Kilruane MacDonaghs snatch dramatic late victory to break Moneygall hearts

North Tipperary U21A Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-14

Moneygall 0-16

Kiruane MacDonaghs staged a remarkable second-half revival to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and break Moneygall hearts in a pulsating North Tipperary U21A Hurling Championship semi-final at MacDonagh Park, Cloughjordan, on Sunday afternoon.

Trailing by nine points at the interval following a decidedly lacklustre opening-half display, Niall O’Meara’s charges looked destined for championship elimination. However, a stunning transformation after the restart saw Kilruane claw their way back into contention before Michael Cleary emerged as the late match-winner with a dramatic injury-time free.

It was a heartbreaking conclusion for a gallant Moneygall outfit who had dominated proceedings for much of the encounter, producing an outstanding opening-half performance embellished by the brilliance of full-forward Tadhg Whyte.

The influential attacker struck five magnificent points from play as Moneygall, aided by a slight breeze, seized control of proceedings and appeared firmly on course for a place in the divisional decider.

Indeed, Moneygall led for virtually the entire contest, only surrendering their advantage in the dying embers as Kilruane completed a remarkable turnaround.

Even then, the drama was far from finished. Moneygall were afforded one final opportunity to force extra-time, but Eoghan Doughan’s long-range free with virtually the last puck of the game drifted agonisingly left and wide, sparking scenes of jubilation among the Kilruane faithful.

In what proved the proverbial game of two halves, Moneygall settled impressively and established an early advantage through points from Eoghan Doughan, Cian Ryan and the lively Tadhg Whyte.

Kilruane responded positively, with Jack Mulcahy clipping over a brace of well-taken points before Cillian Healy split the posts with a delightful effort on eleven minutes to bring the sides level.

However, Moneygall quickly seized a stranglehold on proceedings, displaying greater hunger, sharper movement and an intensity Kilruane struggled to match.

Three successive points from Jamie Keeshan, Tadhg Whyte and Shay Gleeson propelled Moneygall three clear before Seán Stapleton, Eoghan Doughan and Whyte added another trio of unanswered scores to stretch the visitors’ advantage to six.

Kilruane’s forwards were starved of quality possession as a tenacious Moneygall outfit dominated the exchanges and repeatedly frustrated the home side’s attempts to establish any meaningful attacking momentum.

The outstanding Whyte embellished his personal tally with another sublime effort in the 27th minute, while Cormac Hoolan also found the target with a beautifully executed point as Moneygall threatened to disappear over the horizon.

Indeed, matters might have been considerably worse for Kilruane but for the heroics of goalkeeper Tom Austin, who produced a magnificent double save to deny Moneygall what appeared a certain goal.

Moneygall continued to dictate matters approaching the interval, with Doughan converting another placed ball before Whyte once again demonstrated his finishing prowess with a superb point from open play.

Brian O’Meara managed to stem the tide somewhat with an injury-time free, but there was little disguising Kilruane’s difficulties as they retreated to the dressing room with their championship aspirations hanging precariously in the balance, 0-4 to 0-13.

Whatever was said in the Kilruane dressing room during the interval certainly had the desired effect.

The home side emerged transformed, displaying an urgency, aggression and determination conspicuously absent during the opening thirty minutes.

Crucially, Kilruane reshuffled their attacking formation and began delivering much-needed quality possession into their inside forward line, with early points from Brian O’Meara and Hugo Healy reducing the deficit to seven.

Cormac Kennedy began to exert an increasingly influential presence from placed balls, while Michael Cleary also chipped in with a neatly taken point as Kilruane gradually rediscovered their attacking rhythm.

To their credit, Moneygall initially resisted the growing Kilruane momentum, with Eoghan Doughan converting another free before adding a fine point from play to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Nevertheless, the tide was turning ominously in favour of the home side.

Charlie Kennedy added another Kilruane point on forty minutes before corner-forward Michael Hennelly suddenly burst into prominence with a sensational scoring contribution of 1-1 inside sixty seconds.

His devastating intervention transformed the complexion of the contest, reducing Moneygall’s advantage to just two points, 1-10 to 0-15, and injecting renewed belief into Kilruane’s challenge.

Doughan responded with what would prove to be Moneygall’s final score of the afternoon on 45 minutes, but remarkably the visitors failed to register again as Kilruane seized complete control of the closing quarter.

Despite dominating possession, Kilruane’s finishing threatened to undermine their remarkable resurgence, with no fewer than seven wides during the final quarter keeping Moneygall’s increasingly slender hopes alive.

The visitors defended courageously and battled tenaciously to preserve their advantage, but the relentless Kilruane pressure eventually told.

Charlie Kennedy emerged with a priceless equalising point in the 59th minute, bringing the sides level and setting the stage for a gripping finale. With extra-time now appearing a distinct possibility, Kilruane were awarded a close-range free deep into injury time. Up stepped Michael Cleary, who displayed admirable composure under enormous pressure to dispatch the resultant placed ball between the uprights and edge Kilruane in front for the first time in the contest.

There was still one final twist, however, as Moneygall were afforded a last-gasp opportunity to rescue the tie when Eoghan Doughan lined up a difficult long-range free. The Moneygall centre-forward struck his effort with conviction, but the sliotar drifted agonisingly outside the left upright, bringing the curtain down on an absorbing championship encounter.

For Kilruane, the final whistle heralded scenes of understandable relief and celebration following a remarkable escape, while Moneygall were left to rue the collapse of a seemingly commanding position.

Ultimately, Kilruane’s greater urgency, renewed attacking purpose and refusal to accept defeat proved decisive, with Hennelly’s crucial goal and Cleary’s late winner ensuring a hard-earned victory.

Moneygall, meanwhile, can take considerable encouragement from their outstanding opening-half display, with the brilliant Tadhg Whyte particularly unfortunate to finish on the losing side.

Kilruane now march on to face Borris Ileigh in what promises to be a mouth-watering North Tipperary U21A hurling decider.

Kilruane MacDonaghs: Tom Austin; Cormac Kennedy (0-3f), Shane Cleary, Eamonn Coonan; Cormac Gaynor, Hugo Healy (0-1), Cian Moyles; Charlie Kennedy (0-2), Cathal England; Jack Mulcahy (0-2), Brian O’Meara (0-2, 0-1f), Cillian Healy (0-1); Michael Hennelly (1-1), Johnny Naughnane, Michael Cleary (0-2, 0-1f).

Subs used: Fiachra Woods for J Naughnane (43), Darragh Looney for C Gaynor (54), Shay O’Kennedy for C Moyles (61).

Moneygall: Patrick McCormack; Tim Cleary, Andrew Hoolan (captain), Oisín Hayes; Adam O’Brien, Cian Ryan (0-1f), Alex Gleeson; Cormac Hoolan (0-1), Shay Gleeson (0-1); Seán Stapleton (0-1), Eoghan Doughan (0-6, 0-4f), Jamie Keeshan (0-1); Dylan Sayers, Tadhg Whyte (0-5), Oisín O’Dwyer.

Subs used: Conor Quinlan for J Keeshan (45).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess)