Na Fianna 0-17

Loughrea 0-16

ONE-point defeats are killers, especially when a team leaves everything on the field. That was Loughrea’s lot after a thrilling All-Ireland Club senior hurling semi-final at Semple Stadium on Sunday.

It wasn’t as if the champions of Galway didn’t show up, or that they produced a performance riddled with mistakes. If anything, Loughrea’s first-half display was a career best for this team – the only problem was that they should have been more than four points ahead at the break.

In essence, that was the losing and winning of this high-standard All-Ireland semi-final in front of an animated crowd. Loughrea only had seven wides in the opening 30 minutes, but at least a couple of them should have resulted in routine scores.

It left them vulnerable if Na Fianna could get some momentum going. The Dublin outfit were on the backfoot for long tracts of the first half, but a 0-10 to 0-6 interval deficit was manageable, especially as they would have the backing of the elements on the resumption.

As it transpired, Na Fianna gradually ground Loughrea down with full forward AJ Murphy emerging as the hero of the hour with the match-winning point in the last minute of stoppage time after he was put in the clear by the influential Ciaran Stacey.

It was a devastating outcome for a Loughrea team which gave everything for the cause. Making light of their six-week competitive lay-off, they produced some slick, cohesive hurling which had the strong pre-match favourites in all kinds of trouble.

The Loughrea rearguard was magnificent, particularly down its left flank where Kieran Hanrahan and Brian Keary were nearly unbeatable. Ian Hanrahan and Cullen Killeen were dynamic around midfield; while the work-rate of Joe Mooney typified their overall commitment.

Furthermore, Tiernan Killeen on the forty had former county player Liam Rushe under real pressure; while Anthony Burns and Darren Shaughnessy in the corners looked capable of having a field day. Loughrea were doing so many things right and making light of the big occasion.

But in the context of storming into a 0-7 to 0-2 lead after 16 minutes, to end up only being four points ahead at the break was disappointing. Shaughnessy and Tiernan Killeen spurned two great chances in quick succession in the second quarter at a time when Na Fianna were barely clinging on.

Those misses were a pity as Loughrea’s build-up play was excellent and the reality is that they were to pay a heavy price for only tacking on three points – two Shane Morgan long-range frees and a quality Burns effort – in the final 17 minutes of the half, including two of injury time.

Over the same period Na Fianna managed to throw themselves a lifeline. A brace of points from Séan Currie were augmented by midfielder’s Brian Ryan fine score and a Colin Currie free to keep Loughrea within their sights.

Na Fianna, however, had their misses too and when free-taker Currie was off-target with two placed balls immediately after the resumption, you had a sense it might be Loughrea’s day, especially when Morgan, who was rock-solid in the number six jersey, restored their five-point advantage (0-11 to 0-6) from another monster free in the 32nd minute.

Pictured: Loughrea’s Cullen Killeen and Shane Morgan look to have this situation under control against Sean Burke of Na Fianna during Sunday’s All-Ireland Club senior hurling semi-final at Semple Stadium. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.