LOUGHMORE/CASTLEINEY WON the battle of the 2021 and 2022 champions after pulling away late on to beat Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-22 to 1-19 in the first of today’s Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship quarter finals at Semple Stadium in Thurles.

Ten points from John McGrath inspired Loughmore to a come from behind victory after falling three points on 37 minutes when Willie Cleary drifted onto a Kian O’Kelly pass to a 1-13 to 0-12 lead.

However, Kilruane handed the boost back within two minutes when a short puckout from Paudie Williams was intercepted by Liam McGrath who played in Ciaran McCormack who goaled with his first touch after coming on as a sub.

Kilruane had nudged back in front before conceding a second goal on 42 minutes after John McGrath’s free came back off the upright, but they didn’t clear fully with the ball worked back into Liam McGrath who finished to the net.

The game picked up from there with just one points between the sides on 59 minutes, but Loughmore reeled off five points in the four minutes that followed with Ed Connolly (three) and Ciaran Connolly (two) with John McGrath rounding off the scoring with the second from play.

Loughmore-Castleiney’s Liam McGrath scores the third goal of the game. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Willie Cleary top scored with 1-8 (0-8f) for Kilruane with Cian Darcy (three), Jerome Cahill (two) and Thomas Cleary other leading performers along with Aaron Morgan (two) who kept Noel McGrath under wraps.

In the second of the day’s quarter finals, slick Thurles Sarsfields were 0-29 to 1-19 winners over a disappointing Nenagh Eire Og challenge.

In what was predicted as a high scoring game, it began as such with Jake Morris lively in the early going for Nenagh, but Thurles quickly got to the pitch the game with four in a row with Darragh Stakelum to the form.

Sam O’Farrell hit three first half points as the sides were level at 0-9 each on twenty minutes when Nenagh lost full back Conor McCarthy to another knee injury, the former Tipp senior panellist not long back from a similar injury.

The break in play benefitted Thurles who opened up a four point lead with Stephen Cahill prominent in this period. Michael & Tommy Heffernan kept Nenagh close, but two Aidan McCormack frees gave Thurles Sarsfields a healthy 0-15 to 0-11 lead at the break.

Despite getting the first point of the second half, Nenagh couldn’t stem the momentum growing with Sars for whom newcomer Liam McCormack scored four points from play, as did Eoin Purcell as they opened up a seven point lead on 46 minutes. The game was petering out as a contest when Adam Healy goaled on 53 minutes and when Michael Heffernan added a point from a free, the margin was down to three.

However, there was no panic from Thurles who got four points from their subs bench, two from Pa Bourke making his first appearance at senior level in two years.

Thurles Sarsfields, join Mid Tipp counterparts Loughmore/Castleiney and Moycarkey/Borris in the semi-final draw which takes place on Monday evening, with Toomevara the last North Tipp side left standing, with the semi-finals taking place on the weekend of 28-29 September.

The senior relegation final that weekend will be between Lorrha and Templederry Kenyons, who lost to Borris-Ileigh and Roscrea in their respective semi-finals.