Clonakenny pipped at the whistle by Cashel

County Senior Hurling - Seamus O Riain Cup Quarter Final

Cashel King Cormacs1-17

Clonakenny 1-16

A Ger Browne point deep in injury time proved to be the winner as Cashel King Cormacs edged past Clonakenny in this Seamus O Riain Cup quarter-final in Nenagh on Saturday.

The better team lost here, as Cashel were largely outplayed throughout this game, and only for a barnstorming final ten minutes, including injury time, they would have been beaten as Clonakenny will be in complete shock in wondering how they lost this game.

But Cashel have that individual quality sprinkled around the team and they came up with the goods when it was needed most through Devon Ryan and Browne, who produced what was essentially an isolated moment of magic as the former All-Ireland winner was largely anonymous in the game.

Clonakenny continued their impressive form in the win over Newport in their final group game as the game started in frantic fashion, Cian O'Dwyer getting things underway with a good score from play.

The physicality early was apparent as Clonakenny were making it a battle, but Cashel settled in coming up to the ten minute mark, with a Devon Ryan free closely followed by Ross Bonnar's goal after a mistake in the Clonakenny backline; Conor O'Dwyer setting up Bonnar to fire to the net.

Clonakenny didn't get flustered and were looking way more energetic than their opponents, as Conor Shanahan and Delacy Byrne responded with good points in the 11th & 12th minutes.

Devon Ryan and Ross Bonnar were looking the most dangerous for Cashel and a pair of points between them extended their lead back to two points, but Clonakenny took the lead into the water break after he converted a penalty in the eighteenth minute after Bobby Bergin was brought down in the square; that goal giving Clon' a 1-4 to 1-3 lead.

The remainder of the half was tight as the teams more or less traded scores in the meantime; while Ryan O'Dwyer was especially lucky to avoid red after a reckless frontal tackle on Willie Ryan in the middle of the half, as the teams went in level at 1-7 apiece.

The second half initially belonged to Clonakenny and they made their move from the off, with Stephen Maher leading the way for his side with three quick points to give them the initiative, and with further scores from Cian O'Dwyer and MJ Carroll, it helped the mid team into a 1-13 to 1-8 lead as Cashel found themselves in huge bother.

But little by little, Cashel chipped away at the Clonakenny lead, helped in large part by Devon Ryan frees as Clonakenny were allowing their opponents to stay in touch.

Four points in the last six minutes from Ross Bonnar and Devon Ryan levelled the game going into injury time, and with time almost up, Ger Browne showed pure class to win a throw-in and launch over from his weaker side under pressure out near the dugouts to the roars of the Cashel sideline and book their place in the semi-finals.

Player of the Match: Willie Ryan (Clonakenny)

Cashel King Cormacs: Aaron Browne (7); Simon Delaney (6), Ciaran Quinn (6), Pauric O'Donoghue (6); Nathan Ryan (7), Eoghan Connolly (0-2, 1f) 7), Conn Bonnar (0-1, 7); Paddy Fahy (0-1, 6), Ger Browne (0-2, 7); Conor O'Dwyer (7), Devon Ryan (0-8, 7f) 7), Ryan O'Dwyer (6); Aaron Moloney (6), Ross Bonnar (1-3, 8), Cathal Quinn (6).

Subs: Cormac Ryan (6) for O'Donoghue (41); Micky Coleman (6) for Moloney (46).

Clonakenny: Willie Costigan (7); Alexei Harty (6), Diarmuid Ryan (7), John Costigan (6); Willie Ryan (1-1, 1-0 pen) 8), John Joe Ryan (7), Tom Carroll (7); Pa Ryan (7), Michael John Carroll (0-2, 7); Delacy Byrne (0-1, 7), Conor Shanahan (0-1, 6), Cian O'Dwyer (0-4, 2f) 7); Nicky Ryan (0-1, 7), Bobby Bergin (0-1, 7), Stephen Maher (0-4, 3f) 7).

Subs: Matthew O'Sullivan (7) for JJ Ryan (37 inj); Donie Greed (0-1, 7) for Shanahan (43); Paul Bergin (6) for Maher (52).

Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers).