Holycross\Ballycahill 0-23, Eire Og Annacarty 1-18.

(As reported on www.tipperarylive.ie with a few corrections)

Holycross Ballycahill got their county senior hurling championship campaign up and running following their two-point, hard-earned, victory over Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill  at Clonoulty on Sunday. 

This victory keeps their hopes of qualifying for a quarter-final place very much alive as they face up to neighbors Clonoulty Rossmore in round three next weekend. This was a victory that was always very much on the cards throughout, although they found it difficult to shake off the challenge of the West men. This win was hard earned but Holycross’ ability to work scores at vital times was ultimately the difference at the end.  Cathal Barrett and Darragh Woods contributed in no small way to this, with Woods accounting for seven points and Barrett chipping in with six. 

Holycross signaled their intent from the start and Darragh Woods opened the scoring in the first minute. This was the start of a glut of scores from both sides as eleven scores were registered in the opening eleven minutes, as the game moved from end to end. Holycross were aided by a slight breeze, which was blowing into the road end, during the opening half but this breeze didn’t appear to have any real bearing on the game. These opening eleven minutes were the foundation for victory as they led by eight points to three, with five different players contributing. Tom Fox and Dinny Crosse had tied up the game early on with well-taken scores but three unanswered points from Luke O’Mara, Raymie Nally and Darragh Woods, all from open play, gave the Mid men a cushion as the water break approached. 

The second quarter was Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill’s best spell, as they outscored their opponents by five points to three, with Seanie Ryan hitting two in injury time before the break to leave the half time score, Holycross 0-11, Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill 0-8.

As in the opening half, the second period started with a flurry of points, Darragh Woods accounting for three in a three minute spell. Cathal Barrett was coming more into the game and Woods was causing all sort of problems to Eire Og’s inside back line. Donal O’Dwyer goaled for the West men after thirteen minutes when he reacted quickly to a wonderful Dinny Ferncombe save. This brought Eire Og back into the game but Cathal Barrett stretched the lead out to three with a point from under the stand. 

Holycross were growing in confidence and were able to afford the luxury of failing to convert a penalty after twenty minutes when a Darragh Woods shot went outside the post. The final ten minutes of normal time saw Eire Og unable to eat into the Holycross lead, despite Seanie Ryan putting over three points. Holycross, Barrett and Woods in particular, were always able to react positively to an Eire Og score. Injury time brought added drama, as Eire Og sought an equalizer. They were awarded a twenty five metre free to the left of the Holycross goal with the clock ticking down. Goalkeeper Darragh Mooney came up field but his resulting shot skimmed the crossbar for a point, to cut the deficit to two. 

Time ran out for the West men, who now need a victory over Nenagh Eire Og in round 3 to have any chance of avoiding the relegation play off. 

Holycross Ballycahill: Dinny Ferncombe, Jack Ryan, Philip Fogarty, Gavin Dunne, Michael Doyle (0-1), Bryan O’Mara (0-1), Conor Ryan (0-1), Jamie Woods, Raymie Nally (0-1), Paraic Russell, Cathal Barrett (0-6), Stephen Flanagan (0-1), Luke O’Mara (0-3), Aidan Stakelum (0-2), Darragh Woods (0-7, 4 frees). Subs used: Eoin Morris, Jack Skehan and Eanna Ryan.

Eire Og Annacarty Donohill: Darragh Mooney (0-1 free), Diarmaid Ryan, Conor O’Brien, David Fox, Brian Fox, Kevin Fox (0-1), Liam Og O’Dwyer, Paul Devlin, Seanie Ryan (0-3), Paudie O’Dwyer (0-1), Tom Fox (0-2), Dinny Crosse (0-2), Aidan Griffin (0-6 frees), Ronan O’Brien (0-1), Donal O’Dwyer (1-1). Subs used: Mikey O’Brien, Paul Downey and Eoin Bradshaw.

Referee: John O’Grady (Rosegreen).