KILRUANE MacDONAGHS 2-18 KILADANGAN 1-21
The free at the end was probably for the best. Underdogs Kilruane MacDonaghs had put in a great afternoon, surging at Kiladangan and not taking no for an answer when the 2020 champions had apparently slipped their grip in injury time to take the lead, 1-21 to 2-17.
In the fifth minute of injury time they got their chance and Willie Cleary, just one miss on an afternoon when not all of his colleagues were as precise, measured it up and fired the teams into a replay next weekend.
Kilruane manager Liam O’Kelly summed up afterwards how Cleary’s bullseye spared him further introspection after a profligate nine wides before the break.
“We did have a few wides in the first half but genuinely as I am here this evening, I am delighted to be getting a second chance. We were behind. I thought it was over but we came back.
“Willie Cleary, what pressure he was under with that free! Testament to him, the boys tell me he throws darts every second night; he is a very good dart thrower. I have had huge confidence in him for the past two years and he has been our go-to man in those two years.”
Ultimately, there was also relief for Kiladangan. Not because they lost a lead with time nearly up but because their first-half display was so flat and looked reflective of a day when it wasn’t going to happen for them.
Team selector Seán O’Meara felt that Kiladangan were a little out of sorts.
“It’s funny, having been there in 2019 and 2020, I felt out lads were a small bit nervy today. What it’s from, I don’t know. There was a huge momentum behind Kilruane this week, whether that had an effect on them or what, I don’t know.
“We dropped a lot of ball. Stuff that we would normally have a straight ball into the hand and gone, we fumbled it and when you’re doing that — fair play, it’s down to Kilruane’s work rate as well … they deserve great credit for it.”
The one thing the 2020 champions managed to do was limit the damage and go in at the break just three behind. That margin was accounted for by captain Jerome Cahill’s 16th-minute goal after he got on the end of a laser-accurate ball from Niall O’Meara, who was excellent in the half-back line and who would provide Cahill with a further goal assist as well as scoring two points of his own.
Their defence was busy and brisk, sweeping on to the ball and tackling aggressively — just not allowing Kiladangan to settle. Paul Flynn did his best to keep the favourites afloat, contesting ball in the middle third and shooting a couple of points but aside from Willie Connors, who also shot two, the first half saw them struggle to create chances beyond a strong run from Tadhg Gallagher, which ended in a weak shot.
McLoughney, who provided the late heroics two years ago to break Loughmore-Castleiney’s heart, had a major influence on the second half. His eight points included six frees and two from play. He didn’t miss all afternoon — although there was some controversy over his team’s 16th point, which he hit from the left of the posts.
His frees though brought Kiladangan back into contention and continued to reassure after Cahill scored his second goal to break their momentum, again fastening onto a ball up the line from O’Meara and running strongly at the defence to shoot Kilruane back in front,
Kiladangan didn’t panic and Paul Flynn and McLoughney trimmed the deficit before Flynn scored a 52nd-minute goal after defender Aaron Morgan lost possession in front of goal.
It was touch-and-go down the straight with points exchanged and the lead changing hands until the injury-time climax.
“I can’t say enough about Jerome Cahill,” said O’Kelly about his captain. “For me as a club player, he is outstanding. He is our leader and had a superb game again today.”
Cahill was wearing number 30, his club having retired the number 11 jersey earlier in the summer in honour of the late Dillon Quirke, who took ill playing for Clonoulty Rossmore against Kilruane earlier in the championship.
“I commented on that before in relation to our good friend,” said O’Kelly. “We all wore black armbands today in recognition of Dillon Quirke with the number 11 on it.
“There was no rule book in how to deal with Dillon Quirke and there is no rule book for today, but by God we’ll come back fighting next week, there is no doubt about that.”
O’Meara admitted mixed emotions. “At one stage we looked as if we were in control, with a few minutes to go we were up two or three points. They brought it back and then they went ahead. In the end, you’d be delighted just to get away with a draw and live to fight another day.”
KILADANGAN: B Hogan; D Sweeney, J Quigley, D Moran; J O’Meara, A Flynn (capt; 0-1), D McGrath (0-2); T Gallagher (0-1), T O’Meara; J Gallagher (0-1), S Hayes, P Flynn (1-4); B McLoughney (0-10, 0-8f), B Seymour, W Connors (0-2). Subs: D O’Meara for Seymour (28 mins), D Flannery for Moran (34 mins), J Loughnane for T O’Meara (46 mins), D Butler for J O’Meara (59 mins).
KILRUANE MacDONAGHS: P Williams; A Morgan, J Peters, E Hogan; N O’Meara (0-2), J Cleary, K Cahill; S McAdams (0-1), M O’Neill (0-1); W Cleary (0-10, 9f), S Hennessy, C Darcy (0-2); T Cleary (0-2), J Cahill (capt; 2-0), K Kelly. Subs: C Cleary for Hennessy (21 mins), C Austin for O’Kelly (30+ mins), K O’Kelly for C Cleary (40 mins), S Hennessy for O’Neill (48 mins).
Referee: K Jordan (Thurles Gaels).
