St Mary’s are through to the quarter-finals of the FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship following a well-deserved five-points victory over Killenaule at the Barracks Field in Fethard on Friday evening. Having already recorded group wins over Sean Treacy’s and Burgess, the undefeated Clonmel side now march on and will, no doubt, take great confidence from their first victory over Killenaule at this level in at least 30 years.

On the other hand, the Robins are now out of this year’s championship having also lost to Burgess in their opening group game. And after a heavy defeat to Carrick Swan in the South Senior Hurling Championship final at Monroe last month, 2024 has proven to be a very disappointing year for Killenaule hurling.

In-form St Mary’s arrived for this crunch game on the crest of a wave having upset the formbook the previous day with their 1-18 to 2-12 win over Burgess. And while they had the slight cushion of knowing a draw would be good enough to see them through against Killenaule, the Marys were also cognisant of the fact that they had suffered a heavy defeat to the same opposition in the South championship.

Too often the team in red has been the bogey side for St Mary’s at senior level, so much so that no one was exactly sure when they had last defeated the opposition. However, there was no doubting the determination that the Fergal Condon managed St Mary’s took to the field with on Friday night, and by the end of the first quarter they led 0-4 to 0-2. Just one of those six scores however, came from open play, a point in the sixth minute scored by Peter McGarry from a tight angle after an excellent crossfield pass by Sean Kennedy.

In that opening quarter Sean Kennedy (2) and goalkeeper Enda Dunphy with a long-range effort for St Mary’s, and Joe O’Dwyer (2) for Killenaule, had accounted for all the frees. St Mary’s had the ball in the back of the net after 11 minutes, scored by Niall Hoctor, but referee Tom McGrath had called back play for a free before Hoctor had goaled.

Killenaule had to wait until the 16th minute for their first point from play, scored by Padraig O’Dwyer. They had a great chance of a goal shortly afterwards when a move cut right through the Clonmel rearguard giving both Paudie Feehan and Luke Ryan chances to goal, but brave defending by St Mary’s somehow kept Killenaule at bay.

Frees for St Mary’s from Sean Kennedy and Enda Dunphy came either side of a Tom Stakelum effort for Killenaule to leave the team in white and blue ahead by 0-6 to 0-4 after 20 minutes.

Soon afterwards it was a level game though after Joe O’Dwyer sent over a free and then Eoin Shaw superbly converted from the sideline 45 metres out making it 0-6 apiece on 22 minutes.

Killenaule had a glorious chance to edge ahead for the first time in the 23rd minute but a close-in free was disappointingly sent wide. Crucially, they were never to get their noses in front over the hour.

A full 18 minutes on from their opening point from play, Peter McGarry raised a second  following good work in the build-up by Conor Deely and James Power.

Then from the resultant puck-out it was McGarry again who reacted fastest to mop up a breaking ball and point from the halfway line to double his side’s lead.

Twenty seven minutes in St Mary’s Sammy Ryan, having lost his hurley, was forced into conceding a yellow-card tackle on Luke Ryan  allowing Joe O’Dwyer to convert the free for Killenaule.

But the lead was soon back to two, the man responsible again none other than the  impressive Peter McGarry with his fourth point from play. The Clonmel side were very fortunate to get away with that point, the sliotar clearly swept off the ground by a hand in the build-up. At the break St Mary’s led 0-9 to 0-7.

A slow start to the second period produced just three points in the opening 12 minutes, the Marys stretching their advantage out to three in the process.

Goalkeeper Enda Dunphy with a free from his own 65 metre line in the 32nd minute opened the second half account, before Paudie Feehan (Killenaule) and Darragh O’Connor (St Mary’s) finished off good moves for their respective teams with points.

Sean Kennedy, who shipped a lot of punishment over the hour, extended that Clonmel advantage to four by the 42nd minute when converting a long-range free from the sideline. But Killenaule kept applying pressure and earning frees, two in quick succession by Luke Ryan and Ciaran O’Dwyer from distance to leave just two points in it at the three-quarters mark.

