Offaly Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-final
Ballyskenach 2-15 ....... Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-14
John Horan Reports
Ballyskenach notched their own unique piece of hurling history when for the first time ever they made it into the Senior County Semi-finals after their breakthrough victory over Kilcormac/Killoughey at Banagher on Saturday. In the semi-final they will be meeting the might of St. Rynagh's.
This
turned out to be a spirited and well merited victory for Ballyskenach as they
held off a late charge from Kilcormac/Killoughey, which included a free on full
time which was stopped by the Ballyskenach rearguard. In the closing nine minutes
only a goal separated the teams as Ballyskenach led by 2-12 to 1-12.
Kilcormac/Killoughey came with a late thrust with Shane Hand, their top scorer over the hour, hitting two late frees to put two points in it with two minutes left.
Ballyskenach then went back up the field and in injury time Brendan Murphy made sure of victory when he drilled over a fine point.
It was the conclusion to what was a memorable hour for Ballyskenach and their excursions in the Championship will continue apace when they cross sticks in what should be an intriguing tussle with St. Rynagh's.
Once again this encounter was never the greatest of fare and only really came to life in the last quarter. At the same time Ballyskenach won't be complaining and indeed they showed enough evidence of their commitment and fighting qualities late on.
With three minutes remaining only a point separated the teams and after delivering some telling scores in attack the Ballyskenach had to call on their best in defence to hold out KIK and that late Shane Hand free.
It was a tense finish, though one felt even holding the lead of a goal Ballyskenach looked from the encounter.
As was the case in the other quarter final the first half tended to be scrappy. Both sides hit fortuitous goals, Kilcormac/Killoughey's came from a free when Shane Hand's free arced all the way to the net.
Ballyskench's
was just as bizarre when a similar free from David Franks managed to squeeze
its way past a line of defenders.
Ballyskenach got off to a good start racing into a two point lead following scores by Brendan Murphy and a David Franks free.
Kilcormac/Killoughey's first score arrived from Tony Spain in the eighth minute. John Dooley edged Ballyskenach ahead again before K/K struck with two frees from Shane Hand and a point from Henry and seven minutes before half time were rewarded with a free. From it Shane Hand's effort dropped beyond the defenders and into the net. K/K then held an initiative of 1-6 to 0-4.
The beginning of Ballyskenach's revival occurred five minutes before half time when a free taken by David Franks breezed beyond a line of Kilcormac/Killoughey defenders into the net. Defender Mark Kirwan then sent over a good long distance shot to leave a point in it 1-6 to 1-5 for K/K. Both sides struck with scores again as K/K held the lead just of 1-7 to 16 at the interval.
Five minutes into the second half the sides were still level, this time 1-8 each before Shane placed balls again with another free making it 1-9 to 1-8 in the 36th minute. The tide began to gradually turn a minute later when Peter Murphy finished off a move with an important Ballyskenach goal.
Second half substitute Bill Lalor quickly added a point as minutes later they hit two furonly a goal separated them.
K/K still added the pressure in the dying minutes with a brace of Shane Hand
frees, however the reply was swift from Ballyskenach and scores by Noel Murphy
again, John Dooley and Brendan Murphy set
them
up for their first ever semi-final.
BALLYSKENACH: Tomas O'Toole; Eugene Hannon (capt), Michael O'Hara, Ollie Ryan;
Mark Kirwan (0-1), Cathal Murphy, Barry Keeshan; Liam O'Toole, David Franks
(1-1); Peter Murphy (1-1), Noel Murphy (0-3), Brendan Murphy (0-3); David Carney
(0-1), John Dooley (0-4), Eugene Kirwan.
Subs: Bill Lalor (0-1) (for David Carney).
KILCORMAC/ KILLOUGHEY: Stephen Byrne (Capt); Ger Gleeson, Kevin Rigney, Mark
Hennessy; Seamus Spain, John Moyles, Paul Bracken; Martin Murray, Shane Hand
(1-10); Mark O'Brien, Mark Hand (0-1), Tony Spain (0-1); Paul Leonard, Niall
Hand, Henry Kilmartin (0-1).
Subs: Colm Cassidy (0-1) (for Tony Spain, halftime)
REFEREE: Brendan Keeshan (Shinrone).