Robins edge out Burgess in extra-time

GAA: County Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling Tournament Semi-Final

Killenaule 0-14

Burgess 1-9 (After Extra Time)

Report: James Hayden in Castleiney

Killenaule required extra-time to shake off a resolute Burgess side in what proved an absorbing County Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling Tournament semi-final on Sunday.

Both sides served up entertaining fare considering the time of year with the Castleiney pitch standing up well to the impact of the wet weather over the past few weeks and providing a decent surface to play on.

The North champions were forced to plan without the services of Aaron Sharkey, Joe Cooney and Cormac McAuliffe but despite their injury woes they still put up a tremendous battle in a bid to make it to this year’s county decider.

Killenaule were arguably the better side on the balance of things and really should have wrapped up the tie in normal time but a plethora of wides, six in the closing fifteen minutes of normal time served to keep Burgess in the hunt.

Burgess snatched a late leveller to send the tie to extra-time thanks to a well-struck Michéal Ryan free and indeed the boys in green and gold could have ousted the south champions inside sixty minutes had their accuracy in front of goals and from placed balls been better.

The opening half saw both sides battling for supremacy and there was rustiness in evidence from both sides. Killenaule drew first blood with a free from man of the match, Ciaran O’Dwyer before Eoin Grace got Burgess off the mark with a fourth minute point from a placed ball. Burgess kept up the early pressure with Eoin Grace converting a close-range free before Killenaule midfielder Johnny Gleeson levelled matters in the eighth minute with the Robins’ first point from play.

Killenaule spurned not one but two goal chances in the opening twenty minutes with Mark Stakelum’s rasping shot cannoning off the crossbar and a great hook from the impressive Jack O’Keefe denying Stakelum an almost certain goal.

Burgess were not without a clear goal chance either, with Michéal Ryan’s first-time effort blazing to the left of the Killenaule upright after just seven minutes.

Killenaule’s Oisin Shelly missed the opportunity to draw his side level on twenty minutes after he pulled his close-range free wide before Ciaran O’Dwyer sent over a well-struck free on 25 minutes to square up proceedings.

Burgess came on strong late in the half with centre-back Daire Hogan and Conor Cooney providing the platform for a number of attacks. Burgess were gifted a somewhat fortuitous goal on 29 minutes when Eoin Grace’s expertly struck side-line cut deflected off the hand of Luke Conneely and into the top corner of the net.

Killenaule attempted to respond in kind, and almost did so deep in injury time but somehow the Burgess managed to clear their lines to take a 1-3 to 0-3 lead to the dressing room.

Burgess were forced to restructure their defence for the second half after corner-back Aidan O’Dwyer was forced off with an injury.

Killenaule emerged determined to peg back the three-point deficit and within fourteen minutes were back on level terms thanks to two pointed frees from Ciaran O’Dwyer and a fine Mark Stakelum effort.

The opening quarter also proved a little fractious with a 35th minute shemozzle developing in the middle of the field. Calm was quickly restored though with referee, Tom McGrath brandishing two yellow cards to Killenaule players and one to Burgess. A red card was also shown to a Killenaule backroom team member after he came onto the pitch to engage in a bout of verbals with the referee.

Burgess had the opportunity to regain their advantage but a number of missed long-range frees mid-way through the half hampered their efforts before Killenaule seized the initiative in the 38th minute with after Mark Stakelum knifed over from close-range. Michéal Ryan responded with a 50th minute free, but for the closing stages it was all Killenaule. Following a plethora of wides, they finally managed to edge in front on the cusp of full-time with an effort from substitute Seán Ivers before a late, last gasp Michéal Ryan free sent the tie to extra-time.

Killenaule proved the stronger side in the opening half of extra-time with three unanswered points from Oisín Shelly, Mark Stakelum and Nathan Barrett firing the Robins into a lead they never relinquished. Michéal Ryan cut the gap to two just before the breakthrough to see Burgess trail by 1-6 to 0-11 at half-time in extra-time.

Darragh Fitzgerald restored Killenaule’s three-point lead seconds after the re-start before Michéal Ryan and Ciaran O’Dwyer pointed frees for their respective sides. A sublimely struck side-line cut from the stick of Michéal Ryan coupled with another well-converted free narrowed the deficit to just a solitary point before Darragh Fitzgerald edged Killenaule two clear with time almost up. Burgess did their utmost to bag a late last gasp goal but Killenaule defence held firm to set up a county final decider against the Mid-champions Upperchurch-Drombane.

Impressive for Killenaule were Ciaran O'Dwyer, Darragh Fitzgerald, Jack Hassett, and Mark Stakelum while Daire Hogan, Jack O'Keefe, Conor Cooney, Kieran Grace, and Micheál Ryan caught the eye for Burgess.

Player of the Match: Ciaran O’Dwyer (Killenaule)

Killenaule: David McCormack (7), Cian Johnson-Crowe (7), Jack Hassett (8), Daire O’Connell (7); Padraig O’Dwyer (7), Ciaran O’Dwyer (0-5f, 8), Felix Quinn (7); Luke Ryan (7), Johnny Gleeson (0-1, 7), Fionn Fitzgerald (7), Darragh Fitzgerald (0-2, 7), Matthew Gleeson (7); Mark Stakelum (0-3, 8), Aaron Ryan (Capt, 7), Oisin Shelly (0-1, 7).

Subs: Finn Nolan (7) for J Gleeson (26); Nathan Barrett (0-1, 7) for M Gleeson (HT); Sean Ivers (0-1, 7) for A Ryan (50).

Burgess: Oisín Tucker (7), Aidan O’Dwyer (7), Jack O’Keefe (8), Tom Gibson (Capt 7); Cian Sharkey (7), Daire Hogan (8), Liam Grace (7); Seán Dunne (7), Conor Cooney (7); Dylan Hough (7), Kiefer O’Brien (7), Luke Conneely (7); Kieran Grace (0-1, 7), Eoin Grace (1-2, 0-2f, 1-0 s-cut, 7), Michéal Ryan (0-6, 5f, 1 65’) 7).

Subs: Jack O’Brien (7) for O’Dwyer (HT inj); Michael Kyne (7) for K O’Brien (50).

Referee: Tom McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney).