County Intermediate Hurling Championship Round-up

By Liam Hogan

GROUP 1

Carrick Davins cracked home five goals to defeat Arravale Rovers 5-14 to 0-16 in Fethard on Friday evening, while on Sunday, Drom & Inch and Knockavilla Kickhams played out a 2-15 to 1-18 draw in Littleton.

GROUP 2

Ballingarry 0-16 Kiladangan 0-12

Kiladangan found Ballingarry a bridge too far in a close fought contest in Templemore on Saturday.

The South side led from start to finish. As expected, Dylan Walsh was the Ballingarry mainstay and was the game’s top scorer with 0-10, including four points from play. His opening free was the first of seven points in the opening half as Ballingarry went four clear at half time, 0-9 to 0-5.

Eoin Meagher narrowed the gap to three after the teams returned but two Michael Ivor scores (1 free) had Ballingarry five in front for the first time. True to form, Kiladangan fought back and reduced the deficit to three after Conor Culhane and Neil Cahalan (free) were on target with twenty minutes remaining. Cahalan was Kiladangan’s top scorer with six points.

But Ballingarry continued to keep the upper hand and recovered their five point advantage after Billy McGrath and Dylan Walsh each scored from play. Ruari Gleeson pulled one back for Kiladangan, but the margin was out to five again after Aidan Ryan made it 0-14 to 0-9 with seven minutes remaining.

Two Neil Cahalan points inside a minute kept Kiladangan close. From there it was point for point in the closing minutes with Dylan Walsh scoring his ninth point three minutes from time only to see Darragh Butler bring Kiladangan to within three once more leaving Walsh with the final say as Ballingarry completed the journey.

In the other game in the group, Cappawhite defeated Golden Kilfeacle 0-15 to 1-9.

In round 2, Ballingarry face Cappawhite with Kiladangan taking on Golden Kilfeacle.

GROUP 3

Moneygall 3-18 Shannon Rovers 3-10

New North champions Moneygall had to produce all the goods in the last quarter to ensure victory over Shannon Rovers in the opening round of the County Intermediate Hurling championship at a wet Cloughjordan on Sunday.

The winners got off to a great start as Paddy Fogarty had the ball in the Rovers net after just three minutes. By the 13th minute they had raced into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead but with Tom Hogan accurate from frees the lead was cut to three before Moneygall were five to the good by the 22nd minute, 1-7 to 0-5.

Approaching half time, Moneygall led by four when the Rovers received a lifeline when Tom Hogan’s sixty metre free went all the way to the net. At half time it was Moneygall 1-8 Shannon Rovers 1-7.

The second half began well for the Rovers. Conal Moran levelled after 22-seconds and ninety seconds later Tom Hogan’s penalty had Rovers three clear. Sean Kenneally’s point from play and Joe Fogarty’s ninety metre free had the deficit back to one. George Hannigan moved Rovers two clear but Moneygall were soon level with two Joe Fogarty frees.

However, the Rovers struck again this time with Tom Hogan firing first time to the net in the 43rd minute. They were now on top but were unable to capitalise with the normally accurate Hogan missing a few frees.

In fact, the Rovers would only score one more point before the final whistle. Instead, it was Moneygall who did all the running and after two more Fogarty frees it was the brilliance of Brendan Tuohy that really made the difference when he split the Rovers defence to score a great goal in the 52nd minute.

Tom Hogan’s free left the minimum between the teams with seven minutes remaining but another Fogarty free followed by an excellent Tuohy point put daylight between the teams when Paddy Fogarty scored his second goal the game was as good as over.

In the other game in the group, Mid champions Boherlahan-Dualla edged out Kilsheelan/Kilcash 1-17 to 0-19 in Cahir on Saturday.

In round 2, it is Moneygall v Boherlahan-Dualla and Shannon Rovers v Kilsheelan/Kilcash.

Moneygall scorers: Joe Fogarty 0-11 (9f, 1’65); Paddy Fogarty 2-0; Brendan Tuohy 1-1; Sean Kenneally 0-3; Cathal Hogan 0-2; Aodhan Ryan 0-1.

Shannon Rovers scorers: Tom Hogan 3-6 (1-0 pen, 1-6f); George Hannigan 0-2; Conal Moran 0-1.

GROUP 4

Borrisokane 3-27

Upperchurch/Drombane 0-16

Borrisokane got over their disappointing North final defeat in quick time when they overwhelmed a poor Upperchurch/Drombane team in Moneygall last Saturday.

Gary Ryan’s total of 2-7 was a welcome statistic and his goal in sixteenth minute giving the North men a welcome five point advantage as they led 1-9 to 0-7. Up to then the scores were level four times with Pat Stevens and Pat Short getting the lions share of the Upperchurch tally.

Any fear of a strong response by the Mid Tipp side was strongly rebuked when Philip Austin had Borrisokane’s second goal in the 18th minute which gave Borris a 2-10 to 0-8 lead. The lead increased to ten approaching half time, but Upperchurch refused to wilt and the margin was back to nine by half time as Borris led 2-14 to 0-11.

With Oisin Larkin continuing his good form on frees, the North runners-up increased their lead to eleven by the 38th minute as they continued to keep the upper hand all through the third quarter and indeed right through to the 57th minute when Garry Ryan had his second goal to see Borris home with two valuable league points as they face Skeheenarinky in the next round who beat Ballybacon/Grange 0-14 to 0-7 in Clonmel on Friday evening.

Borrisokane scorers: Gary Ryan 2-7; Oisin Larkin 0-10 (8f); Philip Austin 1-3; Ciaran Foley 0-2; Michael Heenan, Eanna Dooley 0-1 each.

Upperchurch/Drombane: Pat Shortt 0-7 (4f, 1’65); Pat Stevens 0-4 (1f); Conor Fahy 0-2; Niall Grant, Loughlin Ryan, Seamie Armstrong 0-1 each.