Longford SHC: Sean Tiernan the Slashers tormentor with 3-9 against Clonguish Gaels

Longford Slashers cruised to a most comprehensive triumph over Clonguish Gaels in the Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 clash at C & D Devine Park in Edgeworthstown on Sunday last with centre-half forward, Sean Tiernan, the man-of-the-match scoring an impressive 3-9, of which 3-8 came from play.

Longford Slashers . . . 4-25   Clonguish Gaels . . . 0-9 

Sunday’s victory allied to their 17-point win over Wolfe Tones in the previous round means that Robbie Stakelum’s charges are back in the County Final for the seventh successive year, but having won only one of the previous six finals, the Slashers’ management team will not be complacent ahead of the decider as they bid to win the JJ Duignan Cup for the first time since 2021.

Slashers got off to a blistering start and were 2-8 to 0-1 ahead after twenty minutes. Sean Tiernan was on fire scoring 2-4.Darragh Caslin with two points, David Buckley and Reuben Murray with a point each were the other scorers for the sky-blues while Oisin Flanagan slotted over the Clonguish reply.

Dan Crossan knocked over three points including a free in the following four minutes with Slashers responding through a Matthew Hawes point.

Slashers ended the first half very strongly, adding an unanswered 1-5 in the last five minutes to lead by 3-14 to 0-4 at the break to effectively end the match as a contest. 

Sean Tiernan added another two points including a free with the Caslin brothers, Darragh and Diarmuid also registering a point each.

Slashers third goal came on twenty-six minutes and it was a brilliantly worked score.  A Johnny Casey hand-pass found Mathew Hawes and his lovely, lobbed pass picked out Reuben Murray who intelligently flicked the ball to Buckley who rifled the ball to the roof of the Clonguish net.

Matthew Hawes ended the first half scoring with a stunning long-range point as Slashers had a 19-point half-time advantage.

Paul Barden fired over a free in the second minute of the second half but Slashers registered the next eight points courtesy of three Matthew Hawes scores, two from Reuben Murray including a free, and a point each from Karl Murray, Stephen Murray, and a Tiernan free as the Town side established a 3-22 to 0-5 lead with twelve minutes remaining.

Tiernan completed his hat-trick with a close-range goal on fifty minutes before slotting over another two points before the final whistle. Niall Hawes also raised the white flag for Slashers while Eamon Nertney, Dan Crossan (two frees) and Paul Barden with the last score of the match responded for Clonguish.

The remaining fixture in the group stages will determine whether it will be Wolfe Tones or Clonguish Gaels who will meet Longford Slashers in the county final at the end of September. 

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Adam Murray; Coílin Regan, Steven Oates, Finn Neary; John Murray, Daire Regan, Diarmuid Caslin (0-1); Reuben Murray (0-3,1 free), Johnny Casey;  Matthew Hawes (0-5), Sean Tiernan (3-9, 1 free), Darragh Caslin (0-3);  Niall Hawes (0-1), David Buckley (1-1), Stephen Murray (0-1).

Subs:- Karl Murray (0-1) for D Regan, Shane Maguire for C Regan, Gary Hand for R  Murray, Damien Dunne for D Buckley, Mark Farrell for S Murray.

CLONGUISH GAELS: Josh Callaghan; Eanna Madden, Anthony Watters, Oran Lyons; David Gregg, Alan Sorohan, Jack Nertney; Paul Barden (0-2,1 free), Declan Lee; Brian Brady, Dan Crossan (0-5, 3 frees), Eoghan Kiernan; Patrick Crossan, Stephen Gregg, Oisin Flanagan (0-1).

Subs:- Eamon Nertney (0-1) for B Brady, Ryan Britton for O Lyons.

Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath).