Tipperary Senior Hurling Power Rankings After Round 1: The Champions Stay Top, But the Pack Is Closing
One round down and already the 2026 FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship has been turned on its head.
The defending champions were beaten by seven points. Last year’s county finalists conceded four goals. Cashel King Cormacs struck 0-32. Moycarkey/Borris held Loughmore/Castleiney to 0-15. Clonoulty/Rossmore found another way to survive, while JK Brackens produced arguably the most eye-catching performance of the opening weekend.
This is exactly what makes the Dan Breen race so compelling.
The championship format is ruthless. A first-round victory is gold dust, but the divisional route and the preliminary quarter-final provide a lifeline for teams with the experience and resilience to remain dangerous. Some teams can absorb a defeat. Others are already staring at a game they simply cannot afford to lose.
These are power rankings, not group standings.
They are not based exclusively on what happened during one weekend. They are an assessment of who we would trust most to win the county championship from this position, taking account of form, championship pedigree, injuries, scoring power, defensive performance, the draw and the potential routes into the knockout stages.
That is why Loughmore/Castleiney remain at number one despite producing the lowest scoring total in Round 1. It is also why Nenagh Éire Óg remain inside the top three after conceding four goals.
Both calls are open to debate. That is the point.
Only a fool would confidently predict the winners of most of these Round 2 games. The margins between the teams are small, the consequences of defeat are enormous, and almost every side has enough quality to punish an opponent that drops even five per cent below its best.
What the Round 1 numbers tell us
Cashel King Cormacs produced the highest scoring total of the opening round, hitting 0-32 against Drom & Inch.
JK Brackens were next with a total of 30 after scoring 4-18, while Kiladangan and Clonoulty/Rossmore both finished on 29.
Moycarkey/Borris produced the best defensive performance, conceding just 0-15 against the reigning county champions. Toomevara and CJ Kickhams Mullinahone both conceded 0-20, while Kiladangan restricted Roscrea to 0-21.
JK Brackens and Kiladangan share the best scoring differential at plus eight. Moycarkey/Borris are next on plus seven, with Thurles Sarsfields on plus six.
Michael Dunne is the championship’s leading scorer after Round 1 following his 0-12 for Mullinahone. Eddie Ryan and Lyndon Fairbrother are next on 0-10, while John McGrath, Billy Seymour, Stephen Ferncombe and Séamus Callanan each scored 0-09.
Sean Hayes leads the scoring-from-play standings with 1-04. Cormac Fitzpatrick struck 0-06 from play, while Billy Seymour, Bryan McLoughney, Robert Doyle, Jack Ryan, Paddy McCormack and Kian O’Kelly each contributed the equivalent of five points from play.
Here are The Premier View Power Rankings after Round 1.
16. Upperchurch/Drombane
Round 1: Thurles Sarsfields 0-28 Upperchurch/Drombane 3-13
Scoring total: 22 scored, 28 conceded, differential -6
Leading scorers: Pat Ryan 0-06, Gavin Ryan 1-02, Philip O’Dwyer 1-01, Paul Shanahan 1-00
Next: Kilruane MacDonaghs, Sunday 9 August, 6.30pm, Templederry
Upperchurch/Drombane found the net three times against Thurles Sarsfields and still finished six points adrift.
That is the most concerning part of their Round 1 performance.
Goals from Gavin Ryan, Philip O’Dwyer and Paul Shanahan gave Upperchurch a scoring total of 22, but they were unable to disrupt Sarsfields for long enough to make those green flags count. At the other end, conceding 0-28 without allowing a goal underlines how consistently Thurles were able to create and finish chances.
Pat Ryan carried much of the points-scoring responsibility with 0-06, while Gavin Ryan’s 1-02 made him their most productive scorer from open play. However, outside those principal contributors, Upperchurch needed more sustained attacking pressure.
Their Mid Championship and round1 performance have not yet suggested that they are operating at the level required to challenge the leading sides.
