Red card proves to be Templederry's undoing
GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling - Seamus O’Riain Cup Semi-Finals
Holycross-Ballycahill 0-29
Templederry Kenyons 3-17
Report: James Hayden in Borrisoleigh
MATCH DIGEST
Man of the Match: Darragh Woods (Holycross-Ballycahill)
SCORERS – Holycross-Ballycahill: Darragh Woods 0-20 (14 frees, 2 65's 1 s-cut); Cathal Barrett 0-3; Bryan O'Mara 0-2; Eanna Ryan, Aidan Stakelum, Liam Moloney, Tony Leahy 0-1 each.
Templederry Kenyons: Sean Ryan 2-2; Eanna Murray 1-5 (0-3 frees); Gearoid Ryan 0-4; Adrian Ryan 0-3; Matthew Hogan 0-2; Padraig O'Leary 0-1.
Holycross/Ballycahill clawed back an eight-point deficit to break Templederry Kenyons hearts in a hugely absorbing Seamus O’Riain Cup semi-final on Saturday.
In what was a drama-etched encounter, Templederry, who were without the influential defender Christy Coughlan, appeared to be destined for Dan Breen Cup hurling next season following an impressive opening half which saw them lead by six at the break, everything unraveled before their very eyes in the latter stages on this hard-fought clash.
Despite being reduced to fourteen men in the 46th minute after Matthew Hogan received a straight red card for an over-zealous high pull which caught Liam Moloney across the helmet, Templederry still appeared odds-on for victory, leading 3-16 to 0-19, and hurling well.
However, the loss of their wing-forward necessitated a re-jigging of personnel, and this served to severely de-stabilise Templederry. And boy did the wheels come off in the closing ten minutes as Holycross staged a dramatic fightback to hit nine points without reply to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Spearheaded by the excellent Darragh Woods, who bagged a whopping twenty points, Holycross displayed huge resolve and character to dig out a victory that for so very long looked beyond their capabilities, but the red card aided their cause considerably with Michael Ryan’s charges outscoring the Kenyons 0-11 to 0-1 in period between the dismissal and the final whistle.
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