Kiladangan too strong for Roscrea in FBD County senior hurling championship

FBD County SHC Round 2

Kiladangan 2-19 Roscrea 0-14

With a better all round fifteen Kiladangan were much too good for a disappointing Roscrea team when the 2019 County final runners up had eleven points to spare at a sun backed Thomas MacDonaghs pitch, Cloughjordan last Sunday afternoon.

Kiladangan, searching for their first win, following the draw with J K Brackens in round one, had their intentions known from the start. With James Quigley and David Sweeney both recovered from injury and returning to full back and wing back respectfully the Kiladangan backline mastered the Roscrea attack who had just Alan Tynan as their best prospect of scoring.

Tynan started at full forward and had two points to his credit as Roscrea opened a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after twelve minutes. Roscrea looked lively with their defence led by Keith McMahon while Jason Fitzpatrick and Conor Sheedy looked lively up front.

However, Kiladangan had Joe Gallagher as their lead man at eleven and following a great point from Paul Flynn it was a Tadgh Gallagher score in the 17th minute that had the sides level 0-4 each as Kiladangan were looking more serious by the minute.

That equaliser was just in time before the first deserved water break and seconds after the restart Kiladangan had their first goal through the hard working Dan O’Meara following good spadework by Bryan McLoughney in the left corner.

Up to then McLoughney was off form from frees so Willie Connors took over the placed ball duties momentarily and his first task was to point a sixtyfive. In the opposite corner Luke Cashin was splendid from frees and kept his side in touch with a fifty metre free before McLoughney replied in kind.

Kiladangan’s wide tally was rising. Meanwhile Daryl Ryan’s puckouts were splendidly accurate but each time a Roscrea forward was simply smothered up and the concession of a free for over carrying or spilt possession was the end result. Alan Flynn did most of the clearing duties at centre back while David Sweeney, James Quigley, Fergie Hayes and Darragh Flannery did most of the heavy work.

However the margin was cut to three once more when Cashin scored an eighty metre free but any hopes of Roscrea cutting the margin even more were dealt a blow when Bryan McLoughney had to work hard in shaking off a few borderline tackles before shooting past a helpless Daryl Ryan for the games second goal.

Dan O’Meara was very much the target man for Kiladangan and he was involved once more when winning a free which McLoughney converted before Sean Hayes scored his second point of the day. As half time approached there was enough time for frees by Luke Cashin (ninety five metre free) and McLoughney (close in) to bring an end to the opening half with Kiladangan leading 2-8 to 0-7.

Kiladangan won the opening seven minutes of the second half by the odd point in five with the sides taking turns to score beginning with Darragh Tynan. Billy Seymour replied before Glen Loughnane’s spectacular from half way gave signs of promise from Roscrea.

The response was immediate from Billy Seymour before Luke Cashin found room to pick out Alan Tynan who scored from fifty metres. However Kiladangan hit back with points from Seymour and McLoughney and suddenly broad daylight began to appear between the teams followed by another McLoughney free in the 41st minute which pushed Kiladangan nine clear against a now subdued Roscrea.

An angle free from Cashin kept Roscrea marginally in touch but Declan McGrath and Willie Connors had no bother in finding the target from distances within seconds of each other.

Evan Fitzpatrick replied with a good score after winning another Ryan puckout before the Roscrea keeper made two great saves to deny Paul Flynn and Bryan McLoughney at the cost of a sixty five which Willie Connors converted.

Both Cashin and Connors swapped frees as the game passed the elbow and similarly Billy Seymour caught a Barry Hogan puckout before scoring. The same player added a free in the 57th minute and as the clock wound down it was left to the discretion of referee Peter Carroll to allow injury time which stretched to the 64th minute. By then Kiladangan were looking forward to their game against Drom Inch, which the North Tipp side must win to stay in the Dan Breen. Roscrea on the other hand must beat J K Brackens to remain at the top tier for 2021.

KILADANGAN: Barry Hogan; Darragh Flannery, James Quigley, Fergus Hayes; Alan Flynn, David Sweeney, Declan McGrath 0-1; Willie Connors 0-4 (0-1f, 0-2’65), Tadgh Gallagher 0-1; Sean Hayes 0-2, Joe Gallagher 0-1, Billy Seymour 0-4 (0-1f); Dan O’Meara 1-0, Paul Flynn 0-2, Brian McLoughney 1-4 (0-3f).

Subs: Andy Loughnane for McLoughney (45).

ROSCREA: Daryl Ryan; Glen Loughnane, Joe Carroll, Shane Davis; Darren O’Connor, Michael Campion, Keith McMahon; Darragh Tynan, Jason Fitzpatrick; Evan Fitzpatrick, Conor Booth, Conor Sheedy; Luke Cashin, Alan Tynan, Shane Fletcher.

Subs: Dan Ryan for J Carroll (h/t); Fearghus Hannon for Conor Booth (38); Aidan Booth for M Campion (42); Joe Carroll for D Tynan (59).

Referee: Peter Carroll, Burgess.