Round 2 against Kilruane MacDonaghs is already enormous. Kilruane are coming off a one-point defeat and will see this as the opportunity to put two points on the board. Upperchurch must find another gear, particularly in their ability to create point-scoring opportunities, or the conversation will quickly move away from qualification and towards the relegation picture.
There is still time, but the response has to begin in Templederry.
15. CJ Kickhams Mullinahone
Round 1: CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 0-20 Toomevara 0-20
Scoring total: 20 scored, 20 conceded, differential 0
Leading scorers: Michael Dunne 0-12, Sam Rowan 0-03, Eoin O’Dwyer 0-02, Jack Shelly 0-02
Next: Nenagh Éire Óg, Sunday 9 August, 6.30pm, Templetuohy
Mullinahone were five minutes away from one of the most valuable victories of the opening weekend.
They led Toomevara by three points in the closing stages, had Michael Dunne in outstanding scoring form and possessed the best player on the field in Sam Rowan. Instead, Toomevara’s experience dragged the Greyhounds back into the contest and Kevin McCarthy’s late free left Mullinahone with one point rather than two.
It could prove costly.
Dunne finished as the leading scorer across the entire championship with 0-12, including ten frees and one 65. His accuracy kept Mullinahone in control for long periods, but the figures also reveal the level of dependence on him. Dunne scored only one of his twelve points from play, while Mullinahone finished with 0-09 from play as a team.
Rowan was superb, scoring 0-03 and producing the pace, balance and athleticism that marked him out as the game’s standout performer. Jack Shelly and Eoin O’Dwyer contributed 0-02 each, while Sean Curran also worked his way into the contest.
Their defensive total of 20 was excellent. Only Moycarkey/Borris conceded less during the opening round. Daire O’Brien, Paul Curran and Darragh Linnane all performed strongly, meaning there was much more to like about Mullinahone’s display than their ranking might suggest.
The problem is what lies ahead.
Nenagh Éire Óg are next, with JK Brackens waiting in Round 3. Mullinahone needed to bank the win against Toomevara. Having allowed it to escape, they now require at least one major upset to force their way into the qualification discussion.
14. Roscrea
Round 1: Kiladangan 2-23 Roscrea 0-21
Scoring total: 21 scored, 29 conceded, differential -8
Leading scorers: Luke Cashin 0-09, Shane Fletcher 0-04, Alan Tynan 0-02, Leigh Loughnane 0-02, Evan Fitzpatrick 0-02
Next: Drom & Inch, Saturday 8 August, 3.00pm, Templemore
Roscrea showed enough during their second-half recovery against Kiladangan to prevent anybody from writing them off.
The problem is that championship points are not awarded for fighting back.
Kiladangan led 1-18 to 0-09 at half-time after making full use of the gale at their backs. Roscrea could easily have collapsed, but instead they produced one of the strongest periods of hurling seen from any losing team in Round 1.
They reduced a twelve-point interval deficit to three by the end of normal time. Darragh Tynan, Alan Tynan, Evan Fitzpatrick and Shane Fletcher all contributed to the recovery, while Luke Cashin finished with 0-09, including four frees.
Roscrea generated 0-13 from play and briefly had Kiladangan under severe pressure. The concern is that their first-half deficit left them with no margin for error. Once the lengthy stoppage interrupted their momentum, Kiladangan regrouped and finished with 1-02 without reply.
The final eight-point margin was harsh on Roscrea’s second-half performance, but conceding 2-23 leaves them joint-bottom of Group 3 on scoring difference.
They came within reach of a North final victory and have now given Kiladangan a genuine scare. At some point, encouraging performances must become wins.
That makes the Round 2 meeting with Drom & Inch pivotal. Drom conceded 0-32 to Cashel, while Roscrea conceded 29 scoring points to Kiladangan. Both attacks have reasons for encouragement, but both defences need improvement.
