Cashel King Cormacs finishes with strength to edge preliminary quarter-final derby

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship - Preliminary Quarter-Final

Cashel King Cormacs 1-22

Boherlahan Dualla 1-18

By Michael Dundon

Cashel King Cormacs' powerful last ten minutes swept them to victory over neighbours Boherlahan Dualla in the FBD Insurance county premier intermediate hurling preliminary quarter-final at a packed Dundrum on Sunday last.

Undoubtedly the match of the day in the weekend’s programme, the splendidly presented West Tipp venue was packed to capacity for a contest that did not reach the heights expected but was an absorbing encounter all the way. 

According to the historians, Cashel had never beaten Boherlahan in an adult hurling game and while deservedly putting that surprising statistic to bed, the West lads set themselves up nicely for the coming weekend’s quarter-final.

Both sides were missing key players, Ger Browne for Cashel and Dylan Fogarty for Boherlahan, who might well have been marking each other had they been able to take their places.

There was a great buzz about the venue for the game and while Cashel were most people’s favourites, it was last year’s intermediate champions, Boherlahan, who made the early running reeling off four points without reply in the opening ten minutes. 

With the breeze behind them the Mid lads were full of energy and ideas but in the eleventh minute a Paddy Fahey flick set Ross Bonnar up for a Cashel goal, quickly followed by Devon Ryan and Eoghan Connolly points for a 1-2 to 0-4 lead and a change in the balance of power.

Though Boherlahan with points from Tomas Ryan (2) and Euan Ryan were to get in front again, five unanswered points from Cashel, David McGrath’s effort looking bound for the net but for a great Darragh Lacey save, had the eventual winners 1-8 to 0-7 ahead approaching half-time.

Boherlahan had looked to be struggling but they finished the half with a flourish crowned by Darragh Hickey’s goal off a Ger O’Dwyer delivery to go in at the break with a 1-11 to 1-10 advantage. It was a modest lead, hardly enough to sustain them after the break, one felt.

 With the elements to help them in the second half the ball looked to be in Cashel’s court but Boherlahan were not capitulating and it took Cashel fourteen minutes of the second half before they drew level (1-14 each), Eoghan Connolly’s long-range points from frees a key factor for Cashel.

Tomas Ryan was equally on song from placed balls for Boherlahan who were still a point ahead with nine  minutes to play. Then came the Cashel surge, inspired by a hat-trick of Ronan Connolly points, with Eoghan Connolly and David McGrath also hitting the target , to go 1-21 to 1-17 with the hour mark approaching. 

Cashel now lost Dan Moloney to a red card but there was little time for Boherlahan to take advantage, a Tomas Ryan injury time point their only score, to which Ross Bonnar responded to send Cashel  through to the last eight proper.

Cashel have little time to celebrate with the quarter-final this week-end. They have every reason to be pleased at clearing a difficult hurdle but ahead awaits opposition who will ask more searching questions of them. 

Cashel have a fine side, with lots of hurling and are on many people’s short-list to take county honours. The excellence of the Connollys, Eoghan and Ronan, in the second half, the threat of Devon Ryan earlier on, the solid work of Conor O’Dwyer, Paddy Fahey, and Cathal Quinn throughout, but above all the sharpness of Ross Bonnar who scored 1-4 from play, were what tipped the balance in their favour.

Intermediate champions last year, Boherlahan Dualla finished as runner-up in their group and then drew the short straw of having to play a preliminary quarter-final. Their’s is a young side, developing all the way, and no doubt they will be the better for this year’s campaign. The injured Dylan Fogarty was a big loss to them, particularly in so finely balanced a contest. 

Tomas Ryan’s free-taking was, as ever, the main source of their scores. Goalkeeper Darragh Lacey saved them on a number of occasions, and he, with Niall O’Dwyer, Ger O’Dwyer, Seamus Leahy, Euan Ryan and James Kirby were most prominent for them throughout.

Cashel King Cormacs: Johnny Walsh; Con Bonnar, Nathan Ryan, Kieran O’Dwyer; James Cummins, Conor O’Dwyer, Anthony Walsh; Paddy Fahy, Eoghan Connolly (0-6, 0-5f); Cathal Quinn (0-1), Devon Ryan (0-4, 0-1f),Oisin O’Donoghue (0-1); David McGrath (0-2), Ross Bonnar (1-4), Ronan Connolly (0-4).

Subs used: David Moloney for A Walsh (43); Simon Delaney for Cummins (58).

Boherlahan Dualla: Darragh Lacey; Charlie Ryan, Tomas Bourke, Johnny Ryan; Paddy Gahan, Martin Paul O’Dwyer, Ger O’Dwyer; Euan Ryan (0-2), Cathal Darcy (0-1); James Kirby (0-2), Niall O’Dwyer, Tomas Ryan (0-11f); Mark Downey, Darragh Hickey (1-0), Seamus Leahy (0-2).

Subs used: David Clarke for Gahan (45);  Jake Canny for E Ryan (58).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess)