aaron Dunne, Callum Walsh.

Subs: Michael Loughman for Tobin (HT, inj), Aidan Hanlon for Power (50), Cian Robinson for Fleming (58).

Referee: PJ Nolan (Killea).