The loser will face an extremely difficult route back into contention.
13. Borris-Ileigh
Round 1: Clonoulty/Rossmore 3-20 Borris-Ileigh 2-21
Scoring total: 27 scored, 29 conceded, differential -2
Leading scorers: Eddie Ryan 0-10, Paddy McCormack 1-02, Kieran Maher 1-00, James Devaney 0-03
Next: Loughmore/Castleiney, Saturday 8 August, 7.00pm, The Ragg
Borris-Ileigh were only two injury-time points away from opening their campaign with a victory over the West champions.
Instead, Cathal Bourke and Jack Ryan struck at the death and Borris were left reflecting on three goal opportunities that went begging.
Those chances are the difference between entering Round 2 with momentum and facing a wounded Loughmore/Castleiney side in a game carrying enormous psychological importance.
There was plenty to admire in the Borris performance. They scored 2-21, producing the seventh-highest attacking total of the weekend, and generated 2-14 from play. Eddie Ryan finished with 0-10, including three points from play, while Paddy McCormack contributed 1-02.
McCormack looks sharp, Conor Kenny is back in the attack and James Devaney struck 0-03 from play. Kieran Maher’s early goal also demonstrated the threat Borris can carry from deeper positions.
The North champions will be frustrated by how the game escaped them. They led by four at half-time and responded immediately when Clonoulty appeared to have taken control. Jason O’Dwyer’s save denied them what could have been the winning goal before Clonoulty landed the final two scores.
Their divisional success gives them a safety net, but Borris will not want to reach the knockout stages carrying a sequence of county championship defeats.
Loughmore will arrive at The Ragg with a point to prove. Borris will arrive knowing the champions looked vulnerable in Round 1.
It should be ferocious.
12. Toomevara
Round 1: CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 0-20 Toomevara 0-20
Scoring total: 20 scored, 20 conceded, differential 0
Leading scorers: Kevin McCarthy 0-08, Adam Hall 0-03, Patrick Hackett 0-02
Next: JK Brackens, Sunday 9 August, 4.00pm, Borrisoleigh
Toomevara’s championship experience earned them a point in Dundrum, but the performance also highlighted how much they need their strongest team on the field.
Trailing by three points with five minutes remaining, Toome refused to accept defeat. Adam Hall scored twice, Patrick Hackett found the target and Kevin McCarthy converted the late equalising free after Mullinahone were penalised for overcarrying.
That resilience matters.
The concern is that Toome spent too much of the contest chasing Mullinahone. They were level ten times, but Mullinahone repeatedly found ways to move in front and looked set to win when Michael Dunne’s 65 restored their three-point advantage.
Kevin McCarthy scored 0-08, with six coming from frees. Adam Hall contributed 0-03, while Patrick Hackett struck 0-02. Their overall attacking return included 0-13 from play, six frees and Mark McCarthy’s sideline cut.
The defence performed well. Liam Ryan, Andrew Ryan and Seamus O’Farrell kept the Mullinahone attack under control, while Josh McCarthy, Conor O’Farrell and Jack Ryan were influential across half-back.
Darragh McCarthy’s absence was significant, while Jack Delaney was only able to make a late appearance. A fully fit Darragh McCarthy changes the shape and scoring potential of this Toomevara team.
They now face JK Brackens, the team that produced the biggest statement of Round 1.
Toome must turn the game into a battle, slow the supply into the Brackens inside line and prevent the Ormond brothers from hurling on the front foot. A second draw would leave them alive, but a defeat would place enormous pressure on their Round 3 meeting with Nenagh.
11. Clonoulty/Rossmore
Round 1: Clonoulty/Rossmore 3-20 Borris-Ileigh 2-21
Scoring total: 29 scored, 27 conceded, differential +2
Leading scorers: Stephen Ferncombe 0-09, Robert Doyle 1-02, Jack Ryan 1-02, Stephen Quinn 1-00, Jamie Davern 0-03
Next: Moycarkey/Borris, Saturday 8 August, 4.00pm, Boherlahan
No team in Tipperary appears to enjoy adversity as much as Clonoulty/Rossmore.
They entered the game without Enda Heffernan, Tommy Ryan and Ciaran Quirke. They trailed Borris-Ileigh by four points at half-time. They conceded a Paddy McCormack goal immediately after moving five points ahead.
None of it mattered.
Clonoulty stayed in the contest, trusted their experienced players and landed the final two points through Cathal Bourke and Jack Ryan to secure another important victory.
Their scoring total of 29 was the joint-third-highest of Round 1. More importantly, they scored 3-13 from play, with goals from Robert Doyle, Jack Ryan and Stephen Quinn. Stephen Ferncombe added 0-09, including seven frees, while Jamie Davern scored 0-03 from play.
Robert Doyle’s influence was enormous. Nominally positioned in defence, he operated far beyond his own half and scored 1-02. Jack Ryan added another 1-02 and delivered the final score that sealed the result.
Their capacity to produce championship performances while carrying injuries is almost unmatched. They found a way to win the West final and found another way against the North champions.
Why, then, are they only eleventh?
The injuries remain a concern and Group 2 offers no relief. Moycarkey/Borris are next after producing the defensive performance of Round 1, with Loughmore to follow.
Clonoulty already have their divisional route secured, but they will not be thinking about safety nets. Beat Moycarkey and they will be in an outstanding position to win the group.
You would not bet against them.
10. Kilruane MacDonaghs
Round 1: Holycross/Ballycahill 1-22 Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-18
Scoring total: 24 scored, 25 conceded, differential -1
Leading scorers: Willie Cleary 0-07, Kian O’Kelly 0-05, Thomas Cleary 1-01, Niall O’Meara 0-03, Cian Darcy 1-00
Next: Upperchurch/Drombane, Sunday 9 August, 6.30pm, Templederry
This could be the most questionable placing in the entire ranking.
Kilruane MacDonaghs lost to our number-two team by a single point. They scored two goals, generated the equivalent of 2-13 from play and had five different players contribute at least three points to their total.
That is not the profile of a team that should be dismissed.
Willie Cleary led the way with 0-07, while Kian O’Kelly scored 0-05 from play. Thomas Cleary contributed 1-01, Cian Darcy found the net and Niall O’Meara added 0-03.
Kilruane’s total of 24 was only one behind Holycross and they conceded only 25. On another afternoon, that level of performance would have been enough to open the campaign with a victory.
The immediate task is straightforward. They must beat Upperchurch/Drombane.
Upperchurch conceded 0-28 to Thurles but carried a three-goal threat at the opposite end. Kilruane cannot allow the game to become loose or give Upperchurch the kind of goal opportunities that could transform the contest.
A Kilruane victory would set up a fascinating Round 3 meeting with Thurles Sarsfields, potentially with qualification on the line.
They are tenth because nine teams are currently judged to have a stronger overall championship position, not because Kilruane performed poorly.
A convincing win in Templederry could move them several places.
9. Drom & Inch
Round 1: Cashel King Cormacs 0-32 Drom & Inch 0-28
Scoring total: 28 scored, 32 conceded, differential -4
Leading scorers: Séamus Callanan 0-09, Cormac Fitzpatrick 0-06, John Campion 0-04, Tony Cahill 0-04, Johnny Ryan 0-03
Next: Roscrea, Saturday 8 August, 3.00pm, Templemore
Drom & Inch scored 0-28 and still finished four points short.
That tells you everything about the extraordinary nature of their game with Cashel King Cormacs.
Their attacking performance contained plenty of encouragement. Cormac Fitzpatrick was the leading scorer from play across all eight Round 1 games, striking 0-06. John Campion and Tony Cahill scored 0-04 each, Johnny Ryan added 0-03 and David Collins and Lorcan Campion also found the target.
