Brave Kilcormac-Killoughey end memorable season with their boots on

THE curtain came down on a memorable season for Kilcormac-Killoughey when Kilkenny kingpins, O'Loughlin Gaels proved a fraction too strong in an engrossing Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final in O'Connor Park on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final

O'Loughlin Gaels 0-17

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-12

Over the 68 plus minutes that was played, O'Loughlin Gaels were the better side and are well worth their place in the final next Saturday. They laid the foundation for victory with a dominant and powerful first half display, leading by 0-10 to 0-3 at half time and Kilcormac-Killoughey were lucky to be in with even an outside chance.

They had the wind to come in the second half but O'Loughlin Gaels had been so superior in most facets of play after a fiercely fought opening ten minutes that it was impossible to make any case for a come from behind win.

Yet K-K did superbly well to get back into the game in the second half and it is a sign of how well they battled that O'Loughlin Gaels were flattered by their five point winning margin and were quite relieved to hear the final whiste.

With the sixty minutes just up, K-K were only two points behind and there was still only a score in it, three points with 64 minutes gone. While they never threatened to get the goal that they needed to stay alive, O'Loughlin Gaels' lead was a fragile one and it would not have taken a lot for K-K to have snatched it.

Kilcormac-Killoughey deserve great credit for the way they battled and got back into it in the second half. They very much died with their boots on and as their young emerging talent get more experienced in the coming years, they may be able to dream of provincial, and perhaps All-Ireland glory.

Ultimately K-K paid the price for the way they played in the twenty minutes or so coming up to half time. They were out ran and out muscled in this period, just couldn't get their hands on the ball and a seven point half time deficit meant that O'Loughlin Gaels just needed to keep the score board ticking over to advance.

They were outscored by 0-9 to 0-7 in the second half but three of those came in injury time when K-K were gone into the red and pushing men forward in a bid to salvage the game.

The Offaly side had attacked the game with great relish from the start of the second half. They got three quick fire points to get back into it and six of the opening seven points meant that it was a two point game, 0-11 to 0-9 after 43 minutes.

O'Loughlin Gaels' ability to respond when serious questions were asked won the day for them. They got the next two points through Jordan Molloy and Sean Bolger. K-K got three of the next four, the only one from play a tap over by Charlie Mitchell, to bring the gap back to two points with 59 minutes gone.

Anything was possible at this stage but O'Loughlin Gaels found another gear in injury time. Mark Bergin (two, one free) and Conor Heary got late points to get them across the line but they had to fight way harder for it than most spectators, including the K-K ones, anticipated at the break.

The writing was very much on the wall for Kilcormac-Killoughey when they trailed by 0-10 to 0-3 at half time. Even though they had the wind to come, O'Loughlin Gaels had been so much better that it did look to be all over.

In fact, the visitors could have been further ahead as they missed a few late chances that would really have put the game to bed.

As expected, Kilcormac-Killoughey had started like men possessed, bringing a huge work rate to the table and closing down O'Loughlin Gaels very quickly. It didn't last, however, and once the dust settled after that initial bedding in period, K-K were actually a bit loose, occasionally standing too far off their men while O'Loughlin Gaels were wonderfully sharp, regularly breaking tackles and racing into open ground.

It was nip and tuck for a few minutes. The sides were level and 0-2 each after five minutes and it was 0-3 to 0-2 in favour of O'Loughlin Gaels after 12 minutes.Then the Kilkenny side began to find the range. Sean Bolger and Owen Wall were able to get out in front to win the ball and the points flowed over. They got five without reply from the 13th to 19th minutes and Adam Screeney's 21st minute free was only a brief respite – Screeney did very well to get out to win the free ahead of Mikey Butler.

