Borrisokane are up and running

Intermediate Hurling Championship Round-Up

By Liam Hogan

Group 1

Borrisokane 4-19

Cappawhite 3-14

Four goals in the opening half paved the way for an excellent Borrisokane win over Cappawhite in Newport on Sunday evening.

Having lost their opening game to Moyne-Templetuohy, this victory puts Borris back on track and in addition it helps getting over the disappointment of losing the North final to Moneygall.

Borrisokane’s first score was a Philip Austin goal after four minutes. Two minutes later Conor Ryan had the second as Borrisokane went 2-0 to 0-2 in front and by the 15th minute they were 3-3 to 0-7 ahead when Gary Ryan raised a green flag. Oisin Larkin added a free to see the teams take the first water-break at 3-4 to 0-7.

While goals were the currency for Borrisokane the source of good play for Cappawhite came in the guise of points from Willie Barry, Ryan Doody and Tom Treacy with Barry’s latest offering bringing Cappawhite within six before Oisin Larkin fired home another goal in the fourth minute of added time which helped Borrisokane take a 4-7 to 0-11 half time lead.

Borris returned for the second half short the services of Philip Austin and James Hough, through injury. After Liam Cleary increased their lead, they were knocked back by a Riain Doody goal in the 35th minute. However, they soon steadied the ship as points by Conor Ryan, Liam Cleary and Gary Ryan had them nine in front.

In the 47th minute a Willie Barry goal had the margin cut to six, but all was forgiven when Borris hit six unanswered points through Oisin Larkin, Conor Ryan, Colm Larkin (two), Liam Cleary and Michael Heenan.

Cappawhite scored a consolation goal from substitute Gearoid Lennon by which time Borrisokane were looking ahead to their final group game against Drom & Inch, a game they must win to secure a place in the last eight.

Borrisokane: Luke Gleeson; James Hough, Cathal Dooley, Shane Nevin; Roan Murphy, Stephen Gavin, Bryan Davis; Liam Cleary (0-4), Michael Heenan (0-3); Gary Ryan (1-3), Andy Austin, Conor Gavin; Oisin Larkin (1-4, 1-2f, 0-1 65), Philip Austin (1-0), Conor Ryan (1-3). Subs: Colm Larkin (0-2) for P Austin (HT inj); Eddie Dwyer for Hough (HT inj); Michael Kelly for C Gavin (42); Dylan Power for A Austin (46); Kevin Cleary for C Dooley (57)

Cappawhite: Anthony Barry; Ross Dunne, Philip Gantley, John McGrath; Kevin Stapleton, Ciaran Ryan (P), Pakie Barry, Ryan Renehan, Rian Doody (1-3); Tom Treacy (0-1), Tomas Costello, Mike Carmody (0-1); Willie Barry (1-7, 0-4f), David Buckley (0-2), Fraser Allen. Subs: Conor O’Dwyer for F Allen (HT); Mikey O’Brien for T Costello (52); Gearoid Lennon (1-0) for Renehan (66); Mikie O’Neill for Carmody (68).

Group 2

Knockavilla Kickhams 3-18

Moneygall 3-13

Despite a good opening quarter Moneygall suffered a five-point defeat at the hands of a rejuvenated Knockavilla Kickhams in Holycross on Sunday evening.

Leading 0-7 to 0-2 at the first water-break the North champions were reeled in by half time as the scoreline read 0-7 each.

The opening ten minutes of the second half produced a whirlwind of goals with David Butler finding the net for Knockavilla in the first minute. Sixty seconds later, Joe Fogarty fired home a penalty before Knockavilla Kickhams had their second goal through Elliot Thompson to make it 2-7 to 1-9 after 35 minutes.

Thompson doubled his goal tally in the 40th minute to make it 3-10 to 2-9 which paved the way for the Westerners to pull away with David Butler, Paudie Slattery, Stephen Browne, Dean Thompson, and Lorcan Carr on target to make it 3-16 to 2-11.

Moneygall staged a mini revival when Joe Fogarty completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute but it was too little too late as Knockavilla held all the aces with Johnny Ryan and Ben Ryan adding late points to win by five.

