Drom/Inch bounce back from opening day defeat in Tipperary senior football championship

Drom/Inch 1-11 Kilsheelan/Kilcash 1-10

Kilsheelan/Kilcash lost their second game in a row by a single point when losing to a resurgent Drom/Inch in the County Senior Football Championship Group 1, Round 2 clash at Leahy Park, Cashel on Saturday evening.

However, unlike their first-round defeat to Clonmel Commercials, when they pushed the county champions all the way, they never hit top form against Drom/Inch, who bounced back from their first-round loss to Éire Óg Annacarty/Donohill.

A youthful Kilsheelan/Kilcash failed to match the guile and experience of the mid Tipp side, who dominated possession in the second half and who would have won by more were it not for some wasteful shooting, as well as three points in the space of two minutes from Kilsheelan’s outstanding player, Jamie Roche.

Roche kicked eight of his side’s points, with Emmet Butler and Tommy O’Connor scoring a point each and team captain Daire Brennan hitting a first half goal.

Drom/Inch had a better spread, with eight players on the scoreboard, including Jamie Moloney with three from play and influential captain David Butler, whose two points from play included the winning score.

Also central to Drom’s success was the presence of three times All-Ireland hurling medal winner Seamus Callanan at the heart of the defence. Callanan made one mistake, when a misplaced pass led to a Kilsheelan point, but overall he was as steady as the nearby Rock of Cashel, and was instrumental in starting many of Drom’s dangerous attacks with clever distribution.

The sides were level four times in a first half that was highly competitive, unlike the other Group 1 clash between Clonmel Commercials and Éire Óg that preceded it. Kilsheelan/Kilcash led twice with two Jamie Roche points, one from a free, with Drom replying each time through Jamie Bergin and Jamie Moloney, who fisted over.

Kisheelan got a huge boost in the 12th minute when team captain Daire Brennan made his way up from defence to shoot to the net past Shane Hassett, with a diving save from the Drom ‘keeper just failing to keep it out.

When they added a point two minutes later from Emmet Butler, following Seamie Callanan’s wayward pass, the momentum was with Kilsheelan.

But it didn’t last long. Robbie Long hit a great point for Drom and after Kilsheelan had kicked two wides, Drom levelled the score again at 1-3 each with a stunning goal from Stevie Nolan into the top corner of Kian Quinn’s goal.

Drom then went two points clear with scores from Fintan Purcell, following a brilliant piece of fielding from Jack Lillis; and David Butler, who picked up a poor Kilsheelan kickout.

Kilsheelan levelled again in the space of two minutes through Tommy O’Connor and a Jamie Roche free, and when Drom led again from a Jamie Moloney point, it was a Jamie Roche free that made it all square at the break, 1-6 each.

Kilsheelan brought on Paul Maher for Billy Murphy for the second half but the third quarter was all one-way traffic towards the south side’s goal. David Butler from a free opened the second half scoring to give Drom the lead, with Jamie Roche from a free levelling three minutes later.

But Drom now realised they had the winning of the game and hit three points without reply to lead 1-10 to 1-7 midway through the half.

Substitute Mikey Connors hit the first after just coming on; Jamie Moloney hit his third of the game and David Collins made it three in a row. Drom might have had another goal but substitute Podge Campion shot wide after a flowing move started by Seamus Callanan.

Kilsheelan needed a response and they got it from the brilliant Jamie Roche, who single-handedly brought them back into contention.

Two outstanding points from play and one from a free levelled the tie again, somewhat against the run of play.

But Drom had the final word, with team captain David Butler leading by example by kicking the winning score with four minutes left on the clock.

Kilsheelan’s last chance of an equaliser fell to Micheál Freaney but his shot dropped short into the ‘keeper’s hands.
The result leaves Kilsheelan/Kilcash languishing at the foot of the table, pointless after two rounds, and they need a result against Éire Óg in their final game as a relegation battle looms.

Drom/Inch: Shane Hassett, Michael Purcell, Fintan Purcell 0-1; Jamie Bergin 0-1; Kevin Hassett, Seamus Callanan, Robbie Long 0-1; John Ryan, Jamie Moloney 0-3; Liam Ryan, Paul Mullen, Stevie Nolan 1-0; Jack Lillis, David Butler 0-3, 1 free; David Collins 0-1.

Subs: Podge Campion for John Ryan, Mikey Connors 0-1 for Jamie Bergin, Paul Bergin for Fintan Purcell, Michael Campion for Paul Mullen.

Kilsheelan/Kilcash: Kian Quinn, Ruairi Kelly, Daire Brennan 1-0; Jason Madigan, Emmet Butler 0-1; Mark Stokes, Billy O’Connor, Mark Kehoe, Billy Murphy, Micheál Freaney, Jamie Roche 0-8, 5 frees; Tommy O’Connor 0-1; Senan Butler, Barry Kehoe, Sean Martin.

Subs: Paul Maher for Billy Murphy, Eoin Kehoe for Ruairi Kelly, Cathal Kelly for Sean Martin.

Referee: Seanie Peters (Aherlow).