Intermediate Hurling Championship Round-up
By Liam Hogan
GROUP 1
Drom & Inch recorded their second successive draw after being held 1-19 to 2-16 by Carrick Davins in New Inn on Friday evening, while on Saturday, Arravale Rovers edged out West Tipp rivals Knockavilla Kickhams 1-19 to 0-21.
In the final round of games, Drom & Inch face Arravale Rovers and Carrick Davins up against Knockavilla Kickhams will all to play for.
GROUP 2
Kiladangan 1-16 Golden Kilfeacle 1-14
After a slow start Kiladangan are back in the championship hunt following their two point win over Golden Kilfeacle in Drombane last Saturday afternoon.
The North men were always in command once they took the lead and were well in control by the end before conceding a goal by Ben Currivan late on.
Golden led 0-3 to 0-1 by the sixth minute before Kiladangan dominated the next eight minutes with a 1-4 blitz starting with points by Jack Loughnane and Neil Cahalan from a free before Eoin Meagher scored a goal in the eleventh minute.
Jack McGrath’s point had Kiladangan four in front and by the 22nd minute the lead was out to five following a free by Neil Cahalan, 1-7 to 0-5. Two Jack Leamy points brought Golden closer and approaching half time the margin was down to three after Eoin Marnane scored before Darragh Egan’s penalty increased the margin to four as his shot whizzed over the bar. Half time: Kiladangan 1-9 Golden 0-8.
As play resumed, Jack Bergin and Andy Loughnane traded scores before Golden Kilfeacle cut the margin to one after they went on a three point run thanks to points by Ben Currivan, Seanie O’Halloran and Jack Bergin.
However, Kiladangan were always in charge and after DJ McGrath and Jack Leamy traded points, it was Neil Cahalan’s two frees either side of an Andy Loughnane score from play that put them in a commanding position seven minutes from time.
Ben Currivan’s score left the West-men three in arrears but late scores by Jack McGrath and Cahalan from a free put the game out of reach for Golden despite them scoring a goal in added time.
In the other game in the group, Cappawhite made it two wins from two after edging out Ballingarry 2-21 to 2-19. In the final round, Kiladangan face Cappawhite is a must win for the blue and gold men while Golden Kilfeacle face Ballingarry.
Kiladangan scorers: Neil Cahalan 0-5 frees; Andy Loughnane, DJ McGrath 0-3 each; Eoin Meagher 1-0; Jack Loughnane, Darragh Ryan, Matthew Cleary, Jack McGrath, Darragh Egan (pen) 0-1 each.
Golden Kilfeacle scorers: Jack Leamy 0-7 (4 frees, 1 s-cut); Ben Currivan 1-2 (0-1 free); Seanie O’Halloran 0-2; Cian Ryan, Jack Bergin, Eoin Marnane 0-1 each.
GROUP 3
Kilsheelan/Kilcash 1-24 Shannon Rovers 1-12
This game between the defeated teams in the first round was a must win and Kilsheelan/Kilcash, with the help of the Kehoe brothers, certainly showed their true form as they proved too good for a disappointing Shannon Rovers team in a one-sided game played at rain swept Holycross on Saturday afternoon.
Both Mark & Barry Kehoe scored 0-19 between with Barry as top scorer on 0-11 (three from play) as the duo in the central spine of the attack left nothing to spare. Senan Butler’s goal in the fourth minute was an early indication of what was to come as the South champions went 1-2 to nil in front by the sixth minute. However, Rovers fought back with Andy Byrne’s getting a goal in the seventh minute before Tom Hogan added a free to settle things down.
Both teams had an even share of possession, but Kilsheelan picked off the scores while Rovers squandered their chances when registering five wides in the first quarter while Kilsheelan led 1-5 to 1-2 after Mark Kehoe scored. The lead was out to five by the 24th minute when Jack O’Sullivan scored a great point from halfway and as the game approached half time both Barry Kehoe and Tom Hogan swapped frees as the scoreline read Kilsheelan 1-11 Shannon Rovers 1-6.
Rovers stayed in touch over the opening six minutes of the second half with Tom Hogan’s free reducing the margin to four. However, that was as good as it got for Rovers as Kilsheelan went on a five point run with Barry Kehoe scoring two frees either side of scores by Mark Freaney, Mark Kehoe, and Emmett Butler.