Drom produced 0-19 from play, with Séamus Callanan converting 0-09 from frees.
They trailed by six at half-time but used the breeze well after the restart. Twice during the final quarter they reduced the margin to a single point. Each time, Cashel found an answer.
The obvious problem is the defensive return.
Drom conceded 0-32, the highest total of the round, including 0-21 from play. Cashel had ten different scorers and repeatedly created chances through the middle third and half-forward line.
Drom’s attack looks capable of hurting any team in Group 3. The question is whether they can close the spaces at the other end without sacrificing the freedom that allowed Fitzpatrick, Campion and Cahill to flourish.
Roscrea are next, followed by Kiladangan.
That is a difficult route. Drom realistically need to win both games to take a top-two position. They have enough attacking quality to do it, but another concession total approaching 30 will make qualification almost impossible.
8. JK Brackens
Round 1: JK Brackens 4-18 Nenagh Éire Óg 0-22
Scoring total: 30 scored, 22 conceded, differential +8
Leading scorers: Lyndon Fairbrother 0-10, Jamie Ormond 0-04, Andrew Ormond 1-01, Shane Doyle 1-01, Eanna McBride 1-01, Dean McEnroe 1-00
Next: Toomevara, Sunday 9 August, 4.00pm, Borrisoleigh
No team made a louder opening-round statement than JK Brackens.
They scored four goals against last year’s county finalists, generated 4-11 from play and still finished with sixteen wides. They had close to 40 attempts at the Nenagh posts.
That level of chance creation demands attention.
The goals were shared between Shane Doyle, Dean McEnroe, Andrew Ormond and Eanna McBride. Jamie Ormond scored 0-04 from play, while Lyndon Fairbrother finished with 0-10, including three from play and seven frees.
The balance of their attack was excellent. Brackens did not need one forward to dominate the scoreboard because the threat came from several different lines.
Jamie and Andrew Ormond were outstanding. Shane Doyle was directly involved in the creation of the second goal before contributing 1-01 himself. Eanna McBride worked tirelessly and still arrived in position to score the fourth goal.
The defensive structure also deserves credit. Paddy Cadell controlled matters, while Cathal Scully, Ned Walsh and Conor Cadell helped frustrate a Nenagh team determined to build from deep.
A scoring total of 30, a concession total of 22 and a plus-eight differential places Brackens level with Kiladangan on the best differential of the round.
So why only eighth?
They must now prove the Nenagh performance is repeatable. Toomevara will offer a completely different challenge. The game is likely to be tighter, more physical and less open.
Win in Borrisoleigh and Brackens will have a direct route towards the quarter-finals.
7. Thurles Sarsfields
Round 1: Thurles Sarsfields 0-28 Upperchurch/Drombane 3-13
Scoring total: 28 scored, 22 conceded, differential +6
Leading scorers: Conor Stakelum 0-06, Darragh Stakelum 0-05, Aidan McCormack 0-04
Next: Holycross/Ballycahill, Saturday 8 August, 2.15pm, Boherlahan
Thurles Sarsfields looked in control from beginning to end against Upperchurch/Drombane.
They did not find the net, but they accumulated 0-28 through the consistency and range of their point scoring. Eleven different players contributed, with 0-19 coming from play.
Conor Stakelum led the scoring with 0-06, including four from play. Darragh Stakelum added 0-05, while Aidan McCormack finished with 0-04.
The spread matters.
Sarsfields conceded three goals, but they restricted Upperchurch to 0-13 in points. Their ability to continue adding scores prevented any individual goal from changing the momentum of the contest.
Ronan Maher’s absence is significant, and no team simply replaces a player of his influence. However, if Conor Stakelum, Darragh Stakelum and the supporting cast continue producing at this level, Sars can minimise the damage.
Their Round 2 meeting with Holycross/Ballycahill is one of the games of the weekend.
