Loughmore-Castleiney 0-9
Cahir 2-2
DESPITE NOT SCORING in the second half, Loughmore-Castleiney retained their Tipperary SFC crown in Cashel this afternoon.
A bumper 1710 attendance turned up at Leahy Park for a St Stephen’s Day cracker as Loughmore claimed a third senior county title in two years, following their hurling-football double success in 2013.
Loughmore may have coughed up the hurling title to Thurles Sarsfields but they would not be denied at the second attempt against Cahir.
In the first half, Loughmore were cruising at 0-9 to 0-1 clear but Paddy O’Flaherty netted for Cahir in first half stoppage time to make a game of it.
And when Dean Lonergan scored 1-1 in the second half, Cahir were breathing down Loughmore’s necks.
Cahir argued that O’Flaherty’s 35th minute effort that was waved wide should have been flagged for a point but the umpires and referee Sean Lonergan ignored those claims.
And Loughmore clung on for a slender win, as Noel McGrath’s younger brother John claimed the John Quirke jewellers man of the match award after kicking four first half points.
The respective number 13s, Loughmore’s Liam McGrath and Cahir’s Padraig Whelan, saw their games end prematurely with black cards in the first half.
And Noel McGrath also received a black card in stoppage time at the end of the game.
A championship that began back in May has finally come to an end and both teams deserve great credit for serving up another fantastic encounter following a thrilling drawn game.
The big shame is that Tipperary did not send forward a representative in time for the AIB Munster championship before Christmas.
But Loughmore, captained by 2011 All-Ireland SHC medallist David Kennedy, won’t worry too much about that as they prepare to celebrate long into the night on the back of a 13th Premier County SFC success.
Scorers for Loughmore-Castleiney: John McGrath 0-4 (2f), Noel McGrath and Liam Treacy (2f) 0-2 each, Evan Sweeney 0-1.
Scorers for Cahir: Dean Lonergan 1-2 (0-1f), Paddy O’Flaherty 1-0.
Loughmore-Castleiney
1. Dominic Brennan
21. John Meagher
3. Willie Eviston
4. Tomas McGrath
5. Tom King
6. Ciaran McGrath
7. John Ryan
8. Noel McGrath
9. David Kennedy
10. Aidan McGrath
23. Cian Hennessy
12. Liam Treacy
13. Liam McGrath
14. Evan Sweeney
15. John McGrath
Subs:
11. Eamonn Connolly for Liam McGrath (b/c 9)
17. Derek Bourke for Treacy (43)
22. Joseph Hennessy for Noel McGrath (b/c 60+1)
Cahir
1. Brian Enright
2. Mikey O’Connor
3. Gerald Halley
4. Conor Casey
5. Sean O’Connor
6. Aidan Casey
18. Eoin Donaghy
8. Eddie Kendrick
9. Liam Casey
10. Benny Hickey
11. Paddy O’Flaherty
12. Shane Murphy
13. Padraig Whelan
14. Dean Lonergan
15. James McGrath
Subs:
17. Diarmuid Tarrant for Whelan (b/c 14)
20. Tom O’Gorman for S O’Connor (53)
25. Niall McKenna for Conor Casey (b/c 56).
Referee: Sean Lonergan
