War of attrition as Boherlahan edge out Moneygall

GAA: FBD Insurance County Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Boherlahan-Dualla 1-12

Moneygall 0-12

(After Extra Time)

Report: James Hayden in Templetuohy

Moneygall suffered extra time misery as Boherlahan-Dualla found that little bit more to edge a battle of a County Intermediate Hurling semi-final at a rain-soaked Templetuohy on Saturday.

Played in what were truly atrocious conditions, both sides served up thoroughly enthralling fare as they battled to take one step further towards premier intermediate status for 2024.

Driving rain in the hours preceding the tie led to underfoot conditions being far from conducive for free-flowing hurling with both sides struggling to keep their footing throughout, while maintaining a grip on a hurley was no mean feat either.

Going into this encounter, Moneygall were on the crest of a wave following an impressive quarter-final victory over North rivals, Borrisokane, but many expected this encounter to be a real acid test for Paul O’Brien’s charges.

Boherlahan’s campaign has also been building nicely also, but a knee injury to Brian Óg O’Dwyer proved a dent to their county title aspirations. Despite the loss of O’Dwyer they still overcame a stiff Knockavilla Kickhams challenge in the quarter-final with a confident and impressive five-point victory.

In essence this tie was a ‘war of attrition’ between two evenly matched sides with the inclement conditions forcing both sides to get into the trenches in a bid to eke out a victory. The final scoreline proved a clear indicator that scores came at a premium with Moneygall registering eight points from play while Boherlahan fired 1-8 from play, and it was that pivotal 50th minute goal which proved the decisive score of the game, coming somewhat fortuitously for Boherlahan as Ger O’Dwyer’s long-range free was deflected into the net off the outstretched hurl of corner-forward Darragh Hickey.

Crucially the winning and the losing of the game came in the opening half of extra-time, a period which saw Boherlahan really grab the game by the scruff of the neck and rattle off four points without reply. Boherlahan began extra-time playing in the same direction as they had finished normal time and it undoubtedly proved more of a help than a hindrance as they surged clear of Moneygall’s waning challenge.

The opening half proved a hard-fought and tight affair with Moneygall really coming on strong in the closing stages to take a deserved 0-6 to 0-3 lead to the dressing room. Moneygall started the brighter and almost fashioned a goal chance early on when Sean Kenneally found Paddy Fogerty in space but his opportunity to fire on goal was quickly snatched away by a quickly-converging Boherlahan defence.

Joe Fogarty opened Moneygall’s account with the first of three points from placed balls before Toimás Ryan answered in kind for the Mid side. Playing with the aid of a gusting, stiff breeze, Moneygall hit back with a tenth minute Seán Fogarty effort before a second Joe Fogarty free edged the men in red and black two clear on sixteen minutes.

The impressive James Kirkby and Seán Kenneally traded points to leave two between the sides once more as referee John McCormack let the game flow as much as it could, considering the conditions.

The hugely impressive Dylan Fogarty arrowed over his first of three long-range points from play to narrow the deficit to just a solitary point on 24 minutes before a late purple patch for Moneygall that both Seán Kenneally and Joe Fogarty (free) raise successive white flags to ensure a three-point interval lead for the north champions.

With the elements now in their favour, Boherlahan set about the task of reeling Moneygall in. However, it was Moneygall who were presented with the first clear-cut goal opportunity of the game after Joe Fogarty gathered Bob Kenny’s looping delivery and unleashed a goal-bound drive from close-range but Darragh Lacey in the Boherlahan goal pulled off a tremendous save to deny Moneygall an almost certain goal.

Boherlahan responded with two well-struck points from Tomás Ryan, before Seán Kennelly clipped over a sublime 38th minute effort. Seamus Leahy narrowed the gap to two on 47 minutes before Boherlahan nabbed their all-important goal.

Credit to Moneygall though they fought back admirably to level with three minutes of normal time remaining thanks to a Joe Fogarty free. Dylan Fogarty edged Boherlahan in front again on the very cusp of full-time with another long-range effort before Bob Kenny sent the tie to extra-time, bisecting three uprights with ease after Paddy Fogarty’s searching ball found the Moneygall wing-forward in space.

Boherlahan dominated the opening half of extra-time, but Moneygall could have netted very early after Darragh Lacey dropped Ger Kirwans’ high delivery at the feet of the inrushing Seán Kenneally. Boherlahan cleared their lines though and went on to hit four points without reply with Seamus Leahy, James Kirby, Tomás Ryan, and Dylan Fogarty all on target to ensure a 1-11 to 0-10 lead at half-time in extra-time.

Moneygall battled for all they were worth in the second period of extra-time with Jack Kirwan firing over an early point, but Boherlahan executed an excellent rearguard action with James Kirby arrowing over a fine strike in reply. Joe Fogarty (free) narrowed the gap to a goal with a late free but try as they might Moneygall just couldn’t snatch an all-important levelling goal with Boherlahan holding on bravely to advance to this year’s county decider.

Impressive for Moneygall were Joe Fogarty, Brendan Toohey, Phil Fanning, Adam Hogan, Seán Kenneally, Bob Kenny, Conor Ryan, Cathal Greene, and Paddy Fogarty while Darragh Hickey, Seamus Leahy, Dylan Fogarty, Ger O’Dwyer, Cathal D’Arcy, Tomás Ryan, and James Kirby impressed for Boherlahan.

Player of the Match: Dylan Fogarty (Boherlahan-Dualla).

Boherlahan-Dualla: Darragh Lacey (7); Johnny Ryan (7), Ger O’Dwyer (8), Brian Carrigg (7); Cathal D'Arcy (7), Martin Paul O’Dwyer (7), Dylan Fogarty (0-3, 8); Euan Ryan (7), John Hayes (7); Mark Downey (7), Tomás Ryan (0-3f, 7), Colm O’Dwyer (7); James Kirkby (0-2, 7), Seamus Leahy (0-2, 7), Darragh Hickey (1-1, 7).

Subs: Niall O’Dwyer J Ryan (23); David Clarke (6) for Hayes (45); Laurence Devane (7) for E Ryan (59); Tomás Bourke (NR) for Darcy (ET); Tom Clarke (NR) for Hickey (ET).

Moneygall: Ciarán Quinlan (7); Cathal Greene (7), Phil Fanning (7), Andy Hoolan (7); Adam Hogan (7), Brendan Toohey (8), Roddy Teehan (7); Conor Ryan (7), James Carroll (6); Bob Kenny (0-1, 7), Joe Fogarty (0-5, 3f, 7), Seán Fogarty (0-1, 7); Paddy Fogarty (7), Seán Kenneally (0-3, 7), Mark Fanning (6).

Subs: Ger Kirwan (6) for Fanning (48); Jack Kirwan (0-1, 7) for Carroll (53); Niall Maher (NR) for Kirwan (ET).

Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams)