Drom & Inch make semi finals with impressive dismantling of Kickhams

FBD Insurance Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Drom & Inch 1-19

Knockavilla Donaskeagh Kickhams 2-11

Drom & Inch are safely through to the last four of this year’s FBD Intermediate Hurling championship following their five point victory over West champions, Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams, at Leahy Park, Cashel on Saturday afternoon.

This was a game which was won and lost in the second quarter, a period when Drom hit one goal and five points without reply and also the time when Kickhams were reduced to fourteen players, following the dismissal of Orrin Jones to a red card, five minutes before the interval.

The game opened even enough with Stephen Browne putting over at the far end inside the first minute. Shane Hassett equalised before Conor Horgan eased Kickhams back in front, with a point from out on the Stand side. Aiden O’Meara equalised for the second time, with only three minutes gone on the clock.

Conor Horgan and Darragh Kennedy traded frees before Kickhams upped their game. First Jamie Duncan made a piercing cut through the middle, before kicking a good point on the run, and Orrin Jones converted a placed ball from close in.

Darragh Kennedy converted his second free of the afternoon, but Kickhams reacted from the puck out with a Ben Ryan point. This put Kickhams two up, but Drom came right back in the game.

James Woodlock won possession around the forty metre mark, drew the defence and laid off to Jamie Bergin, who following a run, blaster low past Jack Breen. This score seemed to lift Drom as they hit the next four points without reply, two from Darragh Kennedy and one each from Ben Stapleton and Darragh Fitzpatrick.

This was Drom’s best period of the game, building up a cushion, which they held until the end. Five minutes before the interval, Kickhams were reduced to fourteen players, when Orrin Jones was dismissed on a red card, following an off the ball incident. This certainly added to Kickhams woes as they were already coming under pressure, with Drom upping their game considerably. Darragh Kennedy closed out the first half scoring when he converted his fifth point of the game, to leave the half time score, Drom 1.9, Kickhams 0.6.

After the break, Drom continued where they left off, with Aiden O’Meara and Darragh Kennedy extending their lead inside the opening five minutes. With eleven minutes gone, Kickhams were given a lifeline when Walter O’Carroll goaled at the near end, having been first to react to a breaking ball, following a Jack Breen long range free.

However the were unable to follow up and two converted Darragh Kennedy frees extended the Drom advantage to six. Paudie Slattery and Jamie Bergin traded points to retain the status quo by the three quarter mark.

Kickhams hit back with three of the next four scores, two from Conor Horgan and one huge effort from goalkeeper Jack Breen.
However, Drom maintained their composure, used their numerical advantage to shore up the back and with Darragh Kennedy putting over three successive points, they had gone into a seven point advantage as the clock headed towards injury time.

Jack Breen came up field but his twenty metre free was well saved and from the resulting 65, Ben Loughman crashed to the net. From the puck out Drom attacked at the other end, with Shane Hassett closing out the scoring with his third point of the afternoon, three minutes into injury time.

Drom will be happy enough with their game, they used the extra man well, getting good ball to their forwards while their defence overall had the measure of the Kickhams attack.

Scorers & Teams: Drom & Inch: Darragh Kennedy (0.11 frees), Shane Hassett (0.3), Jamie Bergin (1.1), Aiden O’Meara (0.2), Ben Stapleton (0.1), Darragh Fitzpatrick (0.1).

Kickhams: Ben Loughman (1.0), Walter O’Carroll (1.0), Conor Horgan (0.5, 3 frees), Jack Breen (0.1 free), Orrin Jones (0.1), Paudie Slattery (0.1), Stephen Browne (0.1), Ben Ryan (0.1), Jamie Duncan (0.1).

Drom & Inch: Paul Connors, Jim Bob Kennedy, Michael Purcell, Conor O’Meara, Paul Bergin, John Ryan, Andy Mullen, Darragh Kennedy, Colm Kinane, Jamie Bergin, James Woodlock, Shane Hassett, Ben Stapleton, Aiden O’Meara, Darragh Fitzpatrick.
Subs: Michael Clohessy for Ben Stapleton (57).

Kickhams: Jack Breen, Eddie Daly, Eoin McCormack, Jack Ryan (B), Jamie Duncan, Paudie O’Carroll, Lorcan Carr, Dan Lonergan, Conor Horgan, Paudie Slattery, Walter O’Carroll, Stephen Browne, Orrin Jones, Ben Ryan, Dean Thompson.

Subs: Shane Morrissey for Stephen Browne (34), Paul O’Dwyer for Dan Lonergan (35), Pa Ryan for Dean Thompson (42), Ger O’Dwyer for Lorcan Carr (50 mins), Ben Loughman for Paudie Slattery (52).

Referee: Tom Loughnane (Gortnahoo Glengoole)