Holycross are young, fast and fearless. Sarsfields have the greater championship tradition and understand the pace and physicality required when the group begins to tighten.
A Thurles victory would put them in control of Group 1. A Holycross victory would confirm that the balance of power in this section may have shifted.
6. Kiladangan
Round 1: Kiladangan 2-23 Roscrea 0-21
Scoring total: 29 scored, 21 conceded, differential +8
Leading scorers: Billy Seymour 0-09, Sean Hayes 1-04, Bryan McLoughney 1-02, Tadhg Gallagher 0-03
Next: Cashel King Cormacs, Saturday 8 August, 5.00pm, Templemore
Are Kiladangan back to their best?
For most of the first half against Roscrea, the answer appeared to be yes.
They used the wind intelligently, trusted their shooters from distance and built a commanding 1-18 to 0-09 half-time lead. Their movement and execution were sharp, while Roscrea struggled to prevent Kiladangan from shooting on sight.
Sean Hayes produced the highest scoring contribution from play of Round 1, finishing with 1-04. Bryan McLoughney scored 1-02, Billy Seymour hit 0-09, including five points from play, and Tadhg Gallagher contributed 0-03.
Kiladangan finished with 2-19 from play and just 0-04 from placed balls. That is an outstanding attacking return.
The second half offered a warning.
Roscrea reduced the deficit from twelve points to three and had real momentum as normal time expired. Kiladangan’s scoring dried up for a long period and the game became far more uncomfortable than their first-half dominance suggested it should.
However, championship teams must know how to close out games. Kiladangan did exactly that, finishing with 1-02 without reply. Seymour landed two crucial points before Hayes sealed the victory with his stoppage-time goal.
They now face Cashel in a repeat of the league final.
Cashel produced the highest score of Round 1, while Kiladangan produced the joint-best differential. It has the potential to be another shootout, but Kiladangan will want far greater control than they managed during Roscrea’s second-half surge.
5. Cashel King Cormacs
Round 1: Cashel King Cormacs 0-32 Drom & Inch 0-28
Scoring total: 32 scored, 28 conceded, differential +4
Leading scorers: Devon Ryan 0-08, Eoghan Connolly 0-06, Oisín O’Donoghue 0-04, Ross Bonnar 0-03, Conor O’Dwyer 0-03, Ger Browne 0-03
Next: Kiladangan, Saturday 8 August, 5.00pm, Templemore
Cashel King Cormacs produced the highest scoring total of Round 1 and did it without scoring a goal.
They hit 0-32 in a sixty-score shootout against Drom & Inch, with 0-21 coming from play.
The range of their attack was as impressive as the final total. Ten players scored, and six players contributed at least three points.
Devon Ryan was the standout, finishing with 0-08, including three from play. Eoghan Connolly scored 0-06, Oisín O’Donoghue struck 0-04 and Ross Bonnar, Conor O’Dwyer and Ger Browne contributed 0-03 each.
O’Donoghue and Connolly were electric, while Ger Browne carried his strong form into the county championship. Cashel’s crisp striking and movement suited the hard Littleton surface and allowed them to establish a 0-18 to 0-12 interval lead.
The most encouraging aspect was their response when Drom threatened to complete the comeback.
Drom twice reduced the margin to one point. Cashel did not panic. They steadied themselves and struck four unanswered scores during the closing stages through O’Donoghue, Bonnar and Connolly.
There is still a defensive question. Conceding 0-28 will leave the management with plenty to address, particularly before facing an attack containing Hayes, Seymour and McLoughney.
The Round 2 meeting with Kiladangan will reveal far more about both teams. Cashel have proven they can win a shootout. Now they must show they can impose themselves against one of the most balanced teams in the championship.
