Borris-Kilcotton into Junior ‘B’ Hurling final after eight-goal thriller with Mountrath

Borris-Kilcotton will play in the 2024 Junior ‘B’ Hurling final after they got past the challenge of Mountrath in this evening’s semi-final played on Pitch 2 of the LOETB Centre of Excellence.

The sides shared eight goals on the night with Colm Comerford’s second goal in the 49th minute being the crucial score.

Borris-Kilcotton 4-15

Mountrath 4-13

Stephen Campion got the game’s opening score in the first minute after Eoin Fitzpatrick’s free was saved with Campion pointing the rebound. Eoin Fitzpatrick did open his tally with the next play as Borris-Kilcotton went into an early lead. Mountrath’s first shot on goal ended up in the back of the net and it was very simple in its making. A free from James Hyland found the hand of Michael O’Brien and he slipped the ball to Matty Rice to drill the ball in from close-range.

Jamie Dooley responded instantly with a well-taken goal for Borris-Kilcotton with Mountrath’s Paul Meade replying with a point. But the goals kept coming as Colm Comerford smashed in a second goal for his side. Eoin Fitzpatrick added his second score on the night after Comerford’s goal.

Mountrath’s Eoin Brennan hit a purple patch and within the space of five minutes, Mountrath led by three having been down by five. Matty Rice got Mountrath’s second goal before Brennan pointed twice and set up Michael O’Brien for their side’s third goal. The score was 3-3 to 2-3 in what was a superb opening 10 minutes.

Three frees came the way of Borris-Kilcotton as Jack Finnegan pointed twice and Fitzpatrick pointed in between them. Eoin Brennan added to his tally just as Borris-Kilcotton got the game’s sixth goal. Stephen Campion raising a green flag as the lead changed hands yet again. Aidan Linehan and Aaron Nolan scored a point each to level the game.

Eoin Fitzpatrick and Eoin Brennan traded scores before the latter nudged Mountrath ahead as the game approached half-time. Mountrath looked to be going into the break two points in front after they spilt the posts but referee Patrick Phelan called the play back as Eoin Fitzpatrick’s shot had been waved wide when it was actually over so the teams ended up level at the break, 3-8 apiece.

Borris-Kilcotton came flying out of the blocks in the second period as they got the first three scores inside the opening two minutes. Stephen Campion, Eoin Fitzpatrick and John Wall all raised a white flag each as they looked to finally pull away from Mountrath. Eoin Brennan (free) and Aidan Linehan proved a reply for Mountrath but Borris-Kilcotton still led by a single point.

The next three scores saw two going the way of Borris-Kilcorton’s Finnegan and Fitzpatrick while Mountrath’s Eoin Brennan got the other. James Hyland’s free in the 40th minute was launched into the square and it looked as if Cody Doheny got the final touch on the sliotar to raise a fourth green flag for Mountrath.

His side now led by one but not for long as Finnegan pointed another free as the sides were locked level at 4-11 to 3-14. Eoin Brennan pushed his side in front once again from a free but that’s as good as it got for Mountrath as they only scored once more in the remaining 18 minutes.

Colm Comerford scored the all-important goal to give Borris-Kilcotton a two-point cushion with ten minutes to play. Eoin Fitzpatrick added a 65’ as Mountrath could only get one more point courtesy of an Eoin Brennan free which meant that Borris-Kilcotton went through to the final where they’ll play Clough-Ballacolla after they overcame Kyle in the other semi-final.