The match-deciding score came in the 46th minute. Peter McGarry picked up an Enda Dunphy puck-out and ran at speed through the heart of the Robins’ defence before unselfishly offloading to Niall Hoctor who didn’t disappoint when finishing to the Killenaule goal. In a low-scoring encounter, on a wet and greasy surface, a five points advantage with 14 minutes to play was a sizable lead for the Clonmel side to hold.

Killenaule had an opportunity at an instant reply for a goal of their own when Paudie Feehan, Joe O’Dwyer and Tom Stakelum combined in a move up the field. But just when danger loomed most it took a superb intervention from St Mary’s corner-back Tadgh Condon to save his side’s bacon and clear the danger.

Killenaule were now at serious risk of elimination and one felt that that pressure was evident in the last 10 minutes. Repeatedly they tried to force a goal instead of playing the slower point-taking game and hoping the goal chances might create themselves.

Luke Ryan and Sean Kennedy swapped frees leaving five points still between the sides with seven minutes to play. And after Tom Stakelum sent over a point for the Robins, back came the Marys immediately with a rousing white flag. Conor Deely plucked the ball from the sky around midfield, fed brother Cathal who in turn provided an excellent pass for Peter McGarry to score his fifth of the evening. It definitely looked at this juncture that that long wait was about to come to an end for St Mary’s.

From play and frees, Killenaule kept delivering into the danger zone, but manfully St Mary’s had every answer and were unrelenting in their workrate, determination and bravery.

Three minutes from the end of normal time Luke Ryan had his final free of the evening for Killenaule, responded to in impressive fashion by the returning Ruairí Leahy with an over-the-shoulder effort from a tight angle at the town end.

Referee Tom McGrath added on five minutes of additional time and by now, left with no other option, Killenaule continued sending hopeful sliotars in, and St Mary’s never relented in batting all danger out, to finally get that Killenaule monkey off their back.

St Mary’s will be delighted with this hard-earned and long-awaited win. There was plenty to admire about their spirit and business-like approach right from the get-go. Captain Ross Slattery was soundness personified at full-back ably assisted by Tadgh Condon and Josh Ryan in the corners. The half back line of Darragh O’Connor, Tadhg Sheehan and Sammy Ryan got through a pile of work, contributing in a huge way in limiting Killenaule to just five points from open play.

The Mary’s midfield of Conor Deely and Richie Gunne held their own, while Peter McGarry was the standout player in the attack. Sean Kennedy and Enda Dunphy were also vital to the victory with their impressive free-taking.

This defeat marks the end of the road for Niall O’Dwyer’s Killenaule, who never hit the heights of other years this time around. A lack of composure at times, plus a few bad decisions at vital stages and some poor wides all contributed to the defeat. There were honest efforts all round though; Paddy Codd, Cian Johnson, Ciaran O’Dwyer, Jimmy Feehan, Tom Stakelum, Joe O’Dwyer and Paudie Feehan never gave up the chase.

St Mary’s: Enda Dunphy (0-3F), Tadgh Condon, Ross Slattery (capt), Josh Ryan, Darragh O’Connor (0-1), Tadhg Sheehan, Sammy Ryan, Conor Deely, Richie Gunne, James Power, Sean Kennedy (0-5F), Michael Murphy, Peter McGarry (0-5), Niall Hoctor (1-0), Gavin Ryan.

Subs: Ross Peter for G. Ryan (HT); Cathal Deely for Power (46 mins); Ruairí Leahy (0-1) for Hoctor (53 mins); Thomas Charles for Gunne (58 mins); Eoghan Walsh for Slattery (60+4 mins)

Killenaule: Joe Ceaser, Finn Nolan, Paddy Codd, Jack Hassett, Thomas Keaveney, Ciaran O’Dwyer (0-1F), Jimmy Feehan, Eoin O’Connell, Killian O’Dwyer, Joe O’Dwyer (capt, 0-4F), Luke Ryan (0-3F), Padraig O’Dwyer (0-1), Tom Stakelum (0-2), Eoin Shaw (0-1), Paudie Feehan (0-1).

Subs: Mark Stakelum for Keaveney (39 mins); Fionn Fitzgerald for O’Connell (43 mins).

Referee: Tom McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney).

Match Report taken from the Tipp Echo Newspaper.