Shamrocks surprised by Kildare side in Leinster Championship

Éire Óg Corra Choill booked their place in the Leinster Club JHC quaarter-final with a two-point win over Offaly intermediate champions, Shamrocks, at Manguard Plus COE, Hawkfield, on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship first round

Éire Óg Corra Choill 2-15
Shamrocks 1-16

The Kildare champions were never headed but in the end had to withstand a late comeback from the  Faithful County boys - the referee played no less than 36 minutes in the second half, which seemed excessive but it certainly did not upset the Prosperous/ Caragh lads or their manager Stuart Gleeson, who was more than satisfied with the performance of his charges.

Shamrocks played Maynooth in last season's Leinster Club, also at Hawkfield, and won that one and no doubt they expected to repeat that victory again but ÉÓCC did not read that particular script and were full value for their win.

Rory O'Neill, Paul Dolan (free) and a Daniel Murray white flag saw the winners open a three point lead by the sixth minute.
Shamrocks opened their  account on seven through Shane O'Toole Green and Nigel Dunne (free) added another before the home side tacked on three frees from the accurate stick of Paul Dolan.

Paul Dermody made a brilliant save to deny O'Toole Greene, but the rebound came to David Molloy who fired over to leave three between them.

Paul Dolan converted again but Shamrocks reduced the lead to two with points from Padraig Canwell (free) and Nigel Dunne.
Éire Óg Corra Choill added two more before the break and while David Molloy added another it was Éire  Óg Corra Choill who led at the break 0-9 to 0-6.

Scott Cramer increased  the lead on the resumption but Shamrocks hit back with points from Nigel Dunne, with a long-range free, and Shane O'Toole Green to leave two separating the sides on 34 minutes.

It  was  still all to play for but points from a Dolan free and Liam Dempsey edged the home boys four clear.

Then on 37 minutes a brilliant save by Shamrocks keeper, John Kinahan denied Kevin Connor, however Conor Kietly was quickest to react and he batted the sliother to the net to make it 1-12 to 0-8.

In fairness to Shamrocks they did not lie down and hit back with three white flags from Nigel Dunne (2) and David Molloy and when Dunne converted another free the difference was back to three at the half-way point.

Disaster emerged for Shamrocks when Stephen Malone pulled early on a throw-in and was shown a second yellow with 48 minutes on the clock. Paul Dolan fired over the resultant free as Scott Cramer (ÉÓCC) and Sean Mooney (S) were each shown yellows on 50 minutes.

Nigel Dunne kept Shamrocks in touch before Scott Cramer linked  up with Rory O'Neill who fired to the net to make it 2-13 to 0-13 on 55 minutes. But further disaster was to hit Shamrocks when Sean Mooney picked up a second yellow and a red, the visitors down to 13 men.

Liam Dempsey and Padraig Canwell exchanged points with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Liam Dempsey fired over his third from play before a mistake at the back saw Padraig Canwell make no mistake from close range to make it 2-14 to 1-14 on 64.

On and on we went, Shamrocks added two points from Nigel Dunne, their most outstanding player by a mile, but finally the match official decided all the time was played the long whistle arrived on 66 minutes with the home side winning on a score line of Éire Óg Corrachoill 2-15 Shamrocks 1-16.

Scorers:

Éire Óg Corra Coill 0-8 (7 frees), Rory O'Neill 1-1, Conor Kielty 1-0, Liam Dempsey 0-3, Jack Higgins 0-1, Daniel Murray 0-1, Scott Cramer 0-1.

Shamrocks, Nigel Dunne 0-10 (65, 6 frees), Padraig Canwell 1-2 (2 frees), David Molloy 0-3, Shane O'Toole Greene 0-1.

The teams

ÉIRE ÓG CORRA CHOILL: Paul Dermody; Cormac Byrne, James Dolan, Kieran Moran; Daniel Murray, Michael Begley cpt, Gary Dempsey; Jack Higgins, Liam Dempsey; Conor Kielty, Kevin O'Mahony, Paul Dolan; Alan Lagrue, Rory O'Neill, Kevin Connor. Subs: Scott Cramer for Conor Kielty (blood sub 11-18 minutes); Scott Cramer for Alan Lagrue (18 minutes); Jack McGovern for Kevin O'Mahony (half-time); Tim Hennessy for Conor Kielty (42 minutes).

SHAMROCKS: John Kinahan; Sean Cantwell, Conor Condrom, Sean Mooney; Jack Molloy, Padraig Canwell, Stephen Malone; Darragh Minnock, Alan Foster; Shane O'Toole Greene, Shane Heffernan, Nigel Dunne; David Molloy, David O'Toole Greene, Shane Kearney. Subs: Cathal O'Brien for Darragh Minnock (33 minutes); Neil Minnock for David Molloy (45 minutes).

REFEREE: Bernard Heaney, Westmeath.