Darragh Woods superb as Holycross send Mullinahone into relegation play-offs

FBD Insurance Tipperary County Hurling Championship Group 3 Round 3

HOLYCROSS/BALLYCAHILL 1-26 MULLINAHONE 0-16

In the battle to extricate themselves from the relegation play-offs, Holycross/Ballycahill emerged comprehensive victors over Mullinahone in Group 3 of the FBD Insurance County Championship at Littleton on Saturday afternoon.

The Mid side’s facile 13-points victory guarantees retention of their place in the Dan Breen Cup for next year, but for the CJ Kickhams, they now face anxious times ahead if they are to remain the South division’s only representatives at the top table of Tipperary club hurling. On this latest performance they will have to improve significantly if they are to salvage something from a disappointing year to date.

With backs-to-the-wall and needing a victory to avoid the relegation play-offs, Holycross got off to a dream start with David Fogarty blasting to the net after only 12 seconds. And they took full advantage of that tonic start to make every post a winning one, six points up at the first quarter and out the gap with a huge 12 points advantage at half-time.

The second half was a more even affair, Mullinahone at one stage, early in the second period, rattled off four points from play without reply to reduce the deficit to its narrowest at nine points. But Holycross held all the aces, none more so than Darragh Woods who chipped in with an excellent performance which yielded 12 points over the hour.

A feature Woods’ display were three excellent points from sideline cuts either side of half-time, all from the 40-50 metres range, the other scores included three from play and six placed balls converted.

By the end of the first quarter the signs were ominous for Mullinahone who trailed 1-6 to 0-3, with their three scores coming from frees.

After the early goal, Holycross followed up with points from Jack Dwan and David Fogarty all inside the opening four minutes with Mullinahone replying via two Jack Shelly frees.

Darragh Woods had his first point from a 65 nullified by another Shelly free to leave Holycross ahead by 1-3 to 0-3 after 11 minutes. Three further unanswered points for the Gary Byrne-managed Midmen, from Luke O’Mara, Darragh Woods (F) and Jack Dwan left them comfortably six up after 15 minutes.

Sixteen minutes in, Mullinahone finally had a point from play with Sean Curran scoring from halfway. However, with Bryan O’Mara commanding at centre-back for Holycross they hit a purple patch of seven points without reply to have the game well under control before the short whistle.

A fiercely determined Holycross were closing down on Mullinahone with an unmatched intensity and that constant pressure helped provide the springboard for their scores. David Fogarty, Joe Caesar (2), Shane Ryan, Darragh Woods (2, one free), Bryan O’Meara all pointed. Indeed the accurate forward division were in top form with just three wides over the opening half hour.

Sean Curran eventually stemmed that 10-minute dominance with a Mullinahone reply, but further scores from Darragh Woods and Paraic Russell stretched the gap to 12 points  at the break, with Eoin Kelly, who had come on for the injured Eoin Fennelly, pointing a 65 for Mullinahone just before the interval.

Briefly in the early stages of the second half there was a bounce from the South representatives. After Jack Dwan had opened the scoring for Holycross, Jack Shelly, Sean Curran, Martin Kehoe and Eoin Kelly had four in a row to make it 1-16 to 0-10 nine minutes after the resumption. It was as good as it would get though for the CJK and Holycross steadied up again to close out the comfortable win.

Having sliced two first half sliotars over from the sideline, Darragh Woods did it again in the 41st minute, before Conor Whelan replied with a long range effort for CJK.

Another free from Darragh Woods and a fine point from 65 metres from David Fogarty, preceded a similar long range effort from veteran Eoin Kelly. At the three-quarter mark it was 1-19 to 0-12 for the Suirsiders.

Down the stretch with the game long decided it was pretty much point for point, with Holycross in particular hitting some super points from Darragh Woods (5, one free) and Joe Caesar (2). In response, on a very disappointing day for the Mullinahone side, they had late scores from Eoin Kelly (2, one free), Martin Kehoe and Conor Whelan.

Holycross were deserving victors and relieved to have their season concluded now with senior status secured. Mullinahone are not there yet, by a long shot.

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