Loughmore survive a stern test from Holycross in controversial ending

Controversy at the end of this epic clash between two well matched divisional rivals marred what had been an exciting game of hurling that ebbed and flowed from the off. 

Holycross Ballycahill trailed late on in the game but somewhere in the high scoring encounter an extra point had been added to Loughmores tally on the scoreboard that they hadn't actually got on the field of play. 

Trailing by what the players thought was two points, meant they went for goals late on and lobbed in a late '65 when in actual fact they were just one point behind at the time and so a tap over from the '65 would have secured a well deserved draw that would have set them up nicely for round 3.

Instead, believing they were two down, they went for a goal with the last few chances and the last '65 was batted clear ensuring Loughmore got the win after an absorbing encounter. 

Overall, the experience of the big stage told in the end and Holycross will have to bottle the hurt at full time and store it up for their next match because their destiny this year is still in their own hands. 

They were quick off the mark with midfielder Eoin Craddock firing over an early score. John McGrath pointed before a statement of intent from Cathal Barrett, who struck a rasper to the roof of the Loughmore net after a long ball to the danger area. 

Again John McGrath responded before Darragh Woods made it 1-2 to 0-2 as the crowd still trickled in.  Ben Hennessy struck a point before Woods and John McGrath traded frees leaving it 1-4 to 0-4 after 11 minutes. 

Then with a hint of the vision we have become used to, Noel McGrath set up younger brother John for a classy score by the sideline before the in form wing forward Cathal Barrett responded for Holycross.

The experience of Loughmore kept them foraging for possession and in the game at this stage despite how well Holycross were hurling. 

 John McGrath set up his cousin Liam for a point before Noel McGrath played a superb pass into the corner for Ciaran McCormack who pointed as well to leave it 1-5 to 0-7. 

Darragh Woods and John McGrath pointed frees for their respective sides before the impressive Joe Caesar got on a long clearance from goalkeeper Ewan Bourke and headed for goal. 

The Holycross full forward blasted to the net to leave it 2-7 to 0-9 before further points from play by Cathal Barrett and Darragh Woods.

Holycross hit top gear here and another goal looked on just before Cathal Barrett - who had a serious game in the half forward line - blazed over the bar. 

The third goal followed shortly after when Darragh Woods fired low to the left of Micheal McGrath in the Loughmore goals after a Shane Ryan flick on.

That made it 3-9 to 0-11 but in the next play Loughmore struck back with a goal from Ed Connolly after Holycross defenders missed an opportunity to clear. 

It gave the experienced Loughmore a lifeline and struck some doubt into the young Holycross side that were putting themselves under pressure as they were just taking a split second too long to rise and clear the ball. 

Stern words from Frankie McGrath and Mick Dempsey at half time or a new tactical plan, or a bit of both, ensured Loughmore were laser sharp on the restart. 

John McGrath, Philip O'Connell, Ed Connolly and Liam McGrath all struck points with just a Cathal Barrett effort in replay. 

It was starting to slip away from Holycross as clever movement of the ball by Loughmore allowed the experienced team some breathing room on the field.

Holycross struggled to adjust to the opponents new game plan as the space they enjoyed in the first half was, all of a sudden, hard to find. 

Midway though the second half Joe Caesar bucked the trend with a good score for the underdogs leaving it Loughmore 1-19 Holycross 3-12. Then Cathal Barrett won a free that Woods converted to level it up. 

The problem now for Holycross was that every time they scored Loughmore struck on the puckout. Joe Caesar hit another good point but Holycross conceded possession from the puckout and John McGrath pointed in response.

 It went on like this but the efficiency of converting possession into scores by Loughmore paid off as they didn't wilt under considerable Holycross pressure.

 Two important late points by the veteran substitute Ciaran McGrath proved invaluable and raised the decibel level of supporters.

 In the referees book it was just a one point lead for Loughmore but on the scoreboard they had a two point lead. 

This led to Holycross lobbing in a late '65 rather than taking a point from the shot. A score then would have meant they got a draw from the game which would have set them up nicely going into round three.

 It is easy to see how mistakes happen with sixty plus scores in a sixty minute game but one hopes it doesn't cost them in the group.

Overall in this game Holycross matched Loughmore in terms of skill, game plan and effort bar a period just after half time that tactically Loughmore got right.

 It was here they hit a series of points to overturn a three point halftime deficit and by the 23rd minute of the second half it was the experienced Loughmore team that were three points up. 

 Holycross started without Luke O'Mara who picked up a hand injury in the previous round and they missed his influence but to their credit they hung in there until the last puck of the ball. 

They are a talented side and if they can produce a performance like this consistently, and speed up their play a fraction, they will be challenging for titles before long. 

Job done for Loughmore who will contend again for the title, but again they coughed up three goals and will have plenty to work on as the championship progresses. 

Afterwards Loughmore Castleiney selector Declan Laffan said: "We got over the line in the end. Just about. Probably fortunate enough to scrape that and I suppose we wouldn't be happy with the first half as we gave away a couple of soft goals but we recovered well at the start of the second half and that gave us the platform to go ahead and get the win." 

LOUGHMORE CASTLEINEY:

Micheal McGrath; Lorcan Egan, Willie Eviston, Darragh McCahey; John Ryan, Brian McGrath, Tommy Maher; Ed Meagher, Tomas McGrath; Ed Connolly, Liam McGrath, Noel McGrath; Philip O'Connell, John McGrath, Ciaran McCormack. SUBS: Ciaran McGrath for Philip O'Connell,  Liam Treacy for Ed Connolly. 

HOLYCROSS BALLYCAHILL: Ewan Bourke; Conor Ryan, Jimmy Ryan, Mickey Jo Doyle; Jim Ryan, Bryan O'Mara, Eoin Craddock; Shane Ryan, Jamie Woods; Cathal Barrett, Gavin Dunne, Ben Hennessy; Darragh Woods, Joe Caesar, Aidan Stakelum. SUBS: Jack Ryan for Darragh Woods, Jimmie Lahart for Jamie Woods, Tadhg Gould for Ben Hennessy.