"North Championshipp success at last"

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North Championship Success

In 1940 Kilruane MacDonaghs won the North Tipperary championship. This was the first senior championship won by the club since De Wets were champions back in 1908.

Early in May Kilruane beat Nenagh, who were runners-up in 1939. On 23 June Roscrea and Kilruane clashed in the second round in Borrisokane. No one gave the MacDonaghs a chance. Roscrea were the holders and looked unbeatable. Against the odds, the holders were beaten and the Cloughjordan men went on to meet Borrosoleigh in the semi-final in Nenagh
With tem minutes remaining in this game Borrisoleigh had the upper hand, but MacDonaghs extra speed and training stood to them in those last few minutes. At the final whistle Kilruane had won by 3-5 to 3-3.

Borrisokane was the venue for the north final meeting against Kildangan on 11 August, 1940. Kildangan were playing with a slight breeze in the first half and went in at the break nine points ahead. It looked hopeless for the Kilruane men, yet they took the field for the second half in a determined mood and played like men inspired. The excitement grew as kilruane drew near, levelled and finally managed to take the lead with a point from Johnny Dunne proving to be the winner. The final score was Kilruane 2-5, Kildangan 3-1.

Jack O'Meara received the Murphy cup from Thomas Malone, chairman of the board. It was later commented in "The Nenagh Guardian" that "What's bred in the marrow comes out in the bone". This was a reference to the fact that so many of the team were related to their predecessors, the De Wets. It was a throwback to the old days in Lahorna.

Kilruanes team was:
Jack Dwan, D. Devans, J. Rohan, T. Williams, M. O'Meara, J. O'Meara(Capt.), Paddy Peters, Jim Waters, Jack Kennedy, J. Dunne, Des Dwan, M. Heffernan, M. O'Meara, R. Skehan, Tom Darcy. Sub: jim Spain for Bevans.

The Semi-final of the County Championship was played in Templemore against Cashel. Kilruane came very near to victory but were pipped on a scoreline of 3-4 to 3-2.

Again in 1941 Kilruane reached the North final. This time the oppnents were Roscrea. Kilruane opened an early lead and went in at half time ahead by five points. But Roscrea did to Kilruane what the MacDonaghs had done to Kildangan the previous year. The final score at the end of a thrilling game was Roscrea 6-3 kilruane 2-7.

In 1942 Kilruane found themselves in the North semi-final after victories over Shannon Rovers and Borrisokane. Kildangan were the opposition on a day of heavy showers, and overcame Kilruane with surprising ease. One story goes that some of the kilruane team made their way to the pubs in Borrisokane, assuming that the game would be called off because of the terrible conditions. Maybe so?

Kilruane suffered an early defeat in 1943, being beaten by Borrisoleigh by 5-5 to 2-5 on 30th May and suffering a second defeat at the hands of Roscrea a few weeks later.

North Champions again
With victories over Borrisoleigh, Roscrea and Moneygall, Kilruane qualified for a North final appearance against Durrha. This game was played in a downpour in Nenagh. MacDonaghs superiority in the second half won the day. The final score was 4-7 to 2-3.
After easily beating Eire Og Annacarty in the county final Kilruane were set up for a county final appearance against Thurles Sarsfields. This was Kilruane's first county final appearance in thirty seven years. It should have been a great game, but the opposite turned out to be true. The game was abandoned twelve minutes from the end after what were called disgraceful scenes. The game was never replayed.

In 1947 Kilruane came through their group games, to advance to a North final meeting with Borrisoleigh. The game was fixed for Nenagh, and Borrisoleigh emerged victorious after a hard fought battle.The final score was 4-3 to 2-6. Kilruane were not to appear in another North Final until 1953, where they qualified to meet Borrisoleigh after a semi-final victory over Portroe. At the end of the hour, Borrisoleigh had won their fourth North final in a row, after a hard fought encounter.

Kilruane MacDonaghs second team appeared in the North Tipperary junior hurling final, played at MacDonagh park, nenagh on October 27th 1954. The pitch was waterlogged, a strong wind blew, and it was, all-in-all an unpleasent day for hurling. Yet, when Kilcommon and kilruane lined up for the throw in, there was a big crowd present. Neutrals were hoping for a Kilcommon win, but this was not to be. In fact it was a one-sided affair from the beginning, Kilruane winning by 8-6 to 1-2.

Apart from another North Junior Championship victory in 1956, Kilruane went through a lull in terms of trophies won. They did qualify for a North senior final in 1958 after victories over Borrisokane, Moneygall and Roscrea, but were defeated by a strong Toomevara team in the final.

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