Late Killenaule surge secures draw as Gortnahoe go the preliminary quarter-final route

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship - Group 4 - Round 3

Killenaule 1-16

Gortnahoe Glengoole 0-19

A late flurry of scores from 14-man Killenaule in the final throes of added time rescued a draw and with it, secured second place in Group 4 of the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship after a topsy-turvy contest with neighbours Gortnahoe Glengoole in Littleton on Sunday afternoon last.

The game was tied early in the second half when Gearoid Fahey was sent off for an off-the-ball strike, and despite Killenaule taking over and opening up a three point lead with ten minutes to go, Gortnahoe Glengoole played like men possessed to reel off six scores in a row to take a three-point lead going into added time.

But Killenaule - minus the services still of John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer and Dean O’Connor also - somehow dug out the necessary response under pressure and after pulling the deficit back to a single point with time almost up, Gortnahoe goalie Timmy Dunne gifted them an equalising free as he over carried an initially good take from a free from distance, and Ciaran O’Dwyer sealed second place with the resulting free.

Killenaule had the benefit of a stiff breeze cutting in the Gortnahoe right-hand corner flag in the first half, and they got to work early with four points that were nearly struck from the exact same spot in as many minutes, with Mark and Tom Stakelum finding the target along with efforts from Michael Doyle and Paudie Feehan.

Gortnahoe were minus the services of Damien Corbett from the start here and that meant a lot more pressure would fall on Keane Hayes’ shoulders, but he contributed early with two frees in a flurry of scores in response from his team, with a point apiece by Fionn Cleary and Darragh Maher levelling the game at 0-4 all after 12 minutes of play.

That pattern stayed true for most of the rest of the half as the sides hit scoring patches in turn at various points, and Killenaule were next to do so as they opened a five point lead by the 16 minutes mark in large part to Tom Stakelum, who produced a lovely flick over David Nolan’s head before bearing down on goal to shoot; Timmy Dunne made a great save but he could only deflect it out in front of goal and Stakelum whipped home to goal.

Killenaule were finding scores from play easier to come by and were hitting some lovely points with Eoin Barry slotting a classy over-the-shoulder effort after Mark Stakelum hit a second of the day, with Gortnahoe needing Keane Hayes frees to keep in touch, but Gort’ did have the deficit down to two points by half time, with two further Hayes frees and a brilliant team score which was finished well by Brian Maher as Killenaule led 1-9 to 0-10 at half time.

The opening quarter of the second half was far less free-flowing and vintage than the first 30, with the breeze picking up significantly as Gortnahoe made the most of it, slowly reeling back the score to 1-10 to 0-13 after two Keane Hayes frees and an inspirational point from Liam Hayes after bursting out of the defence in the 41st minute.

A pivotal moment in the game came just a minute later when Gortnahoe were reduced to 14 players after a crazy moment of indiscipline from half-time substitute Gearoid Fahey; pulling clean across Jack Hassett and he duly received his marching orders.

The aftermath of that red card looked to have firmly shifted the game in Killenaule’s favour as they went on to hit the next three points over the following eight minutes, with Paudie Feehan, Eoin Barry, and Ciaran O’Dwyer (free) all finding the target as the extra player seemed to be paying dividends.

However, Gortnahoe weren’t going to roll over and dug and a pointed free from Keane Hayes along with a very well struck point from Jack Moore really stung the mid men into life as they took over the final ten minutes with two more Hayes frees as well as points from Conor Gleeson and Darragh Maher putting Gortnahoe into a surprise three point lead by the stroke of the 60th minute.

Killenaule needed a late response or they would be finishing outside the top two in the group. They managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat late in with Tom Stakelum and Luke Ryan slotting composed points. It was a late Ciaran O’Dwyer free - after Timmy Dunne overcarried a longer free effort - from close range which seen Killenaule finish second with Gortnahoe going forward to a preliminary quarter-final.

Killenaule: Joe Caesar; Padraig O’Dwyer, Killian O’Dwyer, Jack Hassett; Jimmy Feehan, Joe O’Dwyer, Thomas Keaveney; Ciaran O’Dwyer (0-3f), Mark Stakelum (0-1); Paudie Feehan (0-3), Michael Doyle (0-2), Eoin Barry (0-4, 0-2f); Paddy Codd, Tom Stakelum (1-2), Eoin Shaw.

Subs used: Finn Nolan for K O’Dwyer (53, inj); Daniel Guinan for Codd (54); Luke Ryan (0-1) for Shaw (59).

Gortnahoe Glengoole: Timmy Dunne; Liam Hayes (0-1), David Nolan, Philly Purcell; Martin Barnaville, Kevin Slattery, Brian Maher (0-1); Karl Campion, Jack Moore (0-1); Adrian Maher, Fionn Cleary (0-1), Conor Gleeson (0-1); Darragh Maher (0-3), Colm Guilfoyle, Keane Hayes (0-11f).

Subs used: Gearoid Fahey for F Cleary (HT); Oisin Cleary for A Maher (HT); Aidan Guilfoyle for C Guilfoyle (55); Sean Lahart for Purcell (58); Damien Corbett for Barnaville (60).

Referee: Tadhg Lonergan (Kilsheelan Kilcash)