4. Moycarkey/Borris
Round 1: Moycarkey/Borris 1-19 Loughmore/Castleiney 0-15
Scoring total: 22 scored, 15 conceded, differential +7
Leading scorers: Kieran Morris 0-05, David Costigan 1-01, Killian Cantwell 0-03, Rhys Shelly 0-03, Niall Heffernan 0-02, Max Hackett 0-02
Next: Clonoulty/Rossmore, Saturday 8 August, 4.00pm, Boherlahan
Moycarkey/Borris did not steal a victory against Loughmore/Castleiney.
They outworked them, outfought them and deservedly beat them by seven points.
The defending champions were held to 0-15, the lowest total recorded by any team in Round 1. Moycarkey’s defensive return was comfortably the best of the weekend, five better than the next-lowest concession total.
That does not happen by accident.
Rhys Shelly was outstanding in goal, scoring 0-03 and making a crucial late save from Joey Quinn. Tom Ryan and Stephen Walsh were excellent in defence, while Kieran Cummins and Niall Heffernan helped Moycarkey gain control around midfield.
David Costigan is developing into a major championship figure for them. His first-half goal gave Moycarkey a 1-10 to 0-06 interval advantage and forced Loughmore to chase the game.
Costigan finished with 1-01. Kieran Morris contributed 0-05, Killian Cantwell and Shelly scored 0-03 each, while Niall Heffernan and substitute Max Hackett added 0-02 apiece.
Their 1-19 included 1-09 from play and 0-10 from placed balls. It was not a spectacular attacking total, but it was more than enough because of the ferocity and organisation of the performance behind it.
Moycarkey have been building towards this level for several seasons. This result suggests they are no longer simply capable of upsetting the leading teams. They are now a serious force at senior level.
Beat Clonoulty/Rossmore and another run to FBD Semple Stadium will move from possibility to expectation.
3. Nenagh Éire Óg
Round 1: JK Brackens 4-18 Nenagh Éire Óg 0-22
Scoring total: 22 scored, 30 conceded, differential -8
Leading scorers: Sam O’Farrell 0-06, Barry Heffernan 0-05, Paddy Murphy 0-02, Filip McIntyre 0-02
Next: CJ Kickhams Mullinahone, Sunday 9 August, 6.30pm, Templetuohy
Third place looks indefensible if these rankings are viewed as a Round 1 results table.
They are not.
Nenagh were poor against JK Brackens. Their insistence on playing short from the back repeatedly placed them under pressure. Moves broke down, possession was turned over and Brackens attacked a defensive structure that never appeared comfortable.
The result was four goals conceded and a scoring differential of minus eight.
Brackens generated 4-11 from play. Nenagh managed 0-12 from play and needed four late Barry Heffernan points to make the final margin more respectable.
Sam O’Farrell scored 0-06 from frees, while Heffernan finished with 0-05, including two from play. Jake Morris was denied a first-half goal by an excellent Jack Kennedy save, but Nenagh never consistently imposed their attacking quality on the game.
There will be soul-searching over the tactical approach.
However, this remains the team that reached last year’s county final. They have experienced players and enough individual quality to become increasingly dangerous if they survive into the knockout stages.
Their position is based on what they could still become, not what they showed in Templederry.
An expected Round 2 victory over Mullinahone would leave Nenagh facing Toomevara in a potentially decisive final group game. Win both and the opening-round collapse becomes little more than a warning.
Lose to Mullinahone and this ranking will fall apart.
The longer Nenagh remain in the championship, the more dangerous they become. First, they must get the basics right.
2. Holycross/Ballycahill
Round 1: Holycross/Ballycahill 1-22 Kilruane MacDonaghs 2-18
Scoring total: 25 scored, 24 conceded, differential +1
Leading scorers: Darragh Woods 0-08, Robbie Ryan 0-05, Joe Ceaser 1-00, Tiernan Ryan 0-03, Bryan O’Mara 0-02
Next: Thurles Sarsfields, Saturday 8 August, 2.15pm, Boherlahan
The county champions elect survived their first major test.
