Cashel King Cormacs book final place after edging eight-goal thriller in Thurles
Cashel King Cormacs defeated Upperchurch Drombane in the Premier Intermediate semi-final
FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Cashel King Cormacs 6-21
Upperchurch Drombane 2-28
An extra-time goal-scoring spree of four goals was the golden ticket for Cashel King Cormacs to book their place in this year’s FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Final after a free-flowing and high-scoring affair in FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Deadlocked after normal time at 2-20 each, it looked as though it would be a one-score game either way to determine a winner of this evenly matched semi-final.
But Tipperary U20 star Oisin O’Donoghue had other ideas and his placement into the full forward line was the move that essentially decided the game, as he burst into life first half extra time scoring two goals a minute apart in the 65th and 66th minute before winning a penalty three minutes later which was expertly dispatched by Eoghan Connolly. It was an incredible first half considering what had come before.
Upperchurch Drombane battled gamely even when punch-drunk from those green flags and had the game back to three-point at one stage in the second half of extra time but they were out on their feet chasing the game and the loss of Paddy Phelan through injury at the end of normal time was a blow.
Adrian Cummins had the honours of finishing the game late on - not long on the pitch - burying a one-on-one goal chance past Ciaran Shortt in added time to copperfasten a result which was determined by the class of Oisin O’Donoghue in a three-minute period.
More to follow……….
Scorers: Cashel King Cormacs: Eoghan Connolly (1-6, 0-3f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 65, 0-1 sl-cut); Devon Ryan (0-7, 0-3f); Oisin O’Donoghue 2-1; David McGrath 1-1; Ger Browne, Adrian Cummins 1-0 each; Cathal Quinn, Ross Bonner 0-2 each; Ronan Connolly, Pady Fahy 0-1 each.
Upperchurch Drombane: Paudie Greene (1-6, 0-3f, 0-1 65); Paul Ryan (0-6, 0-5f); Paddy Phelan 1-3; Pat Ryan 0-3; Gavin Ryan (0-4, 0-3f); Niall Grant, Diarmuid Grant 0-2 each; Ailbe O’Donoghue, Conor Fahey 0-1 each.
Cashel King Cormacs: Johnny Walsh; Con Bonner, Nathan Ryan, Kieran O’Dwyer; Anthony Walsh, Conor O’Dwyer, Cathal Quinn; Eoghan Connolly, James Cummins; David Walsh, Devon Ryan, Ronan Connolly; Oisin O’Donoghue, Paddy Fahy, Ross Bonner.
Subs used: Ger Browne for D McGrath (40); Dan Moloney for Cummins (54); Simon Delaney for O’Donoghue (temp sub, ET); Adrian Cummins for R Bonner (HT, ET); David McGrath for Browne (78, ET).
Upperchurch Drombane: Ciaran Shortt; Ger Grant, Keith Ryan, Dean Carew; Ailbe O’Donoghue, Gavin Ryan, Niall Grant; Luke Shanahan, Aaron Ryan; Paul Shanahan, Diarmuid Grant, Paul Ryan; Paddy Phelan, Paudie Greene, Pat Ryan.
Subs used: Mikey Lavery for O’Donoghue (42); Conor Fahey for Paul Ryan (53); Colm Ryan for Phelan (63);
Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels)