All-Ireland Semi-Finals
Congratulations to Darragh Peters, Cian Darcy and the Tipperary minor team on reaching the All-Ireland final. Commiserations to Niall O’Meara, Eamon O’Shea and the senior team.
Junior
MacDonaghs secured a place in the quarter-final with a comfortable, if far from impressive, 1-18 to 0-10 victory against Silvermines in Dolla. The home side had the advantage of the breeze in the first half but it was the outstanding Eoin Hogan who opened the scoring when he surged forward from defence and sent the sliotar sailing over the bar. The first half was very pedestrian with an alarming lack of urgency in the MacDonaghs forwards in particular. After eighteen minutes the sides were level on four points each. MacDonaghs put on a spurt and hit four unanswered points. Silvermines replied with two points to leave the half-time score 0-8 to 0-6 in favour of the visitors.
The selectors were in a benevolent mood and opted not to make wholesale changes in personnel at the interval. However, any notions that MacDonaghs would up the tempo were quickly dispelled. The game ambled along and by the 50th minute Kilruane had a five-point cushion. Then Robert Austin knifed through the defence to tuck the sliotar in the corner of the net — two other gilt-edged chances had been spurned. This goal seemed to inject a bit of life into the proceedings and MacDonaghs hit five points in the closing minutes while Silvermines replied with two white flags to leave an eleven-point margin at the finish. While the game won’t inspire local bards to pen commemorative ballads, it was mission accomplished. A place in the quarter-final final had been nailed down with one game left.
Team: Conor Doheny, Páidí Kelly, Brendan McAdams, Conor Austin, David Mooney, Eoin Hogan (0-5), Martin Grace, Alan Darcy, Pat Conway, David Williams, Robert Austin (1-0), James Cleary (0-4), Jonathan Cahill (0-5), Mark O’Meara and Bob Dooley. Subs: Aidan Boyle (0-3), Caoilainn Conroy, Finnian Mannion and Tom Dooley.
In the final group game MacDonaghs lost out to Burgess on a 0-14 to 0-13 scoreline in Puckane. David Williams opened the scoring with a point inside thirty seconds and Burgess responded immediately. It looked like we were in for a scoring fest. However, over the hour the radar malfunctioned for both teams. MacDonaghs hit sixteen wides while Burgess saw fourteen shots go astray. With both teams already qualified for the quarter-finals, the game lacked real intensity. The sides were level six times during the game. At the interval MacDonaghs were ahead by 0-7 to 0-6 and as the clock ticked down the teams were level on 0-13 each. Kilruane conceded a free in midfield and Burgess put over the winning point. Team: Conor Doheny, Páidí Kelly, Brendan McAdams, Colm Williams, Caoilainn Conroy, Eoin Hogan (0-2), Martin Grace, Alan Darcy, Conor Austin (0-1), Pat Conway (0-1), Robert Austin (0-2), Aidan Boyle, James Cleary (0-4), Jonathan Cahill (0-2) and David Williams (0-1). Subs: Bob Dooley and Tom Dooley. MacDonaghs now face Roscrea in the quarter final on Saturday, 29th August at 6.30pm. Venue will be confirmed next week.
Under 16
In the penultimate group game MacDonaghs lost to Toomevara by 5-14 to 3-16 in MacDonagh Park. Team: Páidí Williams, Jack Dunne, Oisín O’Meara, Dylan Moran, Eoghan Mulcahy, Jerome Cahill (0-6), Nathan Ryan, Devlin Courtney, Jake O’Kelly, Tommy Dooley (0-1), Sean McAdams (0-2), Luke Dervan (1-2), Kevin Oakley (1-0), Craig Morgan (1-5) and Alan Spain. Sub: Jack Dwan. Despite this defeat, a quarter-final spot has been secured.
Under 14
MacDonaghs were beaten by Roscrea in the quarter-final in St. Cronan’s Park on a 1-19 to 4-5 scoreline. The team gave a very good account of themselves but had to give second best to a very useful Roscrea outfit. Team: Páidí Williams, Conor Quinlan, Louis Kennedy, Kieran Spain, Shane McAteer, Dylan Moran, James Loughnane, Matthew Spain, Matthew Moyles, Sam Darcy, David O’Sullivan, Cormac Doheny, Aaron Morgan, Kian O’Kelly (2-5) and Kevin McDonald (2-0). Sub: Colm Cleary. Thanks to the players and mentors for a great effort during the year.
Meeting
The monthly meeting of the club committee will be held on next Thursday, 27th August at 8.30pm. all committee members are requested to attend.
Sympathy
The club extends sympathy to Hilda Darcy on the death of her father, Eamonn Tiernan, Ballinalee, Longford.