Holycross/Ballycahill edged Kilruane MacDonaghs by a single point, scoring 1-22 and showing the attacking spread that makes them such a compelling championship proposition.
Nine players contributed to their total.
Darragh Woods led the scoring with 0-08. Robbie Ryan added 0-05, Joe Ceaser scored the goal and Tiernan Ryan contributed 0-03. Bryan O’Mara struck 0-02, with James Doyle, Tadhg Goold, Eoin Craddock and Jimmy Lahart also getting on the scoreboard.
Holycross generated 1-14 from play and supplemented it with 0-08 from placed balls.
That combination is important. They possess players capable of winning their individual battles, but they also have dependable scoring options when the game becomes tight.
The exuberance of their younger players is matched by a growing sense that they belong at the business end of the senior championship. They are not simply a talented team for the future. They are a threat now.
Their next game could open the entire championship for them.
Thurles Sarsfields were composed and efficient against Upperchurch, scoring 0-28 and producing eleven different scorers. Holycross will face a team with far greater championship experience and a strong understanding of how to control these group games.
Beat Sarsfields and Holycross will no longer be discussed as possible contenders.
They will be discussed as the team everyone else has to catch.
1. Loughmore/Castleiney
Round 1: Moycarkey/Borris 1-19 Loughmore/Castleiney 0-15
Scoring total: 15 scored, 22 conceded, differential -7
Leading scorers: John McGrath 0-09, Ciaran Connolly 0-03, Ciaran McGrath 0-01, Ciaran McCormack 0-01, Joey Quinn 0-01
Next: Borris-Ileigh, Saturday 8 August, 7.00pm, The Ragg
Until Loughmore/Castleiney are actually eliminated, we are not moving them from number one.
That includes right up to the preliminary quarter-final.
Their performance against Moycarkey/Borris was poor by their standards. They looked flat, lacked their usual energy and found themselves second best against a team that was hungrier and more aggressive.
A scoring total of 0-15 was the lowest of the opening round. John McGrath scored 0-09, including six frees, meaning the remaining Loughmore players contributed only 0-06 between them.
Ciaran Connolly scored 0-03, while Ciaran McGrath, Ciaran McCormack and Joey Quinn supplied the other points.
Five scorers are not enough for a team seeking a third successive county title.
The absence of Liam McGrath was significant, while Ciaran Connolly’s late shoulder or collarbone injury is an immediate concern. John Meagher’s return from the bench was one positive on an otherwise disappointing evening.
But this is Loughmore.
They have the experienced heads. They have survived bad days before. They have players who understand how to win championship matches when the margins tighten and the consequences become real.
They also retain a potential route through the Mid Championship, giving them another opportunity to reach the preliminary quarter-final if the group campaign goes against them.
Group 2 is a genuine group of death. Loughmore have already lost to Moycarkey and now face the North champions before finishing against the West champions.
Borris-Ileigh will be desperate after their injury-time loss to Clonoulty. Clonoulty have already demonstrated that injuries and adversity do not frighten them.
Loughmore’s position at number one is based entirely on trust and championship pedigree. It is not supported by the Round 1 statistics.
If they lose to Borris-Ileigh, keeping them here will become almost impossible to justify.
Until then, the champions remain the team to beat.
FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 Fixtures
Saturday 8 August
2.15pm: Holycross/Ballycahill v Thurles Sarsfields, Boherlahan
3.00pm: Drom & Inch v Roscrea, Templemore
4.00pm: Clonoulty/Rossmore v Moycarkey/Borris, Boherlahan
5.00pm: Cashel King Cormacs v Kiladangan, Templemore
7.00pm: Borris-Ileigh v Loughmore/Castleiney, The Ragg
Sunday 9 August
4.00pm: Toomevara v JK Brackens, Borrisoleigh
6.30pm: Kilruane MacDonaghs v Upperchurch/Drombane, Templederry
6.30pm: CJ Kickhams Mullinahone v Nenagh Éire Óg, Templetuohy