One of Ballinahinch and Shannon Rovers face the Intermediate drop

By Liam Hogan

Either Ballinahinch or Shannon Rovers will be relegated to junior hurling after both sides were defeated in their respective Intermediate Relegation semi-finals at the weekend.

Ballybacon/Grange2-14

Ballinahinch0-19

The evergreen Brendan Cummins scored the winner to condemn Ballinahinch to a one-point defeat to Ballybacon/Grange in Clonoulty on Saturday.

The former Tipperary All-Ireland winning goalkeeper was the man of the match as he finished top-scorer with 1-10, all from placed balls.

It was his goal from a penalty in the tenth minute which put Ballybacon in front, 1-2 to 0-2. Ballybacon were three in front at half time 1-9 to 0-9 with Ballinahinch relying on Davy Gleeson who scored the full nine including five points from frees.

With points by Gleeson, Karl Kelly and John Foley, Ballinahinch took the lead and were two in front on fifty minutes when Luke O’Brien scored a goal for Ballybacon. Daniel O’Regan increased the lead with a point but points by Alan Kelly and Davy Gleeson had the teams level approaching the hour before Cummins landed the winner in injury time to secure Ballybacon’s safety.

Carrick Davins2-18

Shannon Rovers1-18

Shannon Rovers conceded an injury time goal to lose by three points to Carrick Davins in their Intermediate Hurling relegation semi-final in Littleton on Sunday.

Patrick Harris was the Davins goal-scorer in the second minute of added time which kept the South safe from the drop, while Rovers must meet Ballinahinch in the relegation final on weekend of October 16th.

Scores were level three times in the opening eight minutes before Rovers took a 1-7 to 0-5 lead with Andy Byrne grabbing a goal in the fourteenth minute. Rovers led 1-10 to 0-11 at half time and held on to the lead until the 39th minute when Luke Faulkner fired home a free from 25-yards to give the South men a 1-14 to 1-13 lead.

It was point-for-point over the remaining twenty minutes with Carrick taking a one point lead each time only for Rovers to force parity five times in all with John O’Meara scoring his third to make it 1-17 apiece with two minutes remaining.

Carrick had depended on both Lee Mackey and Luke Faulkner for frees and it was Faulkner who gave Davins the lead on the hour, 1-18 to 1-17. Tom Hogan levelled for the final time and extra time looked a possibility before Harris secured the match winning goal.

Preliminary Quarter Final

Kilsheelan/Kilcash3-21

Boherlahan-Dualla3-21

(AET) (Kilsheelan win 4-3 on penalties)

Last years defeated finalists Kilsheelan/Kilcash remain standing, but only just, after requiring penalties to see off Boherlahan-Dualla in this County Intermediate Hurling Championship Preliminary quarter final in Cahir on Saturday.

Kilsheelan were dominant in the first half, leading 1-8 to 1-4 at half time, but eleven wides prevented them from a greater lead with Barry Kehoe to the fore, getting their goal, cancelled out by Boherlahan sub Aidan Maher.

Two goals in a minute from Micheal Freaney and Barry Kehoe pushed Kilsheelan nine clear, but a James O’Sullivan goal on 41 minutes brought Boherlahan back into the game. With Tomas Ryan top-scoring with fifteen points, Boherlahan chipped away at the deficit but were still three points adrift deep in injury time when they won a 21-yard free with the last puck. Ryan’s shot was blocked but Seamus Leahy doubled the rebound to the net to send the game into extra time.

The sides couldn’t be separated in additional twenty minutes as both sides tired visibly, managing five points each with penalties required before Kilsheelan emerged winners.

Kilsheelan’s victory meant the quarter final draw could finally take place after the delay with the playoff and preliminary quarter finals. Kilsheelan’s win has set-up a rematch of their 2021 semi-final with Moneygall, with the tie of the round being the Lower Ormond clash of Lorrha and Borrisokane. Drom & Inch face off against Knockavilla Kickhams while Skeheenarinky face Golden-Kilfeacle. All games will be played on the weekend of 8-9 October.