Loughmore Castleiney bow out as clinical Nemo Rangers pull clear in second half

Munster Club Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Loughmore Castleiney 1-8

Nemo Rangers 0-19

Loughmore Castleiney couldn’t make the most of their goal chances as a highly efficient Nemo Rangers side pulled away from them in the second half of this Munster quarter-final.

The first half was played on the Tipperary champions’ terms, but they missed two goal opportunities, were bottled up for a couple more, and were denied two penalty appeals as they went into half-time level, 1-3 to 0-6.

Nemo exhibited greater scoring quality to burn off Loughmore with eight successive points between the 40th and 50th minutes. They put just three shots wide in total, converting 80% of their efforts against Loughmore’s 38%.

Nemo have lost just five of their 60 Munster Championship outings, and they put their most recent defeat in the 2022 quarter-final against Clonmel Commercials to bed on their provincial return.

Loughmore didn’t score for over 18 minutes, but thanks to their midfield supremacy, they did have chances. They showed a willingness to kick in direct ball as Ed Connolly whacked an early goal chance wide, while Briaín Murphy and Luke Horgan snagged important turnovers.

At the other end, top scorer Mark Cronin won and pointed a free, Kevin O’Donovan handpassed over, and when Tommy Maher was sanctioned for stepping inside when kicking a sideline ball, Conor Horgan jinked forward to score.

Yet Loughmore had bypassed Nemo by the 24th minute. Liam McGrath had a goal chance saved by Micheál Aodh Martin, but John McGrath made sure from the rebound, picking his spot in the roof of the net. Noel McGrath then pumped over a huge two-pointer for a 1-3 to 0-4 lead.

With their tails up, Loughmore had a couple of penalty shouts waved away. Ed Connolly was brought to ground by Stephen Cronin in a move that ended with Philip O’Connell hitting the butt of the post. Liam McGrath then claimed he was impeded by Martin when going past the keeper.

Nemo saw out the half with Ronan Dalton and Mark Cronin’s second points to go in level.

Their full-back line poured forward after the break, with Kieran Histon pointing before Colin Molloy and Mark Hill teed up Ross Corkery to score.

The high-fielding Ciarán Connolly got a deserved point before Nemo, getting a grip around midfield, reeled off eight on the trot. Cronin accounted for six of those, swinging over two-pointers from play and a free for 0-16 to 1-4.

With the game up, Liam McGrath took his tally to three frees as Corkery tacked on a late brace. In the last act, John McGrath booted a consolation two-point free for Loughmore.

Scorers: Loughmore Castleiney: John McGrath (1-2, 1x2pt), Liam McGrath 0-3f, Noel McGrath (0-2, 1x2pt), Ciarán Connolly 0-1.

Nemo Rangers: Mark Cronin (0-9, 1x2pt, 1x2ptf, 0-3f), Ross Corkery 0-3, Kevin O’Donovan, Ronan Dalton, Conor Horgan 0-2 each, Kieran Histon 0-1.

Loughmore Castleiney: Shane Hennessy; Tomás McGrath, John Ryan, Lorcan Egan; Tommy Maher, Eoin O’Connell, Daragh McCahey; Noel McGrath, Brian McGrath; Ed Connolly, John McGrath, Ciarán Connolly; Liam McGrath, Philip O’Connell, Liam Treacy.

Subs used: Joey Quinn for P O’Connell (39), Aidan McGrath for Treacy (51), Paul McCahey for T McGrath (57), Mikey Ryan for Maher (59), Willie Eviston for Egan (60).

Nemo Rangers: Micheál Aodh Martin; Colin Molloy, Mark Hill, Kieran Histon; Kevin O’Donovan, Stephen Cronin, Jack Horgan; Alan O’Donovan, Briaín Murphy; Mark Cronin, Luke Horgan, Conor Shalloe; Ross Corkery, Ronan Dalton, Conor Horgan.

Subs used: Bryan Hayes for Shalloe (41), Conor Moore for J Horgan (43), Neville O’Shea for K O’Donovan (63), Eoin Nation for Hill (64).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare)