Treacys sunk by Killenaule in second half

Killenaule turned in a blistering second half performance to overcome Sean Treacys in this County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4 clash

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4

Killenaule 3-24

Sean Treacys 1-18

Report: Michael Heverin in Dundrum

Killenaule turned in a blistering second half performance to overcome Sean Treacys in this County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4 clash on Saturday.

After an opening round defeat to Burgess, the Robins needed a big display to get their campaign back on track and they delivered in style, outscoring the West Tipp side 1-10 to 0-1 in the first twenty minutes of the second half.

The result raises real relegation fears for Sean Treacys after losing their first round game to St Mary’s, and their final group game against Burgess will now be a real pressure encounter.

They opened brightly and were the better team for the first quarter with Eoin Sheldon, Patrick Dawson and Paddy Carey looking sharp. But when Killenaule turned on the afterburners in the second period, they couldn’t live with the South side.

On one of the hottest days of the summer, Killenaule were slow to get into their stride as Treacys ran into a three-point lead in as many minutes, with Paddy Carey pointing a free and a 65, and Eoin Sheldon knocking a nice score over from play.

Nice interplay with Paudie Feehan saw Tom Stakelum open Killenaule’s account in the fourth minute but Colm Kennedy quickly restored Treacys’ three-point advantage. A Patrick Deegan point from a quickly-taken sideline was sandwiched between Killenaule points from Feehan and Stakelum, before two in a row from Patrick Dawson and a Paddy Carey 65 put the West side four ahead.

Then four in a row from Killenaule, with two Joe O’Dwyer frees and points from play from Mark Stakelum and Luke Ryan, saw them draw level, before a fifth on the spin from the impressive Stakelum put them ahead for the first time.

And it got even better when a high ball from Paudie Feehan was gathered by Joe O’Dwyer, who rounded goalkeeper Shane Stapleton to shoot to the net for the game’s opening goal.

However, the celebrations had hardly died down when Treacys scored an equally good goal, Patrick Deegan shooting from a tight angle to beat Joe Caesar to leave it 1-8 to 1-7 for Killenaule after twenty minutes. And with Killian O’Dwyer having to leave the field injured, they were behind within two minutes, with points from Paddy Carey and Jody Ryan.

The margin remained one point at the break, 1-11 to 1-10, with Killenaule points from Mark Stakelum and a Joe O’Dwyer free responded to by Michael Feehan and Patrick Dawson.

However, that was the last time that Treacys were in contention, as a whirlwind third quarter decided the outcome for Killenaule.

Paudie Feehan drew them level and they bossed the game for the next twenty minutes, going 2-20 to 1-12 ahead. Their hurling was superb with Paddy Codd, Jimmy Feehan, Joe O’Dwyer, Tom Stakelum, Paudie Sheehan, Mark Stakelum and Luke Ryan pulling the strings.

The only Sean Treacys response during that Killenaule scoring spree was a free from Paddy Carey.

A game that had been competitive and full of intensity was now virtually over with twenty minutes left. A Paddy Carey pointed free was Treacys’ second point of the second half after 50 minutes, but every time they tried to hit back, Killenaule came back stronger.

The sides traded points over those closing ten minutes that didn’t alter the outcome. But to put an even better gloss on their performance, Killenaule finished with a great goal in the closing minutes, Paudie Feehan winning possession from a Joe O’Dwyer free to give Shane Stapleton no chance.

Player of the Match: Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)

Killenaule: Joe Caesar (7); Finn Nolan (7), Paddy Codd (7), Jack Hassett (6); Ciaran O’Dwyer (7), Jimmy Feehan (7), Eoin O’Connell (6); Killian O’Dwyer (6), Joe O’Dwyer (1-9, 0-8f, 8); Thomas Keaveney (6), Fionn Fitzgerald (6), Tom Stakelum (0-2, 7); Luke Ryan (1-4, 0-2f, 8); Paudie Feehan (1-2, 8); Mark Stakelum (0-4, 8).

Subs: Eoin Shaw (0-1, 7) for K O’Dwyer (inj), Oisin Shelly (6) for M Stakelum, Dara Fitzgerald (0-2, 7) for Fitzgerald, Nathan Barrett (6) for T Stakelum.

Sean Treacys: Shane Stapleton (6); Brian Nolan (5), Sean Hickey (5), Andrew O’Brien (6); Eoin Sheldon (0-1, 7); Paul Nolan (6), Sean Ryan (7); Cillian Kennedy (6), Patrick Deegan (1-3, 8); Brian Carey (0-2f, 6); Michael Feehan (0-1, 7); Colm Kennedy (0-1, 7); Paddy Carey (0-7, 4f, 2 65s, 6), Patrick Dawson (0-2, 7), Jody Ryan (0-1, 6).

Subs: Brendan O’Dwyer (6) for B Nolan, Darragh Kennedy (6) for Dawson, Tom Hickey (6) for Cillian Kennedy, Stevie Carr (6) for Colm Kennedy, Donncha O’Brien (NR) for P Carey.

Referee: Sean Everard (Moyne-Templetuohy).