Borris-Ileigh’s resolve tested by Mullinahone

County Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Borris-Ileigh 1-24

Mullinahone 2-19 (AET)

Report: Liam Hogan at Semple Stadium

If Borris-Ileigh go on to win this year’s Dan Breen Cup they can be certain that their victory in last Friday’s thrilling County Senior Hurling Championship quarter final over Mullinahone was the real turning point of their season.

That Borris-Ileigh emerged winners after a game of sea-saw proportions was down to shear heart and determination as late points by Eddie Ryan and sub Thomas Fahy were the difference in the end as they greeted the final whistle very much a relieved side.

The 2019 champions entered this game as favourites and judging by the opening quarter they appeared to have justified that tag as they led by four points at the first water-break.

However, either side of half time they lost their way as Mullinahone outscored them 1-11 to 0-5. Then to make matters worse the maroons lost midfielder Kevin Maher to a straight red card in the 50th minute, and if things could not get any worse, they lost their influential leader Brendan Maher to a knee injury. He was replaced just minutes before half time in extra time.

The red card ignited the contest. Borris-Ileigh came to life and had Mullinahone reeling and were it not for Jack Shelly’s goal and Eoin Kelly’s equalising free that the game would be over in normal time.

The opening twenty minutes or so lacked spark as both sides took time to settle. Both back lines had the upper hand with Dan McCormack raising the bar as sweeper in the Borris-Ileigh end, well supported by his brother Ray, Ciaran Cowan, and Seamus Bourke but they had their hands busy keeping an eye on Mullinahone’s busy two man inside forward line.

At the other end the Borris-Ileigh forward line picked up any scoring chances going with six of the front eight scoring eight points from play through Eddie Ryan, James Devaney, Kevin Maher, Jerry Kelly, Ciaran Maher, Conor Kenny with Devaney and Kieran Maher increasing their tallies to give Borris an 0-8 to 0-4 lead at the first waterbreak.

Mullinahone could thank both Kevin Walzer and Colin Shelly who were extraordinary workrate in the last line of defence as they made numerous clearances much more than the average for a corner back not forgetting the work of a young Paul Curran plus that of Eoin Fennelly who kept a close eye on Jerry Kelly.

Before the water-break both Kevin Bolger and Martin Kehoe had scored for the South men with Eoin Kelly adding points from play and a free. Kelly was employed as a midfielder-come-half-forward and after the water-break Mullinahone began to dominate in the middle third which curtailed the Borris-Ileigh influence.

The concession of too many frees was to harm Borris-Ileigh and Eoin Kelly punished them scoring five points (3 frees and a 65) as Mullinahone took over to lead 0-10 to 0-9 at half time.

They had Borris-Ileigh in trouble, but the North men might ask how they were denied a stonewall penalty in the 27th minute when Kevin Maher was clearly bundled over in the large square.

Eddie Ryan’s next free had Borris-Ileigh on level terms and in the 35th minute Niall Kenny gave Borris the lead with a splendid point from the wing but a minute later the game turned on its head when Sean Curran’s long delivery caused some bother close to the Borris-Ileigh goal before Mark Kehoe prized home.

Borris-Ileigh had responded with an Eddie Ryan free before Eoin Kelly matched him, quickly followed by a Sean Curran point from halfway with another Kelly free giving Mullinahone a 1-13 to 0-12 lead after 44 minutes.

Borris-Ileigh responded with Conor Kenny putting Alun Walsh to the test. The Mullinahone defence failed to cover their tracks and Borris won back possession to see Ray McCormack point from thirty metres. It was a mere interruption in the process for Mullinahone who regained lost ground for Eoin Kelly to score from play quickly followed by an Eoin O’Dwyer score after linking up with Sean Curran.

But after Jerry Kelly returned with a point in the 51st minute, Borris-Ileigh must have thought the world was about to cave in when Kevin Maher was sent off for pulling off an opponents helmet.

However, the dismissal only angered the maroons with Niall Kenny breaking through the Mullinahone cover when finding the back of the net in the 53rd minute.

The tempo of the game suddenly changed as Kenny came forward a minute later to equalise and before they knew it, they were on the march to success with four uninterrupted points through Brendan Maher and Eddie Ryan with the later scoring from play to make it 1-19 to 1-15 with play deep into additional time.

But with Eoin Kelly around the Mullinahone boys regrouped with Jack Shelley getting a vital touch into the net after Kevin Walzer’s effort was blocked.

Borris-Ileigh hit back but Alen Walsh denied Jerry Kelly from close range before Mullinahone fought back one more time which led to a foul on Mikey O’Shea and Eoin Kelly converted to send the teams into extra time.

Eddie Ryan gave Borris the lead again with a free before Jack Shelly levelled with Ryan again giving Borris-Ileigh a 1-21 to 2-17 lead in the 65th minute. The remaining minutes of the half were taken up with players cramping with play held up for Brendan Maher who sustained a concerning knee injury was subsequently replaced.

With Maher gone Borris-Ileigh supporters had reason to fear as Eoin O’Dwyer’s height caused bother at the edge of the small square before toe poking a ground shot just inches wide. In the 73rd minute Michael Dunne had Mullinahone level and one minute later Eoin Kelly had the South men in front.

But with Niall Kenny winning a free on the wing Eddie Ryan brought the scores level for the tenth time. Kenny continued to win a lot of possession on the forty and three minutes later he won another free which Ryan converted for his tenth point.

With excitement at fever pitch the game was up for grabs but in the 82nd minute Thomas Fahy raced out to the right wing and with one look he steered the ball over the bar to see his team safely through to the last four.

Player of the Match: Kevin Walzer (Mullinahone)

Borris-Ileigh: James McCormack (7); Seamus Bourke (7), Ciaran Cowan (7), Liam Ryan (7); Sean McCormack (6), Dan McCormack (8), Ray McCormack (0-1, 7); Brendan Maher (0-1, 7), Kevin Maher (0-1, 6); Niall Kenny (1-1, 8), Jerry Kelly (0-2, 7), Kieran Maher (0-3, 7); Eddie Ryan (0-10, 7f) 7), Conor Kenny (0-2, 6), James Devaney (0-2, 6).

Subs: Tommy Ryan (6) for S McCormack (HT); Thomas Fahy (0-1, 7) for Devaney (45); Paddy Stapleton (6) for Kieran Maher (49); Shane Kenny (6) for B Maher (HT ET).

Mullinahone: Alen Walsh (7); Kevin Walzer (8), Paul Curran (7), Colin Shelly (8); Eanna Ryan (7), Eoin Fennelly (7), Alan Curran (6); Kevin Bolger (0-1, 7), Sean Curran (0-1, 8); Martin Kehoe (1-2, 6), Mikey O’Shea (6), Eoin O’Dwyer (0-1, 7); Eoin Kelly (0-12, 7f, 1 65) 8), Jack Shelly (1-1, 7), Michael Dunne (0-1, 6).

Subs: Conor O’Brien (0-1, 6) for Bolger (42); Daire O’Brien (7) for M Dunne (56); Michael Dunne for Walzer (60+3); Kevin Bolger for Kehoe (6 ET); Kevin Walzer for O’Shea (15 ET).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels)