Cashel King Cormacs get the verdict in south and west Tipperary hurling championship clash

Cashel King Cormacs 1-28   St Mary's 2-19 

The clash of the top two teams in the FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 1 at Cahir on Sunday evening produced a cracking encounter, with Cashel King Cormacs proving that bit stronger than St Mary’s, and they now sit on top of the table with two wins from two.

It was a less dramatic win for Cashel than their opening encounter, when they lost three players to red cards against Moyne/Templetuohy, but no less convincing as they came good at the crucial moments.

A minute’s silence was observed before the game following the sad passing of Tess Ryan, wife of Cashel King Cormacs vice-president, John Bob Ryan.

This was a game that ebbed and flowed, featuring 54 scores, with St Mary’s also chasing their second win from two. They led on three occasions in the first half and were just a point behind midway through the second half. Goals from substitute Gearoid Buckley, with his first touch of the ball, and Peter McGarry raised the hopes of the Clonmel supporters in the large attendance, but King Cormacs responded to both scores immediately to break the St Mary’s momentum.

Half-time substitute Adrian Cummins replied to Buckley’s goal with one of his own within thirty seconds, and Ger Browne did likewise with a great point following McGarry’s goal.

That left just three points between the sides, 1-24 to 2-18, with six minutes to go but a powerful and physically superior Cashel pulled away down the final stretch to outscore St Mary’s four points to one in the closing minutes.

Short the suspended Nathan Ryan, Daniel Moloney and Devon Ryan, the King Cormacs showed they still have plenty in reserve as they continue their bid for Seamus O’Riain Cup glory, and would top the group with a win over Ballina in their final game, while St Mary’s need a win over Moyne/Templetuohy to maintain their interest.

A point in the opening minute from Cathal Deely signalled St Mary’s intent, with Anthony Walsh from a free equalising a minute later, and the sides were level six more times in a very even first half.

Deely and Ruairi Leahy were looking particularly sharp up front, with James Cummins and Anthony Walsh from frees keeping the scoreboard ticking over for Cashel.

It was end to end hurling, with three points in the space of about thirty seconds nine minutes in. With Cashel 0-4 to 0-2 up, Ross Peters hit a St Mary’s point; from the puck out, Ronan Connolly hit an immediate reply; and from the next puck out, Leahy made it 0-5 to 0-4.

Leahy followed up with another point after good play from Sean Kennedy and Niall Hoctor, before Anthony Walsh and Sean Kennedy exchanged frees to make it 0-6 each midway through the half.

And then the decibel levels from the Clonmel support were raised higher when points from a Sean Kennedy free and Hoctor from play – just after a Josh Ryan shot had come back off the upright - put the side two clear and playing well.

But a feature of the Cashel display all evening was their response to adversity and points from James Cummins, Ronan Connolly and an Eoin Connolly free had them in front again within two minutes.

Peter McGarry levelled it again and it was 0-10 each following a superb catch and point from Sean Kennedy to a Cashel reply from Cathal Quinn.

Cashel then moved up a gear and hit three without reply, from a stunning Eoghan Connolly sideline cut from halfway; Paddy Fahy after taking a great pass from Jonathan Walsh; and another superb score from Ronan Connolly. And just before the break, a Niall Hoctor point for St Mary’s made it 0-13 to 0-11 at half-time.

The third quarter was still nip and tuck, but Cashel were gaining a level of supremacy and went three points clear on three occasions, and only allowed St Mary’s draw level once more. A Sean Kennedy free in the first minute reduced the lead to a single point, but two in reply from James Cummins and Anthony Walsh, after a great block down, pushed it out to three again, 0-15 to 0-12.

A precision puckout from Enda Dunphy to Ross Peters, who moved the ball on to Ruairi Leahy for a super point, was followed by an Anthony Walsh free to maintain the margin, with Ross Bonnar also cancelling out a Sean Kennedy free to make it 0-17 to 0-14.

However, three points in a row from St Mary’s tied the score again, with McGarry, Deely and Tadhg Sheehan on target.

The game was now there to be won and it was Cashel who rose better to the challenge, scoring the next four points without reply, two Anthony Walsh frees, one from James Cummins and a comfortable score from Ronan Connolly.

The Clonmel side needed a response and got it. Peter McGarry started the move; it was continued by Seamus Kennedy, whose shot goalwards was grabbed by Gearoid Buckley (his first involvement after being just introduced) and he shot past Cashel ‘keeper Aaron Browne for the game’s first goal.

That should have steadied the Clonmel ship, but from the puckout, the ball was worked upfield and Cashel substitute Adrian Cummins hit an unstoppable shot past Enda Dunphy.

Ger Browne added a point and the momentum was back with Cashel. Ross Peters and Anthony Walsh from a free exchanged points before St Mary’s had another fillip, with Seamus Kennedy involved again, setting up substitute Darragh O’Connor who passed to Peter McGarry for another great goal.

It was now a two-point game, 1-23 to 2-18, with six minutes left to play. But again the wind was knocked out of the St Mary’s sails when Cashel hit back with a point immediately from Ger Browne.

The hugely influential Seamus Kennedy used all his experience to bring it back to two points again. But that proved to be St Mary’s last score, as Cashel hit the next four without reply, from two Anthony Walsh frees, another free from Eoghan Connolly and Cathal Quinn, to run out deserving winners.

St Mary’s never gave up the battle but the Cashel defence was immense in the closing minutes, shutting up shop to ensure there was no way through their lines.

Cashel King Cormacs: Aaron Browne, Paraic Brosnan, Simon Delaney, Ciaran Quinn, James Cummins 0-4, 1 free; Conn Bonnar, Jonathan Walsh, Ronan Connolly 0-4; Eoghan Connolly 0-3, 2 frees, 1 sideline; Ross Bonnar 0-1; Cathal Quinn 0-2; Anthony Walsh 0-10, 9 frees; David McGrath 0-1; Paddy Fahy 0-1; Ger Browne 0-2.

Subs: Adrian Cummins 1-0 for Jonathan Walsh, Conor O’Dwyer for Conn Bonnar, Jack McGrath for David McGrath.

St. Mary’s: Enda Dunphy, Thomas Charles, Ross Slattery, Liam Ryan, Tadhg Condon, Tadhg Sheehan 0-1; Seamus Kennedy 0-1; Richie Gunne, Ruairi Leahy 0-4; Sean Kennedy 0-4, 3 frees; Cathal Deely 0-3; Niall Hoctor 0-2; Ross Peters 0-2; Josh Ryan, Peter McGarry 1-2.

Subs: Eoghan Walsh for Tadhg Condon, Gearoid Buckley 1-0 for Josh Ryan, Darragh O’Connor for Sean Kennedy, Oisin Power for Niall Hoctor.

Referee: PJ Nolan.