Cashel find extra gear to down Gortnahoe Glengoole and book semi-final place

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Cashel King Cormacs 1-21 

Gortnahoe Glengoole 2-14

By Ronan Loughnane

Cashel King Cormac’s ability to land points from play proved the difference between these sides in Holycross on Sunday afternoon as they advanced to the last four at the expense of a gallant Gortnahoe/Glengoole side. All but four of their points came from open play in stark contrast to Gortnahoe who relied heavily on Keane Hayes from placed balls. 

The game was very competitive throughout, with plenty to entertain a decent audience. Conn Bonnar was the first to raise a white flag within a minute, but it didn’t take long for the first green to follow. Listed at midfield, Jack Moore began on the edge of the square, and when Colm Guilfoyle set him up in the second minute, Gortnahoe were off to a flyer. 

Ross Bonnar was in great form at center-forward, scoring three points in the opening nine minutes to add to scores from Paddy Fahy, Cathal Quinn, and Eoghan Connolly (free), who along with his brother Ronan were dominant at half-back. 

But when Gortnahoe did break the cover they were dangerous inside and Cashel had goalkeeper Aaron Browne to thank in the 16th minute as he denied Moore a second goal with a flying save. A number of other attacks were halted by Cashel fouls, Hayes converting three frees and grabbing another from play to leave the sides tied at 1-4 to 0-7 after 15 minutes. 

Ger Browne opened his account with a nice point from play in the 17th minute as the scoring rate dropped slightly in the second quarter. Anthony Walsh and Keane traded frees before both number seven’s landed huge points from distance, Ronan Connolly for Cashel and Brian Maher for Gortnahoe. Cashel continued to foul needlessly and Hayes punished them three times in first-half injury-time before Ross Bonnar landed his fourth from play to bring the first half to a close with Gortnahoe 1-9 to 0-11 ahead. 

Cashel made a number of positional switches at the break while also introducing David McGrath at corner forward in place of Anthony Walsh. The reshuffle saw Ross Bonnar move to midfield and crucially Devon Ryan to centre-forward. 

Ryan had a very quiet opening half, but he proved very influential on the forty, opening the second half scoring from a free. Ronan Connolly landed another boomer before Conn Bonnar was onto to a breaking ball in a flash to give Timmy Dunne no chance in the Gortnahoe goal. 

The Cashel tails were up, and Ryan landed two lovely points from play in the 5th and 7th minutes before Colm Guilfoyle stopped the rot with Gortnahoe’s opening point of the second half. Hayes added another from a free before a smashing ball from Fionn Cleary found Darragh Maher who finished to the net to bring Gortnahoe back to within a point, 1-15 to 2-11 after 40 minutes. 

There was a great ebb and flow to the game by now, but it was Cashel’s ability to shoot accurately from distance that proved crucial as Daniel Moloney, Eoghan Connolly, and Conn Bonnar all landed points to add to a free from Ryan and they led was out to five by the 48th minute. Gortnahoe failed to score for twelve minutes after Maher’s goal, Hayes ending the drought with a point from play on 52 minutes. 

Another Hayes free in the 55th minute kept Cashel firmly focused with the lead down to three. Substitute Adrian Cummins settled the nerves with a point before another long-range missile, this time from Ger Browne, left Cashel with two guards to the knave. Kevin Slattery’s late attempt for a Gortnahoe goal flashed over and Cashel were home by four. 

Their high-scoring return from play made Cashel deserved winners although their concession of a number of goal chances is something they will need to work on. Ronan and Eoghan Connolly, Ross and Conn Bonnar, Devon Ryan, Daniel Moloney, and Cathal Quinn were all to the fore while Aaron Browne was smart in goal when needed. 

They will prove a very difficult opponent in the semi-finals as they dream of a return to the top tier. Gortnahoe lacked nothing in bravery, spirit, and determination but just six scores from play in the hour proved their downfall. Brian Maher, Colm Guilfoyle, Keane Hayes, and Karl Campion were best on a disappointing day. 

Cashel King Cormacs: Aaron Browne; Conor O’Dwyer, Nathan Ryan, Ciaran Quinn; Daniel Moloney (0-1), Eoghan Connolly (0-2, 0-1f), Ronan Connolly (0-2); Anthony Walsh (0-1f), Cathal Quinn (0-1); Paddy Fahy (0-1), Ross Bonnar (0-4), James Cummins; Devon Ryan (0-4, 0-2f), Ger Browne (0-2), Conn Bonnar (1-2). 

Subs used: David McGrath for Walsh (HT); Adrian Cummins (0-1) for Cummins. 

Gortnahoe Glengoole: Timmy Dunne; Liam Hayes, Philly Purcell, Conor Gleeson; Martin Barnaville, Kevin Slattery (0-1f), Brian Maher (0-1); Karl Campion, Jack Moore (1-0); Adrian Maher, Fionn Cleary, Darragh Maher (1-0); Sean Lahert, Colm Guilfoyle (0-1), Keane Hayes (0-11, 0-9f). 

Subs used: Damian Corbett for Lahert (41); David Lanigan for Gleeson (50); Oisin Cleary for Guilfoyle (50); Gearoid Fahey for Adrian Maher (60). 

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)