Liam McGarry Memorial Cup – Senior Hurling Challenge
Loughgiel 0-19 Drom & Inch 1-19
Tipperary’s Drom & Inch won the Liam McGarry Memorial Cup at Fr Healy Park on Saturday evening when they beat the hosts Loughgiel Shamrocks in a highly entertaining game which some top class hurling.
The Shamrocks started the game well with points from Shan McGrath, Darragh Patterson and Paul Boyle, and James McNaughton was in on goal for what seemed a certain score, only to be denied by a brilliant save by the Drom & Inch netminder Eoin Collins.
Carmel McGarry, daughter of the late Liam McGarry, presents the cup to Drom & Inch captain Podge Campion while Campion presents a framed Drom & Inch jersey to Enda Og McGarry, grandson of Liam
Centre forward David Collins got the Tipp men on the scoreboard with a point from inside his own half and corner forward John Campion added a second soon afterwards it was nip and tuck of the next ten minutes as both teams grabbed two points apiece, but three points in a two minute spell, two of them from James McNaughton and one from Ruairi McCloskey appeared to have given the home side the upper hand. However the visitors gained the upper hand during the second quarter and following a great move which saw right half back Kevin Hassett grab a point and a minute later corner forward John Campion got in for a goal. The remainder of the first half was dominated by the Tipperary men who added five mote to their total, two of them from midfielder Tony Cahill, in reply to two by Shan McGrath and Paul Boyle for the home side, to lead by 1-10 to 0-10 at the break.
Loughgiel started the second half well and three unanswered points by James McNaughton, Shan McGrat and ‘Bubble’s McMullan had them back level within six minutes. Campion restored the Drom & Inch lead with a point from a 65 but McNaughton and Boyle responded with two more for the home side to move back ahead. However the Tipp men grew stronger as the game progressed and a series of excellent points from Kinane, John Campion (2) Jack Lillis and team captain Podge Campion moved them well clear. Loughgiel never gave up the fight however and three late points brought them right back into contention, but Drom & Inch held on to take the victory and the Liam McGarry Cup