Kilkenny SHL- Keoghan inspires Tullaroan to hard-earned success over Danesfort

Aided by a fine individual display from Mossy Keoghan, Tullaroan kept alive hopes of a league final spot when seeing off a spirited Danesfort on Saturday afternoon.

Despite being strong favourites for the game Tullaroan trailed for a large part of this league encounter and it was only when Gearoid Dunne netted his side’s second goal in the 51st minute that the winners began to pull away.

Danesfort were minus the likes of Richie Hogan and Cathal Kearney but it’s a display that will give Willie Coogan and his management team much hope heading into the championship after previously shipping three heavy defeats.

Eanna Casaide was the big find for Danesfort as he scored 1-3 from play and a similar performance over the next few weeks will certainly give the ‘Fort every chance of staying in the top tier of Kilkenny hurling.

Tullaroan on the other hand will probably be disappointed at their overall performance even if Mossy Keoghan was on fire in attack.

Bill Gaffney got the scoring underway for Tullaroan before Danesfort went two ahead with efforts from Paddy Hickey, Philip Cooney and Ben Whitty.

It was then tit for tat until the sides were deadlocked at 0-5 apiece by the halfway mark of the half.

Kilkenny teammates Gearoid Dunne and Mossy Keoghan then combined for Keoghan to score Tullaroan’s opening goal in the 20th minute and with Mossy running riot and Shane Walsh converting his frees, it was 1-9 to 0-8 in favour of the league holders.

Danesfort ended the half with three long distance frees from Paddy Hogan leaving just the minimum between the teams at the break.

Hopes of a surprise then grew when Eanna O’Casaide goaled for Danesfort in the early minutes of the second half and with Ben Whitty and Colm Phelan also pointing, last year’s intermediate winners went four clear.

It was a run Danesfort were unable to sustain though and Tullaroan gradually reeled the deficit in before Gearoid Dunne got the most important score of the game when pouncing on a defensive mistake to gift Tullaroan their second goal.

Danesfort remained competitive afterwards but late Tullaroan efforts from Padraig Walsh and Tomas Dunne sealed a five point win.

Teams and Scorers

Tullaroan: Shane Walsh (0-7, 0-5 frees), Martin Keoghan (1-4), Gearoid Dunne (1-1), Tomas Dunne; Bill Gaffney (0-3 each), Bill Walton (0-2), Padraig Walsh (0-1)

Danesfort: Eanna Casaide (1-3), Ben Whitty (0-4, 0-3 frees), Paddy Hogan (0-4, 0-4 frees), Dan Dowling (0-2 each), Daire O’Neill; Colm Phelan; Brian McDonald; Paddy Hickey; Philip Cooney; Robbie Walsh (0-1 each)

Tullaroan: Paul Buggy; Martin Walsh, Tommy Walsh, Josh Moore; Mark Simpson, Padraig Walsh, Tomas Dunne; Jack Keoghan, Joe Coughlan; Bill Gaffney, Martin Keoghan, Gearoid Dunne; Bill Walton, Dylan Simpson, Shane Walsh.

Subs: Charlie Cleere for D Simpson 45 mins, Bill Cuddihy for B Walton 55 mins.

Danesfort: Paddy Hogan; Adam Byrne, Ronan Leahy, Cathal O’Neill; Des Dunne, Paul Murphy, Daire O’Neill; Brian McDonald, Paddy Hickey; Colm Phelan, Philip Cooney, Dan Dowling; Eanna Casaide, Robbie Walsh, Ben Whitty.

Subs: Ciaran Mullen for Leahy 52 mins, James Mullally for McDonald 55 mins, Jake Cullen for Phelan 58 mins, Cathal Norton for D O’Neill 60 mins.

Referee -Julian O’Dwyer