Tipperary champions Kiladangan pipped at the conclusion of epic Munster semi-final

Clonlara 0-23; Kiladangan 1-19

Down two players for the last seventeen minutes, Kiladangan’s mighty effort to secure a place in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship final came up agonisingly short at FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday, a misdirected pass in the 65th minute presenting Clonlara with the opportunity to shoot the winning point at the end of an epic contest.

It was heartbreaking for the Tipperary champions, who had defied all the odds to come from a point behind when Sean Hayes was red-carded in the 48th minute, joining his team mate Dan O'Meara who was red-carded after 36 minutes, to get themselves into a winning position as the game went into injury time.

The extra men counted in time added on as Clonlara hit three points in that spell, the last and winning score in the 65th minute, when it looked as though Kiladangan had done enough to pull off what would have been a memorable win.

It was frustrating for Kiladangan to receive two red cards. Sean Hayes’ looked a bit harsh but the Dan O'Meara red for a retaliatory swing could not be disputed. While it was a somewhat feisty contest, it was no more than one would expect in a Munster semi-final but, unfortunately for Kiladangan, they were on the receiving end of two match-deciding decisions.

This was Kiladangan’s first venture into the Munster Senior Club Championship, as their initial Tipperary title three years back fell foul of the Covid lockdown. They had, however, won Munster and All-Ireland intermediate honours in 2004 and hopes were high as they set out on a campaign hoping to emulate the achievements of the other Tipp clubs that annexed Munster honours – Roscrea, Cashel, Borris-Ileigh, Kilruane MacDonaghs, Moycarkey-Borris, Toomevara, Carrick Davins and Thurles Sarsfields, who they beat in this year’s county final after a replay.

That optimism looked fully justified as they reached halfway just two points behind, having played into the fresh breeze in a lively first half. Though Billy Seymour had the first score of the game after twenty seconds, Clonlara made the early running and had moved 0-6 to 0-2 clear after 13 minutes. Kiladangan got a great boost a minute later when, from Billy Seymour’s line ball, Andy Loughnane set up Dan O'Meara for a goal.

That goal sparked a productive Kiladangan spell with Seymour (3), Tadhg Gallagher and Declan McGrath all finding the range  to push the Tipp champions clear by 1-7 to 0-8. Clonlara were not wilting, however, and from the 25th minute to the break they outpointed Kiladangan five to one for an interval lead of 0-13 to 1-8.

It was advantage Kiladangan at the break with the elements to assist them in the second half, and within two minutes of resuming they were level thanks to scores from Sean Hayes and Billy Seymour. There was a very definite sting in the exchanges now and after Clonlara free-taker Michael O'Loughlin put his side ahead again, Kiladangan suffered a serious blow when Dan O'Meara was red-carded for retaliation in the 36th minute. The setback did not unduly upset the Kiladangan boys, who shared four points with their rivals over the next nine minutes. 

Trailing 1-12 to 0-16, Kiladangan were down to 13 players in the 48th minute when Sean Hayes got his marching orders for a foul on Clonlara’s Paraic O'Loughlin. And to rub salt into the wound Clonlara hit two points to open a 0-18 to 1-12 lead.

The Tipp champions were in serious trouble but they rose magnificently to the challenge. Playing their best hurling of the entire campaign, they outscored Clonlara six points to one from the 53rd to the 59th minutes to forge ahead 1-19 to 0-20 and it looked as though they had pulled off the impossible.

Sadly it was not to be. Clonlara mustered a final rally. Sub Moriarty had two injury time points to level in the 64th minute and then, as extra time seemed inevitable, a misdirected Kiladangan pass fell to Clonlara’s Diarmuid Stritch, who swept over  the winning point to the dismay of the Kiladangan supporters.

The result was hard to take for Kiladangan players, supporters and management but the squad had done the club and parish proud with a superb effort. Of course, they will have regrets but they have the consolation of a Tipperary title, their second, for their year’s work and they will be more determined than ever next year to take their journey to another level.

This is an experienced Kiladangan side but there is lots of hurling still left in them and right now they are the team to beat in Tipperary, though there will be no shortage of challengers next year.

In many ways this was their best display of the year with Declan McGrath, Joe Gallagher, Billy Seymour, Fergal Hayes and James Quigley all playing key roles. The loss of Bryan McLoughney to injury after just 12 minutes did not help their cause and typified a day when too many things went wrong for them.

Clonlara are  also seeking their first Munster title and with stalwarts of the calibre of John Conlon, Paraic McLoughlin, Michael Clancy, Aidan Moriarty and sharp-shooter Michael McLoughlin, they will make a bold bid for glory when pitted against Waterford’s Ballygunner in the final.

Clonlara: Séimí Gully; Michael Clancy (0-1), Ger Powell, Logan Ryan; David Fitzgerald, Dylan McMahon, Paraic O'Loughlin (0-1); Aidan Moriarty, Jathan McMahon; Colm O'Meara (0-2), John Conlon (0-4), Colm Galvin (0-1); Diarmuid Stritch (0-1), Ian Galvin (0-1), Michael O'Loughlin (0-9, 7 frees).

Subs: Cian Moriarty (0-3) for J McMahon (42 mins); Michael Stritch for C Galvin (50 mins); Daniel Moloney for O' Meara (56 mins).

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; Willie Connors, James Quigley, Fergal Hayes; David Sweeney, Joe Gallagher, Declan McGrath(0-3); Tadhg Gallagher (0-1), Alan Flynn (0-1); Dan O'Meara (1-0), Billy Seymour (0-11, 7 frees), Paul Flynn (0-1); Bryan McLoughney (0-1), Sean Hayes (0-1), Andy Loughnane.

Subs: Eoghan Sharkey for McLoughney (12 mins), Conor Byrne for Sharkey (47 mins), Darren Moran for McGrath (63 mins).

Referee: Ciaran O'Regan, Cork.