Tipp All-Ireland winner withdrawn through injury as Ballina defeat Templederry Kenyons
Ballina defeated Templederry Kenyons on Tuesday
Munster Solar North Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final
Ballina 1-26
Templederry Kenyons 2-19
Ballina found an extra scoring edge late on in Toomevara on Tuesday night to eventually dispatch Templederry Kenyons and book their place in this year’s Munster Solar Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final.
The performances of Charlie King and David Kelly were the telling factor for the lakesiders, with the pair contributing an impressive haul of 1-13 from open play, with some of those scores coming in the vital last ten-minute period of the game when the match was in the melting pot.
Indeed, Kelly was the match winner, scoring three classy points in the final five minutes from the former Tipperary senior panelist, giving his side the edge, as he finished with a huge total of eight points from play.
Templederry had taken a 1-11 to 0-11 lead at half-time, with Sean Ryan’s expertly finished goal in the middle of the first half giving the Kenyons a cushion to bring into the second half.
Dropped from the Tipperary panel for the 2025 season, Ryan only recently returned from a stint in the US, and he was not at full capacity in terms of his finishing, which is usually his strong suit. While he would finish with 2-1 to his name, he left a lot behind him throughout the game, with some poor wides peppered throughout his display.
With the game level at 0-19 to 1-16 in the 48th minute, Ballina made their final push with a score from Matthew Power putting them in front, before Charlie King struck the back of the net in the 50th minute to give them a strong advantage.
In fairness to Templederry, they responded immediately and shortly after being denied by a smart Simon Grace save, Sean Ryan would have his second goal when he slipped past two defenders to lash home an effort to the net and reduce the arrears to one point again.
However, this would be the last throes of the Templederry effort as Ballina finished like a train, with David Kelly the main man as his scores put the requisite daylight between the sides and pushed Blues over the line and into a final against Burgess this coming Sunday.
A final place confirmed, Ballina will now be hoping they can get their full team on the pitch for the decider as they were forced to withdraw Michael Breen, Steven O’Brien, and Jack Collins due to injury in the game.
Ballina: Simon Grace; Paul McKeogh, Michael Breen (0-1), David Coughlan; Thomas Shanahan, Zak Egan (0-1), Terry O’Halloran (0-1); David Kelly (0-8), Jack Collins; Charlie King (1-5), Paddy Bradley, Brian Bourke; Josh Egan, Steven O’Brien, Matthew Power (0-8, 0-6f).
Subs used: Billy Collins for O’Brien (15, inj); Cathal O’Donnell (0-2) for Bradley (37); Michael Grace for J Collins (52, inj); JP Mbokha for Breen (55, inj).
Templederry Kenyons: Philip Kennedy; Brian Rohan, Tom Stapleton, Dale Donnelly; Mikie Ryan (0-3), Darragh Carey, Sean Collins; Michéal Collins (0-1), Pio Kennedy; Cillian Kennedy (0-1), Liam McCutcheon, Paidi Ryan (0-1); Eanna Murray (0-11, 0-8f, 0-1 65), John Kennedy (0-1), Sean Ryan (2-1).
Subs used: Gearoid Ryan for P Ryan (39); Tom Ryan for J Kennedy (59); Mikie Hayes for C Kennedy (60).
Referee: Ger Fitzpatrick (Roscrea)