County Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 1 Round-up

By Liam Hogan

Group 1

Golden Kilfeacle continued their strong start to the campaign as they defeated Cappawhite 2-16 to 0-15 in Clonoulty on Saturday.

In a repeat of the West final of the previous week, this contest was more competitive, but last years county finalists Golden were again still too strong with Ben Currivan and Jack Bergin scoring the goals while Jack Leamy top scored with twelve points, nine from play. Cappawhite’s Willie Barry scored an impressive seven points from play in a losing effort.

Newly promoted Clonoulty/Rossmore made a winning start to life in the intermediate grade with a 1-20 to 1-13 victory over Ballybacon/Grange in Bansha on Sunday. Odhran Quirke’s goal late on sealed the win after a converted penalty from Brendan Cummins gave the South men life in the second half.

Group 2

Ballingarry 2-17 Borrisokane 3-13

Despite scoring 3-6 in the last quarter, Borrisokane’s fightback was not enough as they fell one point short of Ballingarry in an exciting finish to their match in Dundrum on Saturday.

Trailing 2-14 to 0-7 after 46 minutes, it looked as if Borrisokane’s day was done but an inspired display by Oisin Larkin almost helped them claim a share of the spoils.

While Larkin was the Borrisokane top marks-man with 2-6, Dylan Walsh was Ballingarry’s ace with 1-13, including five points from play.

The Division 3 County League winners had things much their own way in the first half as Walsh registered 0-9 as Ballingarry held a 1-12 to 0-5 half time lead. Ben Ivors was the goal-scorer after eighteen minutes as they raced into a 1-10 to 0-2 advantage. Conor Vaughan (2) and Sean Doheny (1) were the other scorers.

Three minutes into the second half, Walsh converted a penalty for Ballingarry’s second goal, and further points from Walsh and Vaughan had the margin out to thirteen before Oisin Larkin goaled from a free in the 47th minute.

Borrisokane continued to press and six minutes later Conor Ryan (1-3) had his sides second goal and with tide turning in Borrisokane’s favour they had the deficit down to four on the hour mark. Dylan Walsh replied with what proved to be a match-winning point from a free because another Borrisokane surge yielded 1-1 from the stick of Oisin Larkin (goal from a free) to leave the minimum between the teams at full time.

In the other Group 2 game Kilsheelan/Kilcash defeated Skeheenarinky 0-21 to 1-15 in Ardfinnan.

Group 3

Portroe 0-26 Drom & Inch 3-17

John Sheedy’s equalising 65 earned Portroe a share of the points with Drom & Inch at St. Michael’s Park, Toomevara on Friday.

Sheedy scored an incredible nineteen points, four from play, as his team needed ounce of this return as Drom & Inch made the early running with Aidan O’Meara’s connection to a high ball go all the way to the net. Portroe regained lost ground and Sheedy’s accuracy helped them regain the lead at half time, 0-12 to 1-8.

However, the first ten minutes of the second half belonged to Drom who outscored Port 2-4 to 0-2 with Paul Bergin and Brian Moore scoring the goals. Portroe didn’t wilt as John Sheedy added a further eight points, the last earning what could be a crucial point.

Shannon Rovers 0-23 Arravale Rovers 0-21

Shannon Rovers recorded their first round robin championship win since 2020 when they came from behind to beat Arravale Rovers at Lacken Park, Newport on Sunday.

In a game where scores were level eight times, five in the second half, the lead changed hands on four occasions when the margin stretch to five as Shannon Rovers led 0-10 to 0-4 as Conal Moran scored six points, three from play, along with scores by Eamon Hough, Marcus Esmonde, George Hannigan and Derek Horan.

Arravale never lost sight and by half time they had cut the deficit to three as they scored eight of their nine first half scores from play with Orin Jones and John Paul Lohan plus Cormac Maher who was top-scorer on three points at that stage.

Eamon Hough’s accuracy from the full forward berth was critical to keep Shannon Rovers in front as they stretched their lead to four 0-16 to 0-12 after 42 minutes. But in Sean O’Mahoney who was in brilliant form, he took the game by storm and his accuracy from frees and play was instrumental in producing a comeback as the West-men finally took the lead 0-20 to 0-19, bang on the hour.

There were four and a half minutes of added time allowed and Conal Moran, who finished the game as top scorer with 0-11 (5 frees) brought the Northmen level in the 61st minute. Thirty seconds later, another O’Mahoney point from long range had Arravale in front but Shannon Rovers responded with three unanswered points two from Conal Moran (one free) and Austin Tierney with his third.

Group 4

Moneygall 2-24 Carrick Davins 0-17

Moneygall got off to a winning start when beating Carrick Davins in Dundrum on Saturday.

The North champions were slow out of the blocks as Davins took a 0-3 to 0-1 lead in the early stages. Then a Sean Kenneally goal put Moneygall in front and the score settled the team and they built up a 1-12 to 0-5 lead before the first half was delayed to allow for a spectator receive medical attention. Play resumed after a twenty minute delay and Moneygall added three further points to lead 1-15 to 0-6 at the break.

The second half was a more even affair with Moneygall edging it 1-9 to 0-11 with Sean Kenneally scoring his second goal late on to round off a thirteen point victory.

Kenneally was the team’s leading scorer with 2-5. Adam Hogan contributed 0-8 (5 frees) in the absence of Joe Fogarty while Mark Fanning chipped in with a five point tally.

The other Group 4 game saw Knockavilla Kickhams defeat Upperchurch/Drombane 5-18 to 3-8.