Power points Ballina past Lorrha in extra time thriller

GAA: Liam Buckley Car Sales North Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Ballina 1-26

Lorrha 1-24

(After Extra Time)

Report: Liam Hogan at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Matthew Power (Ballina)

SCORERS - Ballina: Matthew Power 0-14 (12 frees); Luke McKeogh 1-4; Terry O’Halloran 0-3; Steven O’Brien 0-2; Thomas Shanahan, Michael Breen, David Grace 0-1 each.

Lorrha: Conor Kennedy 0-11 (6 frees); Eoin McIntyre 0-5; Christopher Fogarty, Donnacha O’Meara 0-3 each; Patrick Maher 1-0; David Sullivan, Brian Hogan (free) 0-1 each.

In a game that swayed back and forth throughout, it was the coolness of Matthew Power that won the day for defending champions Ballina who edged past Lorrha, after extra time, in an exciting North Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final on Sunday.

In a game filled with great scores, Power contributed fourteen points, twelve from placed balls, which were crucial after Brian Hogan’s efforts from similar circumstances had drifted wide for Lorrha.

This game will last long in the memory and it is a testament to the players and how they could continue playing with such zest despite very warm weather conditions.

Both teams lined out short a few notables with Ballina missing regulars Zac Egan, Mike Grace, Billy Collins and Charlie Egan while Lorrha were without captain Colm Fogarty who only made an appearance late on in extra time, after losing the experienced Cian Hogan to injury mid way through the first half.

However, Ballina’s win came with a big blow of losing captain Jack Collins to a serious shoulder injury midway through the second half.

Conor Kennedy, who was excellent for Lorrha with 0-11 (6 frees), opened the scoring but it was Ballina who produced the best hurling in the opening quarter with debutant Luke McKeogh in brilliant form with 1-2.

Ballina were full value for their 1-6 to 0-3 lead. A fit looking Steven O’Brien plus Paddy Bradley each scored from play with Matthew Power adding two frees. Lorrha other scores came from Christopher Fogarty and David Sullivan.

The Ballina defence were well served by Michael Breen, Jack Collins and Patrick O’Donovan but in the 16th minute they were caught napping with Patrick Maher taking a Cian Hogan pass, before the Tipp great cut a path towards goal and give Simon Grace no chance. A typical Bonner goal!

This spurred Lorrha into life. Helped by a hard working Michael Dolan, Killian Fitzgerald and Ciaran Haugh, the supply helped Lorrha to cut the deficit with Conor Kennedy’s free aided by two Eoin McIntyre points bringing the margin to one after twenty minutes.

Brian Hogan’s puckouts were influential as Christopher Fogarty scored his second point. Points by the Ballina midfield partnership of Terry O’Halloran (2) and Thomas Shanahan restored their four-point advantage. In the three minutes of added time, the scoring output continued as Conor Kennedy converted two frees either side of a brilliant Matthew Power score as Ballina led 1-12 to 1-10 at the break.

Power increased Ballina’s lead before Lorrha hit three unanswered points, two from Donnacha O’Meara either side of a Conor Kennedy free. With the seasoned Ciaran Haugh catching the eye and Killian Fitzgerald impressing, their positive play was undermine by an increasing amount of wides (18 to Ballina’s 16) to as the game went six minutes without a score.

Two Kennedy points, the second from play, gave Lorrha a 1-15 to 1-13 lead but points by Luke McKeogh and Michael Power had the teams level.

In an exciting last fifteen minutes it was nip and tuck. Ballina were playing more defensively which allowed Lorrha more leeway and they went two in front after Chris Fogarty and Conor Kennedy hit the target but Ballina were level by the 54th minute first with a Matthew Power with a free followed by a Michael Breen equaliser from play.

At the other end, Conor Kennedy could do little wrong as he gave Lorrha the lead once more only for Power to equalise with a free after Steven O’Brien was fouled three minutes from time.

Lorrha went in front again with Brian Hogan’s eighty metre free. Luke McKeogh equalised before Kennedy and Power traded frees to signal extra time would be needed as normal time ended all square at 1-20 each.

The excitement continued as the new game began with the ever present Eoin McIntyre edging Lorrha in front. Lorrha’s wides tally began to increase but at the other end, Steven O’Brien won two frees which allowed Matthew Power to convert as Ballina were back in front.

Another McIntyre point had Lorrha level but Ballina had gone two in front after David Grace and another Power placed ball made it 1-24 to 1-22 as the teams changed ends.

Lorrha came again and might have taken the lead only for Eoin McIntyre to shoot his fifth point when a goal was on offer from close range. A Brian Hogan puckout reached Donnacha O’Meara who equalised with his third point.

It would be Lorrha’s last score however, and in the dying minutes both sides had chances from placed balls but it was Matthew Power who passed the test to send the defending champions into another final.

TEAMS - Ballina: Simon Grace (7); David Coughlan (6), Jack Collins (Capt 7), Patrick O’Donovan (8); Paul McKeogh (6), Michael Breen (7), James Hanley (7); Thomas Shanahan (7), Terry O’Halloran (7); Paddy Bradley (6), Enda Tormey (7), Steven O’Brien (8); Luke McKeogh (8), Josh Egan (6), Matthew Power (8).

Subs: Sam Loughran (6) for Collins (44 inj); Billy Collins (6) for Bradley (48); David Grace (6) for Egan (53).

Lorrha: Brian Hogan (8); Denis O’Meara (6), Ciaran Hough (7), James Guinan (7); Killian Fitzgerald (8), Michael Dolan (7), David Sullivan (6); Niall McIntyre (6); Eoin McIntyre (8); Donnacha O’Meara (7), Christopher Fogarty (7), Conor Kennedy (8); Martin Gorman (6), Patrick Maher (6), Cian Hogan (6).

Subs: Conor Hogan (6) for Hogan (24 inj); Brendan Fogarty (6) for Gorman (49); Colm Fogarty (Capt, NR) for Hogan (19 ET).

Referee: Mark Gennery (Portroe).