Goals crucial for Kiladangan in league final win over Toomevara

North Tipperary Junior A Hurling League Final 2024

Kiladangan 2-11

Toomevara 1-10

By Liam Hogan 

Kiladangan’s bid to rejoin Intermediate status is on the right track based on their North Tipp Junior A Hurling league final win over Toomevara at Portroe last Friday evening.

Goals in each half determined that the better side won by four, a winning margin that could have been a lot greater but for the fact the winners shot fourteen wides including nine in the second half.

In a well-contested scrappy but sporting game there was one misdemeanor when Kiladangan had Darren Ryan red-carded very late in the game. It was a day when free takers dominated with Shane Gleeson scoring 0-9 including one from play and he had Shane Nolan in a chase with the Toome sharpshooter picking up five points, four frees, and a 65, and all of his scores coming in the second half.

Toomevara full forward Michael Brislane was Toomevara’s biggest threat, especially in the first half but his influence waned as the game developed as the Kiladangan defence got to grips with what Toomevara had to offer. 

Four of the six starting forwards by Toomevara had to be replaced by hours end with the Kiladangan defence well organised as Stephen Mulvihill, Martin Minehan and Gavin McGrath were a stumbling block in front of their reliable goalkeeper Ciaran Kelly. Further afield, Ronan Ducie and Darragh Ryan worked hard while wing-back Jack McGrath was the pick of the lot and just about edged it in terms of man of the match. 

Conor Byrne was not far away especially in his first-half performance while the Kiladangan front line never set the place on fire with John O’Meara showing his best except for a few misdirected shots at goal which increased the wide tally. 

Shane Gleeson tried hard from play and was unerring from placed balls. It wasn’t for the want of trying by Dan O’Meara, Conor Culhane, Eoghan Meagher and Aidan Ryan.

Except for the occasional lapse in concentration which saw Kiladangan pick up two goals the Toomevara backline of Ciaran Grace, Darragh Spillane and Cathal Frend defended their space well as did the half backline of Niall O’Farrell and Colm Canning where Cathal Kennedy worked tirelessly on both wing back positions. Shane Nolan, Michael Brislane and Tim Flaherty caught the eye up front.

Warm sunny conditions were ideal for a game of hurling and Kiladangan helped by the slight breeze made good ground in opening a four-point lead through three frees by Shane Gleeson with Darragh Butler posting a point from play.  

Michael Brislane had Toomevara’s opening score in the eighth minute and two minutes later he pounced on a short puckout by Ciaran Kelly before offloading for Tim Flaherty to score a goal. Both sides created chances but were shy of the goalposts before Kiladangan’s pressure created a goal for Conor Culhane in the 13th minute when he was at the end of a good move involving Eoghan Meagher and Dan O’Meara. 

A Shane Gleeson free followed by an Aidan Ryan score from play increased Kiladangan’s lead to five. Meanwhile, Shane Nolan had two frees just off target as Toome tried to keep in touch before Michael Brislane and Colm Canning’s 80-metre free left the Greyhounds three adrift at half-time. 

Toome continued the second half with quick scores to narrow the gap, first by Michael Brislane after 23 seconds followed by a Shane Nolan free a minute later. Both teams went forward in search of more scores but nothing happened until the 37th minute when a long range free by Shane Gleeson had Kiladangan two in front. 

A minute later Eoghan Meagher showed years of experience by slipping past the Toomevara cover, unmarked on the edge of the square before turning Conor Byrne’s well-struck line ball to the net. Kiladangan 2-7 Toomevara 1-5. 

Tim Flaherty provided Toome’s first point from play in the 40th minute only for Shane Gleeson to point free had Kiladangan five clear before Toome came within three of the leaders after two Shane Nolan scores, a 65 and a free with a quarter of an hour remaining it was all to play for but neither side could manage a score John O’Meara forced Toome keeper Cormac Hogan to come off his line in the 53rd minute. Toome were then penalised for a free which Gleeson converted. Toome replied with two Shane Nolan frees to leave two between the teams and four minutes on the clock. 

Kiladangan then lost Darren Ryan to a red card but Kiladangan held on with two Shane Gleeson frees to seal the win. 

Kiladangan: Ciaran Kelly; Stephen Mulvihill, Martin Minehan, Gavin McGrath; Darragh Ryan, Ronan Ducie, Jack McGrath; Darragh Butler (0-1), Conor Byrne; Dan O’Meara, Shane Gleeson (0-9, 0-8f), John O’Meara; Conor Culhane (1-0), Eoghan Meagher (1-0), Aidan Ryan. 

Subs used: Chullain McGrath for A Ryan (HT), Darren Ryan for Mulvihill (41, inj).

Toomevara:  Cormac Hogan; Ciaran Grace, Darragh Spillane, Cathal Frend; Cathal Kennedy, Colm Canning (0-1f), Niall O’Farrell; Cian Ryan, Jack  Doran; Colin Hall, Shane Nolan (0-5, 0-4f, 0-1 65), Robert Delaney; James Meagher, Michael Brislane (0-3), Tim Flaherty (1-1), 

Subs used: Conor Delaney for C Ryan (HT); Eoin Grace for Hall (HT); David Nolan for R Delaney (40); Conor O’Meara for Maher (46); David Young for Flaherty (50). 

Referee: Mark Gennery (Portroe)