Upperchurch winning run carries them into Munster Final

GAA: AIB Munster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Upperchurch/Drombane 2-14

Ballinhassig 0-17

Report: Michael Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Keith Ryan (Upperchurch/Drombane)

SCORERS – Upperchurch/Drombane: Luke Shanahan 0-5 (3 frees); Pat Ryan 1-1; Aaron Ryan 0-3; Conor Fahey 1-0; Gavin Ryan, Paul Shanahan, Paudie Greene, Dean Carew, Paddy Phelan 0-1 each.

Ballinhassig: Ger Collins 0-6 frees; Shane McCarthy, Michael Collins 0-2 each; Darragh O’Sullivan, Fintan O’Leary, Brian Lynch, Evan Cullinane, Simon O’Neill, Patrick Collins, Conor Desmond 0-1 each.

Upperchurch/Drombane picked up where they left off on county final day producing another gutsy performance to grind out a deserved but hard-fought win over Ballinhassig of Cork in the Munster Club Intermediate Hurling semi-final on Sunday.

This is Upperchurch/Drombane’s first venture into provincial competition and, having disposed of a fancied Cork outfit, they can now look ahead with optimism to their engagement with O Callaghan Mills of Clare in the final at the end of the month.

Weather changes in recent times meant a change in playing conditions also, the result being a grimly fought battle which went down to the wire. The telling factor in Upperchurch’s favour was that they scored two goals and might have had a third, while their opponents never seriously troubled Ciaran Shortt between the posts for the home team.

In a contest worthy of the Tipp-Cork rivalry, Upperchurch struck early with a Pat Ryan goal after five minutes for a 1-1 to 0-1 lead. The goal typified the Upperchurch approach all through – a Ballinhassig defender’s attempted clearance being blocked down for Ryan to take full advantage with a sweetly executed goal.

Scores were at a premium and by the nineteenth minute of tough-competitive hurling Ballinhassig had regained parity 0-5 to 1-2 but in a six minute purple patch approaching the break, Upperchurch hit five points without reply through Aaron Ryan (2), Paul Shanahan, Gavin Ryan (free) and Luke Shanahan for a 1-8 to 0-6 lead, but, typical of the contest, Ballinhassig finished in a blaze with three points to trail 0-9 to 1-8 at the beak.

The quality of the contest had the crowd in full voice even if the quality of the play did not always reach expected heights but at the break it was still very much anybody’s game and eleven dogged minutes after resuming, Ballinhassig got back on terms, 0-11 to 1-8.

Having failed to score up to that, Upperchurch pushed clear with points from Dean Carew, Paudie Greene and Liam Shanahan by the three quarter stage.

Back came Ballinhassig with a brace of points to which Luke Shanahan replied. Then came the decisive score as Paudie Greene set up Conor Fahey who shot to the net for a 2-12 to 0-13 lead for The Church with nine minutes to go.

Thoughts of an Upperchurch cruise to the finish were quickly dispelled as Ballinhassig had points from Brian Lynch and Ger Collins to keep the game in the melting pot.

Time was now the big issue in Upperchurch’s favour. Paddy Phelan pointed but two further Ballinhassig points had it down to a two point game on the hour mark. The proverbial “dangerous” lead, but with the Upperchurch defence, inspired by fullback and captain Keith Ryan, playing out of their skins, all Ballinhassig onslaughts were repelled and to set the seal on a famous day for ‘The Church, Pat Ryan scored a magnificent point from a sideline cut in the final minute of added time.

In a Munster final for the first time, Upperchurch/Drombane players, management and fans were delighted at the final whistle and justifiably so. After a dodgy start to the campaign, they have gone from strength to strength, regaining their senior status with their premier intermediate county success, and now the possibility of a Munster title looms.

Keith Ryan had a magnificent game for them at full-back, his timely interventions and surging runs inspiring his colleagues. Likewise, Aaron Ryan’s three points from midfield in the first half lifted those around him. Dean Carew, Luke Shanahan, Toby Corbett, Conor Fahey and Pat Ryan were others to have big games for them.

Ballinhassig came with a big reputation but were not allowed to impose their game on the Tipp boys. Darragh O’Sullivan, Charlie Grainger, Shane McCarthy, Conor Desmond and Cork goalie Patrick Collins were their key men but over all they had to give best to opponents who were relentless in pursuit of a place in the final for the first time.

TEAMS – Upperchurch/Drombane: Ciaran Shortt (6); Mikey Lavery (6), Keith Ryan (9), Dean Carew (7); Niall Grant (6), Gavin Ryan (6), Toby Corbett (6); Diarmuid Grant (6), Aaron Ryan (7); Conor Fahey (6), Paddy Phelan (6), Paul Shanahan (6); Pat Ryan (6), Paudie Greene (6), Luke Shanahan (7).

Subs: Colm Ryan (NR) for Greene (57); Mikey Griffin (NR) for D Grant (60); Paul Ryan (NR) for P Ryan (60+1).

Ballinhassig: Patrick Collins (7); Donnacha O’Donovan (6), Kevin Maguire (7), Patrick O’Leary (6); James O’Callaghan (6), Darragh O’Sullivan (7), Eoin Lombard (6); Charlie Grainger (7), Conor Desmond (6); Evan Cullinane (6), Michael Collins (7), Shane McCarthy (7); Fintan O’Leary (6), Ger Collins (6), Sean Lombard (6).

Subs: Jamie Lyne (6) for O’Callaghan (HT); Brian Lynch (6) for O’Leary (38); Simon O’Neill (6) for Cullinane (43); Gearoid Kirby (6) for M Collins (55).

Referee: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford).