Leixlip heartbreak continues with one point defeat in Leinster Club
The Kildare IHC champions were beaten by Westmeath champions Turin in Killucan GAA
Leixlip's venture into the AIB Leinster Junior Club Hurling Championship on Saturday afternoon came to disappointing end when they suffered an agonising one point defeat to Westmeath champions Turin.
Two excellent late points from Conor Heffernan and substitute Eoin McGrath left the home side in control as injury time approached and despite a late Cian Bracken free time ran out for the Kildare men.
After two weeks of uncertainty over the playing of the Kildare Intermediate Hurling Championship final Leixlip eventually got back on the field of play when they made the trip to Killucan Gaa club just outside Kinnegad.
The concession of the Kildare final by Naas certainly did nothing for Leixlip's preparations but they travelled in numbers for this opening round encounter.
Darragh Melville gave Leixlip the perfect start with a point inside a minute. Turin ace marksman Conor Heffernan levelled from the restart.
Cian Bracken and Daragh Smith kept the sides level as did Cillian Harrington and Smith again to leave it three points each after seven minutes.
The early exchanges were just a sign of things ho come as the teams were level on no fewer than eleven occasions over the hour.
Conor Heffernan edged Turin ahead but Joseph Evans found himself deep in Westmeath territory and when the opportunity arrived the corner back levelled for the fourth time.
Heffernan landed back-to-back frees and although Cathal Melville reduced the gap to the minimum it was Heffernan again this time from a 65 and centre forward PJ O’Neill who added points to leave three between the sides for the first time.
Leixlip needed a response as the game seemed to be slipping in favour of the Westmeath champions.
John Doran's men's upped the efforts and a return of six points to one before the break would give Leixlip a two point buffer.
Cian Bracken took advantage of a yard of space to start the comeback.
A brilliant Conall Henson crossfield pass found Darragh Melville who added his third.
Sean O’Connor hit two points either side of a third and fourth from Cian Bracken and Leixlip were back three in front. A rather unfortunate free for over carrying allowed Conor Heffernan to ad his sixth of the half but the visitors lead 0-11 to 0-9 at the break.
The change of ends saw Leixlip play up a slight incline but Turin made the brighter start and Sean Leech and another Heffernan free saw parity restored.
There was nothing to separate the sides and while the exchanges were tough going Leixlip kept finding the necessary scores. Sean O’Connor and Conor Heffernan had points for their respective sides but some excellent work from Ryan Doyle and Jack McGonigle helped keep Leixlip on the front foot.
Cian Bracken and Darragh Melville gave Leixlip breathing space again but whenever Turin wanted a score Heffernan was on hand. His 40th minute free was all part of an impressive 13 point return. Heffernan levelled again on 44 and as we closed in on the last quarter it was hard to call a winner.
A burst of points saw Leixlip move three ahead and into the favourites seat with 12 minutes to play. Cian Bracken from a free, Melville and a long range effort from substitute Dylan Doherty left it 0-17 to 0-14.
Turin substitute Eoin McGrath announced his arrival with a point from a tight angle on 50 and driven on by the sizeable home crowd the Leech's Sean and Conor had points to level it again. Leixlip must have wondered what it would take to shake off the Westmeath side.
Two Cian Bracken frees were replied to by two from none other than Conor Heffernan. Level at 0-18 and 0-19 each and with only two minutes to play it looked like extra time might be needed to separate the sides.
Conor Heffernan and Eoin McGrath both hit excellent points from the opposite sidelines.
With only two minutes of injury time signalled it was going to take a Leixlip goal to secure a win. Cian Bracken did get a last minute free but it was too far out to go for goal. His pointed free wasn't enough and Turin won out by 0-21 to 0-20.
It was a huge disappointment for Leixlip who left everything on the field and on another day the one point win could without complaints, have gone their way. They can look forward to 2027 in the Kildare Senior championship and with plenty of underage talent to come through they can approach with confidence.
TURIN: Eoin Aughey; Sean Scally, Derek Hourihane, Declan McGrath; Craig Neville, Daragh Smith 0-2, Peter Finch; Jack Geoghan, Ciaran Kiernan; Conor Heffernan 0-13 (7 frees, 65), PJ O’Neill 0-1, Sean Leech 0-2, Conor Leech 0-1, Alan Aughey,Brian Aughey. Subs: Eoin McGrath 0-2 for Pj O Neill (49 minutes); .Ray Aughey for Brian Aughey (49 minutes).
LEIXLIP: Keith O’Callaghan; Cillian Nicholson, Ryan Doyle, Joseph Evans 0-1; Conall Henson, Jack McGonigle, James Canning; Cathal Dervian, Eoghan Harrington; Sean O’Connor 0-3, Cian Bracken 0-9 (7 frees), Darragh Melville 0-4, Cillian Harrington 0-1, Stephen Ryan, Cathal Melville 0-1. Subs: Cormac Keegan for Cathal Melville (43 minutes); Dylan Doherty 0-1 for Cathal Dervian (47 minutes).
Referee Colin Bailey (Laois).