Killenaule finish stronger to advance to senior hurling final in south Tipperary

Killenaule 1-23 St Mary's 1-18

After the sides were level on nine occasions, Killenaule put in the stronger finish and scored the last five points without reply to edge out St Mary’s in a keenly-contested Clonmel Oil South Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship semi-final at Páirc na nEalaí, Carrick-on-Suir on Sunday evening.

The Killenaule win sets up a repeat of last year’s decider against Carrick Swan, who proved too strong for Mullinahone 24 hours earlier, and who will be bidding to retain their title in next Saturday evening’s final in Clonmel (6.30).

There was very little between the sides for over fifty minutes, with the scores level at 0-3 each, 0-4 each, 0-5 each, 0-6 and 0-7 each in the first half. Three points in a row for the Slieveardagh side put them 0-10 to 0-7 ahead and they were still two ahead, 0-11 to 0-9, when St Mary’s struck for the first goal in the 26th minute, and to lead for only the second time, with a low strike from Richie Gunne that beat Killenaule goalkeeper John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer into the bottom right corner of the net.

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When St Mary’s added the next point, a superb strike from Tipperary player Peter McGarry, the momentum was very much with the Clonmel side.

However, in a game of fine margins any mistake would prove costly. The first came in the 30th minute when a long delivery caused confusion in the St Mary’s defence, with neither defenders nor ‘keeper Enda Dunphy managing to clear, and the alert Michael Doyle shot home to an empty net for a very soft goal. When Luke Ryan pointed a free a minute later, it put Killenaule two points ahead at the break, 1-12 to 1-10, and the pendulum had swung in their favour again.

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There was another significant moment five minutes from time when a Luke Ryan free had edged The Robins one point ahead, 1-19 to 1-18. A foul on Sammy Ryan saw goalie Enda Dunphy step up to take the free for the leveller but it tailed wide. Then minutes later his counterpart ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer pointed another of his monster frees to extend the lead.

It was all one-way traffic then in those closing minutes, with ‘Bubbles’ pointing another free and Luke Ryan pointing two more to bring his total to eight from placed balls. O’Dwyer’s contribution was immense, not only pointing four frees from deep in his own half, but his first of five scores was from play, moving out from goal to receive a pass and splitting the uprights from distance – similar to Rhys Shelly a week earlier in Croke Park.

Killenaule were missing Jimmy Feehan, who is out for the season following ankle surgery, but brother Paudie was one of their best players, scoring four points from play, with Mark Stakelum and Luke Ryan also dominant in the attack. Team captain Ciaran O’Dwyer led by example from midfield, with Killian O’Dwyer, Tommy Keaveney and Tom Stakelum strong at the back.

St Mary’s welcomed back Seamus Kennedy and Peter McGarry following their All-Ireland winning run with Tipperary, while there was also a welcome return from injury for James Morris, who came on as a second half substitute. McGarry, Ruairí Leahy and Richie Gunne were a threat upfront with Sammy Ryan, Ross Slattery and Josh Ryan all making big contributions.

Killenaule led 0-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes through Eoin O’Connell, ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer and Mark Stakelum following a trademark run through the centre, with a long-range Enda Dunphy free the St Mary’s reply.

By the 12th minute the Clonmel side were level with points from Sammy Ryan and Niall Hoctor.

In tit-for-tat scoring it was level at 0-7 each by the 20th minute with Tommy Keaveney, Paudie Feehan, Podge O’Dwyer and ‘Bubbles’ from a free on target for Killenaule, and Sean Kennedy, Leahy from a free and a 65, and Dunphy from a free replying for St Mary’s.

But then Killenaule opened the biggest gap to date with three points without reply from Ciaran O’Dwyer, Paudie Feehan, from a Jack Hassett pass, and another ‘Bubbles’ free.

However, St Mary’s hit back strongly, with a brilliant move from defence finished by Leahy, who then added another point from a free following a foul on Sean Kennedy.

They were ready to start another attack following a brilliant catch from Ross Slattery, but he was then penalised for charging with the ball and Luke Ryan pointed the Killenaule free.

However, the Clonmel side maintained their momentum, and in their best spell of the game had a great goal from Richie Gunne, followed by the McGarry point. They will regret the lapse in concentration that then saw them concede 1-1 and go in two points down at the break.

But again, there was very little to separate the sides in the early stages of the second half. Josh Ryan, after a good move again from defence, and Leahy from a free, had the Clonmel side level within three minutes.

Killenaule went three ahead in the space of two minutes through two Ryan frees and a great point from Feehan.
A St Mary’s reply from Sean Kennedy from a pinpoint McGarry pass was followed by another superb score from Feehan. It was then St Mary’s’ turn to hit three on the trot from Josh Ryan, a Dunphy free, and Conor Deely to leave it 1-16 each midway through the half.

It was level again at 1-18 each as there was nothing to separate the sides – Luke Ryan from a free and Dara Fitzgerald for Killenaule, and Deely and a Leahy free, following a foul on Seamus Kennedy, for St Mary’s.

However, Killenaule stepped up a gear in the closing stages, with five points without reply to finally kill off the St Mary’s challenge and put them through to their third final in a row against Carrick Swan.

Killenaule: John O’Dwyer 0-5, 4f; Shane Ryan, Killian O’Dwyer, Jack Hassett, Tommy Keaveney 0-1; Tom Stakelum, Podge O’Dwyer 0-1; Ciaran O’Dwyer 0-1; Eoin O’Connell 0-1; Michael Doyle 1-0; Mark Stakelum 0-1; Dean O’Connor, Paudie Feehan 0-4; Luke Ryan 0-8f; Dara Fitzgerald 0-1.

Subs: Tony Ryan for Michael Doyle, Fionn Fitzgerald for Dara Fitzgerald.

St Mary’s: Enda Dunphy 0-3f; Tadhg Condon, Liam Ryan, Ross Slattery, Josh Ryan 0-2; Tadhg Sheehan, Sammy Ryan 0-1; Conor Deely 0-2; Darragh O’Connor, Seamus Kennedy, Peter McGarry 0-1; Sean Kennedy 0-2; Niall Hoctor 0-1; Richie Gunne 1-0; Ruairí Leahy 0-6, 4f, 1 ‘65.

Subs: James Morris for Liam Ryan, Aaron Cagney for Niall Hoctor, Joe Higgins for Richie Gunne.

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Newcastle).