Senior
In the County quarter-final, we play Loughmore Castleiney on Saturday, 14th September, in Semple Stadium, with the starting time of 2.15pm to be confirmed. The game will be shown live on TG4.
U19
A 4-10 to 0-12 home victory over Burgess secured a place in the final. The pitch was in its usual pristine condition on a perfect evening for hurling. Conor Grace got the visitors off the mark with a point. MacDonaghs hit a purple patch and put 2-2 on the scoreboard. Brian O’Meara scored the first goal in the 13th minute and then supplied a sublime cross for Tommy O’Meara who came steaming into the danger area, and without breaking stride, cracked a screamer to the net in the 20th minute. This was definitely the goal of the year in MacDonagh Park and a strong contender for the goal of the decade. At the interval, the Magpies led by 2-5 to 0-7.
Kilruane made a terrific start to the second half. Brian O’Meara raised a white flag and scored an opportunist goal in the 36th minute when he was first to react after a Michael Hennelly free dropped short. Brian added another point to extend the lead to nine. Burgess, who had some quality forwards, kept plugging away, but a fourth Kilruane goal from Tommy O’Meara in the 57th minute put the issue beyond doubt.
We had seven different scorers with 4-8 coming from play. The free count was 13 for and 16 against.
Team: Tom Austin, Danny Cahalan, Cathal England, Cian Hayes, Paul Molloy, Eamonn Coonan, Shane Cleary, Tommy Burriss, Cian Moyles, Tommy O'Meara, Jack Mulcahy, Cillian Healy, Michael Cleary, Brian O'Meara, Michael Hennelly. Subs: Cormac Kennedy, Andrew Hayes, John Hannan, Fiachradh Ahearne Woods.
Kilruane MacDonaghs were making their maiden appearance in an U19 hurling final. This competition is in its infancy, having commenced in 2021. MacDonaghs had fallen at the semi-final hurdle in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Kilruane and Newport had clashed in the first round in Lacken Park with the Magpies prevailing on a 3-18 to 1-15 scoreline. MacDonaghs started with the same fifteen that lined out against Burgess. It was expected that the Mulcair boys would come with all guns blazing, and we were not disappointed. Against the breeze, Newport deployed a sweeper, and in the first quarter, exploited the open spaces to trouble the Kilruane backline. With fifteen minutes gone, the score was MacDonaghs 0-6, Newport 1-3. Gradually, MacDonaghs came to grips with the Newport game plan and began to take control of the game. The switch of Brian O’Meara (No 14) and Jack Mulcahy (No 11) helped the Kilruane attack start firing. In the 27th minute, Tommy O’Meara whipped a ground ball into the net to help the Magpies into a 1-11 to 1-6 interval lead.
On the restart, Newport cut the deficit to four. MacDonaghs responded in magnificent fashion and hit 1-3 without reply to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Entering the last quarter, Tommy O’Meara completed his hat-trick of goals to put the Magpies into an unassailable 3-15 to 1-8 lead. Kilruane added 0-7 to their tally with Newport scoring 0-3 in reply. When referee Alan Graham blew the final whistle, the scoreboard read 3-22 to 1-11 in favour of Kilruane.
After the game, Michael Ryan, Vice-Chairman of the North Board, presented the Nealon Trophy to captain Tom Austin. Congratulations to the players and the management team of Joe Whelan (Manager) and selectors Pat Murphy, Fr. Pat Greed & Gilbert Williams.
Thanks to our senior players who have helped out throughout the divisional campaign, to June Whelan (physio) and Liam Grace (First Aid) for their services, and to Jack O’Meara and Ronan Hayes who acted as waterboys. “Virtual Bonfires” blazed around the parish to celebrate the 168th divisional title to come to the parish.
In the County semi-final, we play the winners of Drom & Inch and Upperchurch Drombane. If we play Upperchurch, the game is fixed for Sunday, 8th September, in Templederry at 3.00pm. If we play Drom, the game is scheduled for Tuesday, 10th September, under lights with the venue to be confirmed.
U17
A hard-earned 3-10 to 1-9 victory over Nenagh sets up a final against Toomevara. This was a tremendous team effort with Shane Cleary doing a terrific job in policing dangerman Billy O’Brien, while at centre-forward Johnny Naughnane helped curb the influence of the other Tipperary minor Jake Donnellan Houlihan. MacDonaghs had the breeze in the first half and led by 0-9 to 0-4 at the break. Three pointed frees for Nenagh early in the second half cut the lead to two points. The result hung in the balance until a late free from Michael Hennelly ended up in the net. Interestingly, all the Nenagh scores came from placed balls.
Team: Andrew Austin, Cathal McIntyre, Fearghal Doheny, Jack Quinlisk, Paul Molloy, Shane Cleary (0-2), Cormac Gaynor, Tommy Burriss, Cormac Kennedy, Michael Cleary (0-5, 0-4 frees), Johnny Naughnane, Cillian Healy, Charlie Kennedy (1-1), Tommy O'Meara (0-1), Michael Hennelly (2-1, 1-0 free). Subs: Ray Quinlivan, Hugo Healy, Fiachradh Ahearne Woods.
The date for the final will not be confirmed until the U19 situation becomes clearer.
U15
In the ‘A’ semi-final, we lost 2-15 to 2-13 against Roscrea in Toomevara. The team battled to the end against a physically stronger Roscrea side who were deserving winners. Kilruane came back from five points down with a few minutes left to come within a point of Roscrea.
Team: Dara Gaynor, Ben Williams, Tadhg Teefey, James Gould, Karl Ryan, Tommy Gaynor, Kallen Grace, Jack O'Meara (2-0), Culann Haverty, Tarla Doris, Hugo Healy (0-10, 0-8 frees, 0-1 65), Tom Campbell, Senan O'Leary, Lukah Williams (0-2), Gerard O'Looney. Subs: Michael Hutchinson, Oisin Carroll (0-1), Emmet O'Dwyer, Shane O'Meara.
The team had a very long campaign, which included a victory in the North/West League final. Thanks to the players and management for their efforts during the year. Our second team played out a high-scoring draw against Cashel in MacDonagh Park in the fifth round of the ‘C’ championship. Both sides score 5-7.
The teams agreed to play 15-a-side. Cashel led 3-2 to 1-5 at the break and went nine points ahead in the second half. Kilruane were down three points in injury time when a Conor McGrath free from 70 yards went all the way to the net. Referee Gerry Treacy blew the final whistle after the puckout. A draw was a fair result.
Team: Shane O'Meara, Robert Cleary, Ronan Hayes, Sean Whelan, Shane Carroll, Conor McGrath, Cian O'Looney, Dylan Hussey Sheahan (1-0), Arman Khan Wahid, Rory McLoughney, Emmet Dwyer (0-2), Tom Hannan, James Last, Ciaran Foote (2-5, 0-4 frees), Daniel O'Brien, Colin Gaynor (1-0), Jack Ryan.
Lotto
The jackpot stands at €5,100. Tickets are available from the usual outlets, or you can play on Club Spot. Thanks for your continued support.
Bingo
The weekly Bingo session continues on Saturday night in the Fr. O’Meara Centre, Kilruane at 8.00pm. The jackpot is now a very attractive €1,800.
Sympathy
The club extends sympathy to: Vivian Farrell, Ballygibbon and the Brady family on the tragic passing of Vivian’s brother Shaun Brady in Kansas; to the Nealon family on the death of Nuala Nealon; and to the family of the late Simon Graham, Modreeny.
