LONG READ: There's life in the old dog yet as Tipperary champions Loughmore march on

A Loughmore/Nenagh final then awaits following semis of mixed texture. The Mid side put the squeeze on Holycross’ young guns, while the northerners had too much flash and flair for an outgunned Drom. The final will be a repeat of 2013 when Eire Og lost out by a point.

As anticipated, the Loughmore/Holycross game produced the more gripping entertainment of the weekend. It was a clash of the generations, the proven winners versus the wannabes, the youngsters against the oldsters.

Stephen Barry, an excellent match reporter, noted the age difference in Monday’s Irish Examiner. Holycross featured ten of last year’s winning Under 21 side while Loughmore started nine over 30s. It was a case of the old dogs taming the young pups.

In a sense it was a condensed game, where free expression was limited and exchanges were tight. Holycross needed more free-flow but this was played on Loughmore’s terms. The reigning double champions know how to grind out wins; Holycross are still learning.

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It wasn’t a classic then but it was fascinating nonetheless. To be begin with you had that intriguing match-up between Cathal Barrett and John McGrath. Early signs favoured McGrath. One great aerial catch by the Loughmore man was ruined by the loss of his hurley in the collision. Without stick, he overstepped before attempting a kicked goal. Wouldn’t a toe-to-hand, football style, have kept him within the rules?

Still, the full forward shaded the head-to-head in the first half before Barrett assumed total dominance in the second period. It’s rare, indeed, for John McGrath to finish a game scoreless from open play.

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I guess it wasn’t a day for forwards anyway. Loughmore only managed three points from play in the first half, a figure matched by Holycross in the second spell. In modern hurling that’s stingy.

Critically, though, Loughmore found the only goal of the match, which became the critical score of the contest. It came from an unusual route: Ciaran McCormack’s lofted sideline cut from way out the country sailed all the way through a crowded goalmouth to the net. The goalie might have been wiser to stay on his line. These are the marginal calls that often decide games.

That score came after just four minutes and it came at the wrong end for us neutrals. Holycross needed such a boost but instead it gave Loughmore an early edge that was going to be difficult to wrestle from their grasp. In previous games they’ve tended to get ahead early and then play out games where the opponent is left chasing.

Holycross did well for the remainder of the first half. Liam Doyle landed two inspiring scores from half back and when Robbie Ryan hit his first point after 25 minutes the sides were level.

Crucially, however, Noel McGrath then popped up with two trademark strikes to give his side an interval edge of the same amount.

It was in the second half where battle-hardened Loughmore did enough to outlast their opponents. Their defence was outstanding, from Lorcan Egan and Willie Eviston on the full line to Brian McGrath at number six. Robbie Ryan alone had the necessary dash to take on this unit but with so many of his colleagues subdued it wasn’t enough.

The Holycross defence couldn’t be faulted for the failure but with Noel McGrath doing what he routinely does at midfield it was enough to tilt the balance. An injury to Jim Ryan certainly didn’t help Holycross’ cause; neither did eight second half wides.
So, Loughmore march on and Holycross will have to soak up the lessons and return next year, older and wiser.

The second semi-final was a major disappointment. The heroics of their high-scoring win over Moycarkey in the quarter-final became a distant memory for Drom/Inch as Nenagh Eire Og strolled to a first county final appearance since losing to Clonoulty in 2018.

Barring a major turnaround, the outcome was signposted at half-time when Nenagh led by seven. From defence to attack Eire Og had Drom’s measure. The statistics best sum it up: the Drom attack failed to score from play in that spell – heck, they didn’t even register a wide! Centre back, Podge Campion, hit their only flag from play; Seamie Callanan landed three frees and a ‘65.

By contrast Nenagh were buzzing all round the place. Ben West started in place of the injured Mikey Heffernan and he shot three first half points. Sam O’Farrell took over free-taking and landed five placed balls, as well as one from play. Nenagh’s hurling was crisper, pacier and more assured in every aspect.

At half-time there was still a hope that Drom might rebound. After all they had shown significant fightback in previous games. Not this time, however. Instead, Nenagh retained control and then the game was sealed with their goal.

It was worthy of its role as a match-clincher. Jake Morris, well shackled up to now by Fintan Purcell, planted a perfect diagonal ball into Ben West in the right corner forward position. Not happy with a point, West then barged past the defence before one-handed slamming home the clinching score.

The rest was time-playing. Johnny Ryan brought some drive to the Drom attack on his introduction and they pushed for goals late on.

A Callanan free was saved by the defence, though Paudie Kinnane did find the rigging near the end. It was no consolation for a well beaten side.

Ben West was the individual hero for Nenagh. As well as the goal he rattled the crossbar in the first half and finished with 1-3 to his account.

Jake Morris played a lesser role, scoring 0-2 in the second half. Sam O’Farrell was a significant contributor in general play, as well as the frees.

Barry Heffernan too was commanding at half back on a day when they found progress easy. Ultimately it was an eight-point hammering for Drom. Loughmore won’t be so accommodating in the final.

Elsewhere, in the Premier Intermediate grade Swan and Upperchurch march on to a novel decider.

Goals by Aaron Dunne either side of half-time scuppered Boherlahan’s chances of making the final. Approaching the interval the South side hit an unanswered 1-3 to go in four-up. On resuming, Dunne’s second major stretched the lead out to seven and thereafter Boherlahan were chasing the game

To their credit they kept the chase going to the end, hitting the last four points of the match to create some late unease for the southerners.

However, it was too little, too late as Swans had done enough to deservedly progress to the final.

Physically stronger and full of running, Swans won from the front. Aaron Dunne’s 2-2 was crucial in an attack where Stefan Tobin (0-3), Taylor Fleming (0-2) and Calum Lanigan (0-9, 0-3 from play) were also impressive contributors.

Gavin O’Halloran played an effective controlling role around midfield and the defence conceded little, with Scott Hogan coming to terms with the Brian Og O’Dwyer threat in the first half.

Boherlahan will be disappointed - but not too much. In their second year in the grade, this was significant progress. Brian Og O’Dwyer enjoyed a great spell in the first half when one effort flashed just over the bar. A goal there would indeed have been major. Thereafter they didn’t threaten goals and Swans simply had the greater firepower to see them through.

The second semi-final was in incredibly tight affair. The teams were level on thirteen occasions over the course of the hour in a game that looked destined for extra time.

In the end Upperchurch finished stronger, coming from two-down. Paddy Phelan was the individual hero, not just for the winner at the climax but for his six-point contribution over the course of the game.

Elsewhere, in the intermediate grade Kickhams had too much for Borrisokane and Golden saw off Cappawhite. That final will stir much local interest.