Comfortable win for Golden/Kilfeacle in West Tipperary Intermediate Hurling semi-final

Golden/Kilfeacle 1-22 Arravale Rovers 1-10

Golden/Kilfeacle, last winners of the title in 2019, advanced to the final of the Tipperary Credit Union West Intermediate Hurling Championship when they overcame the challenge of 2023 finalists, Arravale Rovers, at Canon Hayes Park Bansha on Saturday evening.

Golden controlled the game from the throw-in. Strong in defence, with Shane O’Connell and Niall Heffernan providing a solid spine, they limited Arravale to just 1-4 from play, while Seanie O’Halloran and Jack Dalton won the midfield battle. In attack they were at their best with Ben Currivan, Eanna Ormond, Padraig Dalton and Jack Leamy in fine form.

Arravale never really got to the pitch of the game and once Golden got a four-point lead midway through the opening half, there was only ever going to be one outcome. Sean O’Mahony kept Arravale in contention from placed balls, but overall their attack lacked penetration. They trailed by five at the break and could only manage two points after half-time, both from Sean O’Mahony placed balls, with their goal coming in the 61st minute from Darren Lowry.

Golden struck 1-17 from open play, but their wayward shooting will be a cause for concern, as they hit 17 wides.

The game started in whirlwind fashion, with top scorer Jack Leamy firing over the opening point after just 30 seconds. From the puck out Johnny Ryan levelled the game, all inside 60 seconds. Ben Currivan eased Golden back in front but Sean O’Mahony, from a placed ball, had the game tied for the second and last time inside three minutes.

Golden then hit a purple patch when they hit nine of the next eleven scores over a 20-minute spell. Eoin Marnane and Ben Currivan were on target before Sean O’Mahony put the minimum between the sides after eight minutes. Jack Leamy, from a free, and Ben Currivan made it 0-6 to 0-3 before Aidan O’Connell hit a wonder score from all of 95 yards.

The second quarter produced more of the same from Golden. Jack Bergin cancelled out a Sean O’Mahony point after 21 minutes and Ben Currivan gained possession from the resulting puckout to split the posts from midfield. Jack Leamy capitalised on a poor Arravale clearance to put seven between the sides with six minutes to go to the break. Arravale then created a goal chance but Sean O’Mahony’s shot took a deflection off Niall Heffernan and went over.

John Paul Lohan, who was deployed as an extra defender, came up field and split the posts for a fine individual score, before Seanie O’Halloran took a back-pass from Leamy to open his account. Sean O’Mahony cut the deficit when he converted two placed balls as half time approached but Padraig Dalton put five between the sides in injury time to leave the half-time score Golden 0-13, Arravale Rovers 0-8.

Arravale needed to get back into the game quickly after the break, but the opposite happened. Leamy hit his fifth point before Eanna Ormond opened his account, having picked up a fifty-metre crossfield ball from Eoin Marnane. Padraig Dalton then set up Ben Currivan for his fifth from play as Golden completely took over, stretching their lead out to eight by the 39th minute.

While Sean O’Mahony pulled two back for the town side, they never looked like causing an upset. Johnny Ryan had been switched to the centre of their defence in a bid to curb the Golden attack but the Suirsiders had too many aces in that department. Seanie O’Halloran added his second point following a good run while Leamy hit two from placed balls, plus one from play.

As the game headed into added time, Arravale got the goal that they needed much earlier. An Orrin Jones cross caught the Golden defence flat-footed and Darren Lowry rose high to bat the ball past Jack Currivan. From the puck out Ben Currivan gained possession to fire over his sixth point from play.

Jack Leamy, who gave a man of the match performance, slotted over his eighth before Eanna Ormond capped off a good evening’s work when he blasted past Paddy Dalton.

Golden now play Cappawhite in the decider in what will be a repeat of the 2019 final.

Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Aidan O’Connell (0-1), Shane O’Connell, Daithi Bargary, Eoin Marnane (0-1), Niall Heffernan (captain), Cian Ryan (P), Seanie O’Halloran (0-2), Jack Dalton, Padraig Dalton (0-1), Ben Currivan (0-6), Eanna Ormond (1-1), Jack Bergin (0-1), Jack Leamy (0-9, 5 frees), Ciaran Byrne.

Subs: Sam Hall for Ciaran Byrne (38), Gavin Dalton for Eoin Marnane (inj 44), Aaron Colohan for Padraig Dalton (51), Tom Byrnes for Jack Bergin (56).

Arravale Rovers: Paddy Dalton, Brendan Delaney, Mathew Moroney, Tommy Lowry, Daniel Ryan, Shane Leahy, Cian Ryan (captain), Shane Maher, Raymond Kelly, Seán O’Mahony (0-8, 6 frees, Darren Lowry (1-0), Orrin Jones, John Paul Lohan (0-1), Johnny Ryan (0-1), Jack Lowry, Cormac Maher.

Subs: Eoghan Lonergan for Daniel Ryan (HT), Conal Donovan for Shane Leahy (34), Jack Lowry for Raymond Kelly (46), Micheál Sharpe for Darren Lowry (inj 61).

Referee: Seanie Peters (Aherlow).