Simms hat-trick sends Ballinakill on their way to Laois PIHC final

Ballinakill are through to the final of Premier Intermeidate Hurling Championship after their talisman Paul Simms fired in a hat-trick for his side in the semi-final against Rathdowney-Errill on Saturday evening.

Rathdowney-Errill had brought the game back to three points with 35 minutes played but Ballinakill showed their class to finish stronger and secure a spot in the final.

Ballinakill 4-18

Rathdowney-Errill 1-18

This game sprung to life with Rathdowney-Errill raising a flag after only 10 seconds courtesy of Ray Bowe. Paul Simms got his and Ballinakill's first point of the contest with a free. The first 10 minutes of this game was tit for tat as both sides traded points on multiple occasions. Daniel Bowe and Simms both slotted over frees while Ray Bowe and a third point from Simms (65') left the score at three points apiece with 10 minutes on the clock.

Rathdowney-Errill pushed themselves into a two-point lead soon after as Jimmy Corrigan turned his man and split the posts before Shane Dollard also raised a white flag. Ballinakill finally began to find their front men as they fired in 2-1 within the space of a couple of minutes. Seamus Fitzpatrick eventually saw the green flag raised after two superb saves from Damian Bowe with the sliotar just about going over the line. 

The goalscorer then turned provider for the second goal as he slipped the ball into Simms and he rattled the net. They almost had a third goal had it not been for Damian Bowe as he made a superb save from a Gearoid Lynch shot. Simms pointed the resulting 65'. Rathdowney-Errill got two scores on the trot courtesy of Michael Cleary and a Paddy Hassett free. Simms was impeccable from placed balls as he pointed a fourth placed ball of the half. James Keegan got a point back for Rathdowney-Errill but Ballinakill scored three without reply all from play. Lynch, Fitzpatrick and Brian Duggan raising the white flags on this occasion. Keegan got a second point of the half before the break as Ballinakill led 2-8 to 0-9.

Ethan Drury increased Ballinakill's lead to six points on the resumption of the half before Rathdowney-Errill raised three white flags to put the game in the melting pot. The game was put to bed however in the next four minutes as Ballinakill fired in 1-3 without reply. Simms was fouled in the square and he dusted himself off to hammer the ball into the bottom corner. He then got his first point from play after a one-two with Lynch. The latter took his tally to two points with Fitzpatrick also splitting the posts.

Dan Bowe teed up Ray Bowe for a Rathdowney-Errill point but Ballinakill kept adding on points down the other end. Eddie Dwyer and a third from Lynch saw them push ahead, 3-14 to 0-13. Rathdowney-Errill to their credit kept plugging away and got the next three scores, Ray Bowe, Shane Dollard and Dan Bowe (free) added to their individual tallies. Lir McDonald and Dwyer replied for the victors. 

The Ballinakill was breached soon after as a 14-yard free from Dan Bowe ended up in the roof of the net. Ballinakill responded well to the goal and got another 1-2 unanswered. McDonald and Fitzpatrick pointed while Simms completed his hat-trick with a tidy finish. Ray Bowe and a third point from Shane Dollard ended the game's scoring as Ballinakill ran out nine-point winners to seal their spot in the final.