A FORTNIGHT AGO as the Tipperary hurling scene reached the pivotal phase for the year, the Kiladangan club took centre stage.
On a Saturday afternoon at the Ragg, their intermediate team toughed it out by two points in their semi-final against Golden-Kilfeacle.
24 hours later in Semple Stadium, their top-ranked senior side were victorious by three points in the semi-final against Nenagh Éire Óg.
With the club activity ratcheted up in importance and the action intensified in the wake of Tipperary’s August All-Ireland triumphs, keeping a clear focus to reach a county final prolongs an already memorable 2019 season.
But for two adult teams in a club to achieve it? These are new heights that Kiladangan have scaled.
November has swept into view and they will go in pursuit of two county trophies in the space of 24 hours. Today their intermediate team are in a decider in Littleton against Sean Treacy’s.
Tomorrow afternoon their senior outfit are in the main arena in Thurles, bidding to win the Dan Breen Cup for the first time when they take on Borris-Ileigh.
It’s a weekend for the ages.
For Kiladangan this is dreamlike stuff. Back in the 90s their flagship team were scrapping away in the junior grade. Now they are guaranteed to have two senior sides in 2020, both intermediate finalists are already guaranteed promotion for next year to the Seamus O’Riain Cup (the second level of senior hurling in Tipperary).
The County Final weekend is finally upon us on what is a massive two days for the club. On Saturday, the Intermediate’s take on Sean Treacy’s in Littleton at 2.30 pm whilst on Sunday, the Seniors take on Borris Ileigh at 2.30 pm in Semple Stadium. pic.twitter.com/ifFbBLDX1T
— Kiladangan GAA (@KiladanganGAA) October 31, 2019
“It’s a fantastic time,” says club senior manager Brian Lawlor.
“My first playing adult hurling with Kiladangan, they were Junior A. That was the top team. I’m back now 20 odd years later and they have two senior teams in the hat next year in the north. It’s just great for the club.
“Those lads that played (in the intermediate), they showed such heart, they showed such determination. That really spurred us on. We really fed off the energy of that.”
How far have they risen? Eamonn Kelly – who has had stints in charge of Kerry, Offaly and Laois in recent times – made his adult debut for Kiladangan at the age of 16 in 1984.
The junior side were caught for numbers, he recalls Noel Seymour asking Kelly’s father if the youngster could be pitched in to ensure they had a starting fifteen.
Last weekend painted a vivid contrast when Kelly called into the club grounds and saw over 40 adult hurlers training in preparation for the upcoming pair of final battles.
Darragh Egan coached Tipperary to Liam MacCarthy Cup glory in August. He was a substitute forward for the 2010 success when they smashed a five-in-a-row dream, back-up goalkeeper when they fell short in 2014 to Kilkenny.
Since August he’s been back immersed in club matters. Goalkeeper for the intermediate team, number 16 to senior netminder Barry Hogan and patrolling the sidelines during that semi-final win, imparting advice to management at various junctures during the second half as they reeled in Nenagh.
But the 33-year-old can appreciate the stunning climb the club have embarked on, vividly recalling being taken to a local junior game a couple of decades ago when Kiladangan’s first side ended up 20 points inferior to Roscrea’s second-string team.
What changed? They tended to their grassroots, worked ferociously hard, were blessed to have people with vision in key roles and over time they reaped a dividend from their labour.
Egan is principal in the local national school in Puckane, he spearheaded a drive to get club senior players involved with underage teams a few years back.
“This is not down to one or two years,” says Lawlor.
“The performance by the adult teams for Kiladangan is fifteen years in the making. It’s successive excellent chairmen, committees, a focus on juvenile hurling.
“Looking after juveniles, taking them all over the country playing matches, just really keeping them involved in the club. When you get a good minor team, keeping those guys coming through.”
They’ve been exposed to progressive coaches in local figure Kelly, Limerick’s Ger Hegarty and Ger Cunningham, who has a breadth of experience from spells with Thurles Sarsfields, Newtownshandrum and UL.
Portumna’s Johnny Kelly was over them in 2013 and 2014, now he will be in the opposing senior corner tomorrow with Borris-Ileigh, and Sean Treacy, his neighbour in Galway, is coaching Kiladangan.
A breakthrough arrived in 2004 with an intermediate final success to propel them to the senior ranks. They went on the following spring to beat Galway’s St Thomas and Kilkenny’s Carrickshock, packed with a galaxy of hurling stars at the time, to win the All-Ireland.
That Kiladangan side continue to give back to the club. Senior manager Lawlor was corner-back on that side, intermediate boss Dan Hogan was in goal.
Then after 65 years in the wilderness, they won a North senior final in 2008 and have picked up another four since.
It’s already been a lengthy yet profitable season for their side. Willie Connors, Alan Flynn, David Sweeney and Barry Hogan were part of Liam Sheedy’s conquering senior team. Billy Seymour and Sean Hayes picked up U20 medals.
What a proud day it is for the club with 4 All Ireland medals coming back to the parish. Well done to Alan Flynn, David Sweeney, Willie Connors and Barry Hogan along with selector / coach Darragh Egan on their win. Well done boys!! Fantastic! #Flynnto#Swaney#Agan#Pudding#Baz pic.twitter.com/VkWSxCGsyc
— Kiladangan GAA (@KiladanganGAA) August 18, 2019
Two more All Ireland medals are coming back to the parish after Tipp's impressive win over Cork in the All Ireland U20 final. Well done to both Billy Seymour and Sean Hayes. The future is certainly bright for both players - pic.twitter.com/euDZ5FUpNh
— Kiladangan GAA (@KiladanganGAA) August 25, 2019
“It’s a long year but when they were involved with the county, they weren’t really involved with us,” outlines Lawlor.
“There’s nobody over-trained. It wasn’t like the old days, when Darragh Egan was training with Tipp, he was training with us the nights he wasn’t with Tipp. It’s different now.
“Players are managed so well. Any of our six county lads, they have actually not any more training done than anyone else really. I think that was managed quite well.
“The hunger from both sides to win a county final will be huge, there’ll be no one using the excuse of being tired or over-trained.”
They won’t lack familiarity with Borris-Ileigh in the senior showpiece, a repeat of the north final in September that Kiladangan won. There’ll be plenty Tipperary colleagues in opposition.
Kiladangan captain Joe Gallagher teaches in Our Lady’s in Templemore, Borris-Ileigh forwards Kevin Maher and James Devaney are amongst this pupils.
And above all there is the sense of a massive opportunity for both to be crowned champions after an era of Thurles Sarsfields dominance.
Both suffered at the hands of the Mid-Tipp powerhouse, Kiladangan by nine points in 2016 and still chasing their first title, Borris-Ileigh by 16 points in 2017 and seeking a first crown now in 33 years.
“I think the landscape in Tipp has changed,” states Lawlor.
“At that stage, Thurles were very dominant. They nearly had teams beaten before they went out, which is what happened on that day.
“But now Thurles are not as dominant as they were. There are seven or eight teams now at a fairly even level, it’s a much more open championship. I think the whole mentality is different.
“Both Kiladangan and Borris-Ileigh are psychologically are in a different space facing into this final than the two previous finals that each team lost.
“Both teams have played here in recent years and both would want to atone for their performances.”
Kiladangan’s route to the senior showdown has seen them take down Toomevara in the quarter-final and Nenagh Éire Óg in the semi-final, posting 3-12 games.
Tomorrow they aim to take down a third team from the north division, today there is intermediate silverware on the line.
A weekend they will savour in their hurling pocket in the north west of the county
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