Tom Hogan pulled one back with another free, but it was freefall for Kilsheelan from there on and they will take on Moneygall in their final game where a win its vital for both sides.
Kilsheelan/Kilcash scorers: Barry Kehoe 0-11 (8 frees); Mark Kehoe 0-8; Senan Butler 1-1; Billy Connor 0-2 (1 free); Mark Freaney, Eamon Butler 0-1 each.
Shannon Rovers scorers: Tom Hogan 0-7 (6 frees); Andy Byrne 1-1; Conal Moran 0-2; Alan Hogan (free), Jack O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Moneygall 1-25 Boherlahan-Dualla 3-19
Trailing by seven points at half time, Moneygall had to come from behind with Mark Fanning’s equaliser saving the day as the two best teams in the championship treated the big attendance to a humdinger of a game in Templederry on Sunday evening.
A meeting of divisional champions also with the Mid side taking the early initiative when Seamus Leahy’s goal gave them a 1-2 to 0-1 lead after four minutes. Boherlahan increased their lead to seven before Sean Kenneally scored to make it 1-6 to 0-3 after eleven minutes. Four minutes later, Moneygall were back in business when Joe Fogarty had the ball in the Boherlahan net leaving just two points between the teams. However, Boherlahan regrouped and approaching half time they scored their second goal through Mark Downey but Joe Fogarty’s injury time free made it 2-13 to 1-9 at half time.
The third quarter is named the championship quarter and Moneygall certainly made use of it and by the 45th minute they were level at 1-18 to 2-15. Moneygall were in the grove and their best play was enhanced when taking a three-point lead after Sean Kenneally, Paddy Fogarty and Mark Fanning scored. However, there was no let up by Boherlahan and they must have felt secure when Tom Ryan scored their third goal in injury time, but last year’s runners-up had one last ace in the pack as Mark Fanning equalised.
Moneygall scorers: Joe Fogarty 1-13 (0-10 frees); Sean Kenneally 0-4; Paddy Fogarty 0-3; Sean Fogarty, Mark Fanning 0-2 each; Bob Kenny 0-1.
Boherlahan-Dualla scorers: Tossy Ryan 1-8 (0-4 frees, 0-2’65); Seamy Leahy, Mark Downey 1-2 each; Brian O’Dwyer, Darragh Hickey 0-2 each; James Kirby, Dylan Fogarty, Euan Ryan 0-1 each.
In the final round, Moneygall come back to face with Kilsheelan/Kilcash whom they have played in the knockout stages over the last two years while Shannon Rovers cannot reach the knockout stages and will be in the relegation playoffs for the second year in a row.
GROUP 4
Borrisokane 2-22 Skeheenarinky 0-15
This game in Holycross on Saturday as over by half time as Borrisokane took a commanding 2-17 to 0-2 lead. Philip Austin’s goal as early as the fourth minute set the trend and after Liam Cleary, Jack Larkin, Kevin Cleary and Garry Ryan had added the points, Borrisokane’s second goal came close to half time when Conor Ryan found the back of the net.
The second half was a different story as the men in green barely got out of second gear while at the same time, Skeheenarinky (last year’s beaten semi-finalists) hurled on with Darragh Brennan giving an exhibition of free-taking but the South men needed more as they lacked the leadership of James Barry and Tomas Vaughan who missed the game through injury. In addition, the south men lined out without five of the team that reached the last four in 2022 with Conor Sweeney another casualty to injury with Fionan O’Sullivan and Eoghan Morrissey out of the country.
In fairness, Borrisokane didn’t need to raise a sweat and after this win they are through to the last eight ahead of meeting Ballybacon/Grange in the final game. It’s a must-win game for Skeheenarinky when they face Upperchurch/Drombane who lost to Ballybacon last Friday.
Borrisokane scorers: Oisin Larkin 0-11 (9 frees, 1’65); Garry Ryan 0-4; Conor Ryan 1-1; Liam Cleary, Jack Larkin 0-2 each; Mike Heenan, Kevin Cleary 0-1 each.
Skeheenarinky scorers: Darragh Brennan 0-8 (5 frees, 1’65); Mikie Maher 0-5; Glen Walsh, Rian O’Callaghan (65) 0-1 each.