Knockavilla Kickhams scorers: Elliot Thompson 2-0; David Butler 1-3; Paudie Slattery 0-5 (4f); Stephen Browne and Jack Breen (f) 0-2 each; Walter Carroll, Jamie Duncan, Johnny Ryan, Dean Thompson, Lorcan Carr, Ben Ryan 0-1 each.

Moneygall scorers: Joe Fogarty 3-5 (0-4f), Sean Kenneally 0-4; Eoin Whyte 0-2, Conor Kennedy, and Brendan Tuohy (free) 0-1 each.

Group 3

Kilsheelan/Kilcash remain unblemished following a 2-18 to 0-13 win over Boherlahan-Dualla while Moyle Rovers accounted for Golden-Kilfeacle 0-18 to 0-16.

Group 4

Shannon Rovers 0-21

Arravale Rovers 1-18

A Tom Hogan sixty-five metre free, four minutes into added time, helped Shannon Rovers gain a share of the spoils in an entertaining second round clash with Arravale Rovers in Templederry on Sunday.

Hogan scored twelve points, with all bar one from frees, in a battle with Tipperary under 20 player Johnny Ryan who scored ten points, with one from play.

Having lost their first-round games, a victory was most important for both sides, but little separated the teams in the opening 25 minutes as scores were level seven times before a Conal Donovan point followed by a Eoghan Lonergan goal put the 2020 County Junior champions 1-9 to 0-8 in front.

It was 1-10 to 0-10 at half time but Shannon Rovers were level by the 34th minute as Tom Hogan, Conal Moran and a Hogan free had the Shannonsider’s level.

Over the next twenty minutes a pattern began where Arravale would regain the lead only to see Shannon Rovers draw level again and scores were level for the tenth time before the Northmen went 0-19 to 1-15 in front after Michael Tierney scored.

By then the leaders should have been well in front but they had squandered three goal chances with Thomas Gleeson making two good saves. In addition, Shannon Rovers lost Conal Moran to an accidental head injury and by the 62nd minute they had their lead overturned by Mikie O’Dwyer who had secured his third point since coming on fifteen minutes earlier before Hogan hit the jackpot.

Shannon Rovers: Paddy Heenan; Kieran O’Sullivan, Padraig O’Meara, Emmett Moran; Austin Tierney, Jack O’Sullivan, Matt Tierney; Alan Hannigan (0-1), Marcus Esmonde; Conal Moran (0-3), Eamon Hough, Andrew Byrne (0-3); Michael Tierney (0-1); George Hannigan (0-1), Tom Hogan (0-12, 11f). Subs: Michael Slattery for M Esmonde John O’Meara for Moran (47inj)

Arravale Rovers: Thomas Gleeson; Cian Ryan, Shane Leahy, Ger O’Dwyer; Seamus Keane, Darren Lowry, Niall Fitzgerald; Johnny Ryan (0-10, 9f), Matthew Moroney; Donough Leahy, Conal Donovan (0-2), Ger Halligan; Cormac Maher (0-1), Darragh Crowe, Niall Sharpe (0-2). Subs: Eoghan Lonergan (1-0) for C Maher (24); Mikie O’Dwyer (0-3) for Crowe (47), Raymond Kelly for G O’Dwyer (55).

Ballinahinch 2-18

Ballingarry 2-18

Eight points down after 33 minutes, Ballinahinch staged a great recovery to draw with Ballingarry in a very entertaining second round clash in Clonoulty on Sunday evening.

The North men had a good opening quarter as they went 0-6 to 0-3 in front after thirteen minutes before Michael Ivors equalised with a goal before the water-break. That goal signalled a Ballingarry takeover and thanks to seven unanswered points they were 1-10 to 0-7 in front by the 28th minute but Ballinahinch recovered to some ground to cut the deficit to three at half time, 1-10 to 0-10After a Patrick Burns goal, it was 2-12 to 0-10 on 33 minutes. Ballinahinch were staring defeat in the face. However, bit by bit they clawed their way back into the game with Brian Keane’s goal in the 52nd minute cutting the margin to one, 1-15 to 2-13.

Not happy with that they continued their best spell and it looked as if their timing was perfect when Joey Kelly’s goal in the seventh minute of added time put them 2-18 to 2-17 in front.

Alan Kelly was then red carded, but it looked as if Ballinahinch had done enough until Dylan Walsh, who scored thirteen points (nine from placed balls) stepped up to level matters with a free two minutes later.