Owen Wall pointed with a decent goal chance in the 23rd minute to put O'Loughlin Gaels 0-10 to 0-3 ahead and the only surprise was that they didn't extend the gap before the interval. They hit five late wides, three of them from corner backs Butler and Tony Forristal and while Adam Screeney was off target with an injury time free for K-K, the home side were relieved to be only six points behind at the break.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Paddy Deegan (O'Loughlin Gaels): The fact that O'Loughlin Gaels deserved to win is represented by the fact that they had most of the man of the match contenders, they gave a more balanced display over the hour. The winners had a brilliant half back line in David Fogarty, Paddy Deegan and Jordan Molloy, Cian Loy was super at midfield and Sean Bolger and Owen Wall very dangerous and sharp in their forward line. You could pick any of their half back line and my choice is Deegan. With Fogarty and Molloy sweeping up the field regularly, Deegan stayed at home to mind the house. He mopped up a lot of ball, used most of it very well and exerted a quiet but significant control on the balance of the game.

For K-K, Jordan Quinn and Enda Grogan had fantastic games on their half back line. Quinn has had an excellent year for them and both cleared a lot of very good ball. Colin Spain foraged with great honesty at midfield while Charlie Mitchell was the only forward to really click, scoring three points and showing well for the ball.

Oisin Mahon also deserves praise as he really dug in when O'Loughlin Gaels were coming in waves at them in the first half, winning some inspirational ball to relieve the immense pressure. K-K tried very hard but a few players only played well in flashes, some had off days and while they could have snatched it, they don't have any hard luck story to digest this week.

THE SCORERS

O'Loughlin Gaels: Mark Bergin 0-7 (6f), Owen Wall and Sean Bolger 0-2 each, Jordan Molloy, David Fogarty, Cian Loy, Eoin O'Shea, Conor Heary and Paddy Butler 0-1 each.

Kilcormac-Killoughey: Adam Screeney 0-5 (5f), Charlie Mitchell 0-3, Cillian Kiely 0-2 (1 '65'), Jack Screeney and James Gorman 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: Conor Slevin; Brecon Kavanagh, Oisin Mahon, Tom Spain; Jordan Quinn, Cillian Kiely, Enda Grogan; Colin Spain, Damien Kilmartin; Jack Screeney, Conor Mahon, Leigh Kavanagh; Charlie Mitchell, James Gorman, Adam Screeney. Subs – Cathal Kiely for Leigh Kavanagh (HT), Peter Geraghty for Gorman (41m), Thomas Geraghty for Kilmartin (56m), Ter Guinan for Jack Screeney (61m)

O'LOUGHLIN GAELS: Stephen Murphy; Tony Forristal, Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler; David Fogarty, Paddy Deegan, Jordan Molloy; Jack Nolan, Cian Loy; Mark Bergin, Eoin O'Shea, Conor Heary; Owen Wall, Paddy Butler, Sean Bolger. Subs – Conor Kelly for Paddy Butler (HT), Luke Hogan for O'Shea (37m), Jamie Ryan for Nolan (58m)

Referee – Sean Stack (Dublin).

REFEREE WATCH

Sean Stack had a good game. He let play run and both sides had legitimate calls for frees turned down. It was clear from early on, however, that this was the way he was refereeing it and they very much balanced out. He was fit, up with play and was in control. There was nothing really contentious and his refereeing added to the enjoyment of it all.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

There was no big defining moment as such but Conor Heary's point to put four in it four minutes into injury time meant that O'Loughlin Gaels were in the final. It came just after Cathal Kiely had a poor wide for K-K and allowdd them to breathe more easily.

VENUE WATCH

The O'Connor Park pitch was in better condition than it has been in several weeks. It looked immaculate with the recent dry and windy weather obviously helping it to replenish. As expected, there was a large enthusiastic crowd here and they created a great atmosphere.

WHAT'S NEXT

O'Loughlin Gaels play Naas or Na Fianna in the final.

STATISTICS

Wides: K-K – 9 (5 in first half); O'Loughlin Gaels - 13 (9 in first half).

Yellow cards: K-K – 2 (Cillian Kiely and James Gorman); O'Loughlin Gaels – 2 (Jordan Molloy and Cian Loy).

Red cards: 0.