Upperchurch leave their best until last as they stun Kiladangan to retain Intermediate status

FBD Insurance County Intermediate Hurling Relegation Final 

Upperchurch Drombane 2-20 

Kiladangan 4-13

By Liam Hogan 

Fourteen-man Kiladangan’s stay in Intermediate level is over for 2024 at least after their late comeback was not enough to save them the drop with Pat Short’s 62nd minute free helping Upperchurch stay up after the teams met in an entertaining game at Templederry last Saturday evening. 

The better all-round team led from the start and were six points in front with a minute of normal time remaining before Kiladangan secured two late goals before Shortt hit the winner.

If one is, to be honest, the winners were deserving of the win but the game will be cause for discussion as one wonders how it would have panned out if Kiladangan hadn’t lost Martin Minehan to a red card in the 20th minute when referee Paddy Russell considered his tackle on Jim O’Dwyer as dangerous. 

To this scribe, the dismissal looked very harsh with the Kiladangan man’s shoulder coming in contact with O’Dwyer as the Upperchurch slipped in the greasy conditions and came in to contact with the Kiladangan defender who was standing his ground. 

There was nothing the Kiladangan man could do about it as the contact was accidental and looked more serious than it actually was.

The sending-off aside this was a game that Upperchurch dominated from start to finish and were fully deserving of their 0-5 to 0-2 lead after ten minutes. Always first to the ball, the midmen were playing with great fluidness as Pat Short opened the scoring with a free after 44 seconds with Eanna Ryan, Loughlin Ryan, Diarmuid Ryan, and Jim O’Dwyer each adding scores from play. 

Eoghan Kelly had already scored Kiladangan’s equaliser after sixty seconds with Martin Minehan giving the Northmen the lead over 20 seconds later. 

Minehan was involved in the game’s first goal in the eleventh minute when Neil Cahalan took up the running before firing home a great shot to the Upperchurch net. Scores level 1-2 to 0-5

However, Upperchurch Drombane took up the running again and went three in front thanks to points by Jim O’Dwyer and Conor Fahy, either side of a Pat Shortt free. Neil Cahalan pulled one back for Kiladangan in the 16th minute. 

Kiladangan came forward again but their accuracy let them down and their plight worsened when Martin Minehan was sent to the line. 

From there, Upperchurch took advantage and increased their lead to seven when adding 1-2 with the goal coming from Oisin Treacy after the wingback received an assist from Pat Shortt in the 25th minute. 

All seemed lost but Kiladangan managed to find the resources to come back and approaching half-time they had points on the board from Ruairi and Jack Loughnane. A Pat Short free put six between the teams but Conor Culhane gave Kiladangan a lifeline when he pushed a ground ball to the net. 

Suddenly the picture looked brighter for Kiladangan and seconds into added time they managed to cut the deficit even more when Ruairi Gleeson (free) and Neil Cahalan found white flags to leave them 1-11 to 2-7 in arrears at the break.  

The second half was thirty seconds old when Conor Culhane’s half-chance of a goal was saved by TJ Butler. When Upperchurch turned defence into attack they increased their lead to five after Eoin Shortt scored a point before Pat Shortt scored a goal after he availed of a loose clearance to score from close in.

That score was the start of a score-for-score phase with two Ruairi Gleeson frees coming either side of a Conor Fahy 90-metre score from play had the deficit down to three after 42 minutes. 

The score-for-score pattern continued with Conor Fahy’s point moving Upperchurch four in front but at the other end, Kiladangan won a penalty. 

Ruairi Gleeson’s effort was saved by T J Butler and Upperchurch re-started their best play with Loughlin Ryn scoring with his high ball slipping over the bar from Darragh Egan’s raised hand. 

Despite the numerical advantage Kiladangan just refused to go away. Ruairi Gleeson was on target once more this time from play but Pat Shortt moved Upperchurch five clear in the 52nd minute only for Ruairi Gleeson to score another free a minute later.

At the other end, Aidan Ryan almost snook home a goal but lost his footing when he was about to connect before both teams swapped scores through Pat Shortt and Ruairi Gleeson who won the immediate puckout by Egan.

As play continued it looked as if Upperchurch had done enough especially when Loughlin Ryan and Sean Ryan increased their sides lead to six points with a minute remaining.  

But not when Kiladangan are involved and with play in added time, a goal by Eoghan Meagher gave them hope before Neil Cahalan scored his second and Kiladangan’s fourth goal to level matters after 61 minutes.

Two periods of extra time was a possibility but Upperchurch attacked once more with Matthew Greene fouled by Shane Seymour with the free hotly contested. 

However, Paddy Russell was not for changing and Pat Shortt converted the free for what was the winning point after one more Ruairi Gleeson effort drifted wide seconds before the final whistle. 

Upperchurch Drombane: T J Butler; James Griffin, Matt Ryan, Padraig Stapleton; Joe Bourke, Diarmuid Grant (0-2), Oisin Treacy (1-0); Sean Ryan (0-1), Eanna Ryan (0-1); Loughlin Ryan (0-3), Conor Fahy (0-3), Jim O’Dwyer (0-2); Eoin Short (0-1), Pat Short (1-7, 0-6f), Pakie Bourke. 

Subs used: Matthew Greene for Bourke (35); Conor Ryan for E Shortt (59). 

Kiladangan: Darragh Egan; Paddy Galagher, Shane Seymour, Jack McGrath; Ronan Ducie, Jack Loughnane (0-1), Darragh Ryan; Darragh Butler, Martin Minehan (0-1); Neil Cahalan (2-2), Mathew Cleary, Eoin Kelly (0-1); Conor Culhane (1-0), Ruairi Gleeson (0-8, 0-4f, 0-1’65), Bill Cleary.    

Subs used: Eoghan Maher 1-0 for B Cleary (38); Aidan Ryan for Culhane (50); Stephen Mulvihill for M Cleary (58).  

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly)