Kilkenny IHC- Ruthless Thomastown roar into another intermediate final

Thomastown are into a fourth Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai intermediate championship final in five years after easing past Dunnamaggin in UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon.

Dunnamaggin threatened to put up a fight in the opening few minutes but once Stephen Donnelly netted Thomastown’s first goal in the 16th minute the floodgates opened.

Jack Holden and Robbie Donnelly also goaled for the winners over the course of the hour as the Grennan men outlined why they are favourites to win only their second ever title at this grade.

Thomastown got scores from all over the field as they wrapped up the game as a contest well before the end against a Dunnamaggin team that ultimately were outclassed on this occasion.

Dunnamaggin will have been delighted at the way they started the game. After early scores from John Fitzpatrick and Andy Hickey they led by 0-3 to 0-1 after just six minutes of play.

Thomastown then responded with six points as Robbie Donnelly, Stephen Donnelly, Luke Connellan, Thomas O’Hanrahan and Jack Holden added to the winners’ tally.

Crucially John Fitzpatrick missed successive frees for Dunnamaggin and it was around this period that Thomastown took over.
Stephen Donnelly got the opening goal of the game when breaking away from a few defenders. With a shortened grip, he placed the ball into the top corner.

A second goal soon followed when a long delivery from Robbie Donnelly was fumbled by Dunnamaggin captain Victor Costello in the danger area and Jack Holden arrived on cue to shoot past Andy O’Dwyer.

Further points from Robbie Donnelly and Thomas O’Hanrahan left the leaders 2-12 to 0-4 ahead, and while Michael Cody, John Fitzpatrick and Joe Fitzpatrick replied for Dunna’ it wasn’t long until a third goal arrived.

It was Robbie Donnelly who netted goal number three in first half stoppage time as Thomastown impressively took a 3-14 to 0-7 advantage into half-time.

Dunnamaggin kept at it throughout the second period with Michael Cody leading the charge with three points from centre-back.

It was a day where Thomastown held all the aces though and with Jack Holden grabbing a second goal for himself and all of their forwards scoring from play, last year’s beaten finalists emphatically booked their place in the final on a 4-24 to 0-16 scoreline.

Teams and Scorers

Thomastown - Jack Holden (2-2); Robbie Donnelly (1-7, 0-7 frees); Stephen Donnelly (1-4, 0-1 free); Luke Connellan (0-3); Thomas O’Hanrahan, John Donnelly (0-2 each); Zach Bay Hammond, Peter Connellan, Dylan Waugh, Jonjo Farrell (0-1 each).

Dunnamaggin - John Fitzpatrick (0-4, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65); Joe Fitzpatrick (0-3, 0-1 free); Michael Cody (0-3); Andy Hickey (0-2); Ray Cody, Peter Kenneally, Eoghan Kearney, Luke Fitzpatrick (0-1 each).

Thomastown - Diarmuid Galway; Brian O’Hanrahan, Jay Burke, Ned Kirwan; Zach Bay Hammond, Eddie Donnelly, Brian Staunton; Peter McDonald, Peter Connellan; Thomas O’Hanrahan, John Donnelly, Robbie Donnelly; Luke Connellan, Jack Holden, Stephen Donnelly.

Subs: Jonjo Farrell for Staunton, 35 mins; Johnny Barron for Bay Hammond, 41 mins; Dylan Waugh for O’Hanrahan, 46 mins; Rory Connellan for R Donnelly, 49 mins; David Prendergast for Kirwan, 53 mins.

Dunnamaggin - Andy O’Dwyer; Paul Kirwan, Victor Costello, Ian Walsh; Eoghan Kearney, Michael Cody, Darragh O’Keeffe; Shaun O’Keeffe, Darren Fitzpatrick; Ray Cody, Joe Fitzpatrick, Peter Kenneally; Denis Walsh, John Fitzpatrick, Andy Hickey.

Subs: Conor Hoban for S O’Keeffe, 38 mins; Adam Fitzpatrick for Kenneally, 47 mins; Andrew Fitzpatrick for Walsh, 52 mins; Luke Fitzpatrick for R Cody, 56 mins; Harry Walsh for D O’Keeffe, 58 mins.

Referee - Sean Cleere (O’Loughlin Gaels).