Goalie James Griffin the hero as Upperchurch return to semi-finals of Tipperary senior football championship

Upperchurch/Drombane 0-10; Kilsheelan/Kilcash 0-10

Upperchurch win 7-6 on penalties after extra time

An intense, drama-filled FBD Insurance County Senior Football quarter-final at Boherlahan on Sunday ended in stalemate, and with extra time also failing to separate Upperchurch/Drombane and Kilsheelan/Kilcash, it all came down to the dreaded penalty shootout, with the mid reps emerging victorious by 7-6 in a nail-biting finale.

From the start this was a feisty, physical encounter, with the two sides committed to keeping possession and to closing down the opposition when they had the ball. The fresh breeze and squally rain didn’t help matters either but the closeness of the exchanges kept the modest attendance on their toes throughout.

At different stages throughout the 80 minutes each side looked as though they were going to win, only to be hauled back to parity by opponents determined to scrap to the finish. With the breeze behind them Upperchurch were on top early on, points from the Shanahan brothers, Luke (3) and Paul (2) pushing them 0-5 to 0-1 clear of their opponents after 22 minutes. Jamie Roche pointed for Kilsheelan after 13 minutes.

Kilsheelan had lots of the ball, recycling it time after time, but there was a distinct lack of a cutting edge in their attack and a reluctance to try for a score. They improved coming to the break, points from Sean Martin and Jamie Roche leaving them just 2 adrift at the break (0-3 to 0-5).

It was advantage Kilsheelan at that stage and with the wind behind them on the restart, and Upperchurch losing Aaron Ryan to a black card, Roche hit two points and Barry Kehoe a third to put them 0-6 to 0-5 in front at the three quarter stage. The south team added points from Mark Stokes and Jamie Roche (2) without reply to go 0-9 to 0-6 in front with five minutes left, and looking likely winners.

Upperchurch looked doomed but despite the taxing conditions, they somehow found the reserves to rally. In an intensely exciting climax, Gavin Ryan pointed, as did Loughlin Ryan before, in injury time, Paul Shanahan converted a free to tie the game. Upperchurch had left two frees short in that run-in, which could have given them outright victory but at referee Sean Lonergan’s final whistle they were happy to be still in the championship.

Again in extra-time Upperchurch squandered three chances, as the sides each added a point in a cagey first half. The second half of extra time was also cagey and neither side scored, leaving it 0-10 to 0-10 at the final whistle, and a penalty shootout next on the agenda.

This too was full of drama. The first five penalties saw the sides level at 3-3, Upperchurch goalie James Griffin saving twice, while Kian Quinn stopped one and saw another go wide. A second instalment of penalties from the same kickers saw each team convert their first three kicks (6-6).

Then Upperchurch shot wide, but once more their goalie James Griffin rescued his side with a save, so it all came down to the tenth penalty for each side. Ger Grant duly dispatched his effort for Upperchurch but once more goalie Griffin saved to send Upperchurch through to the semi-final for the second year in succession.

Overall in both hurling and football it has been a difficult year for Upperchurch, but all that will be forgotten if they can progress in football and secure their senior hurling status in the relegation play-offs.

Their admirable team spirit will be a huge asset to them in that regard and the personification of this in this energy-sapping encounter were the efforts of Ger Grant, Keith Ryan, Dean Carew, Aaron Ryan and the Shanahan brothers, Paul and Luke.

One had to have sympathy for Kilsheelan to lose such an epic battle in these circumstances. They certainly looked poised for victory when they had a three-points lead with five minutes to go and they paid a heavy price for faltering on the run-in.

They have been missing some key players this year but in this encounter Mark Stokes, Barry Kehoe, Daire Brennan, Jamie Roche, and Tommy O’Connor did their utmost to get them over the line.

Upperchurch/Drombane: James Griffin; Mikey Lavery, Dean Carew, Colm Ryan; Diarmaid Grant, Gavin Ryan (0-1), Padraig Greene; Ger Grant, Keith Ryan; Aaron Ryan, Paul Shanahan (0-6, 5fs), Paddy Phelan; Luke Shanahan (0-3, 2fs), Conor Fahey, Niall Grant.

Subs: Pat Ryan for Fahey (34 mins), Loughlin Ryan for Phelan (42 mins), AJ Shanahan for D Grant (46 mins), Sean Ryan for N Grant (57 mins).

Kilsheelan/Kilcash: Kian Quinn; Billy O’Connor, Daire Brennan, Jason Madigan; Emmet Butler, Mark Stokes (0-1), Tommy O’Connor; Micheal Freaney, Mark Kehoe; Martin Gibbs, Sean Martin (0-1), Barry Kehoe (0-1); Jamie Roche (0-6,5fs), Conor Davin Murphy (0-1), Senan Butler.

Subs: Sean Freaney for Gibbs (48 mins), Billy Murphy for Martin (55 mins), Gibbs for S Freaney (70 mins), S Freaney for B Kehoe (72 mins).

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers).