By Alan Walsh reports
Ballinamere 1-15 ...... Ballyskenach 1-15
Scorers:
Ballinamere: Martin Og Buggy (0-5, 0-4 frees), Emmett Molloy (1-2), Rory Buggy
(0-4, 0-1 free), Stephen Weir (0-3), Paul Kinnarney (0-1).
Ballyskenach: Morgan Lalor (0-6, 0-1 free), Ciaran Kirwan (1-1), Timmy Hennessy
(0-2), John Dooley (0-2, 0-1 free), Aidan Franks (0-2 '65's), Shane Carroll
(0-1), Ronan Middleton (0-1).
Wides:
Ballinamere 13 (9 1st half); Ballyskenach 10 (4 1st half).
Cards:
Red: None. Yellow (3): Michael Duignan (30 mins), Ronan Middleton (34 mins),
Derek Middleton (35 mins).
RORY Buggy's 59th minute converted free ensured that Ballinamere and Ballyskenach
will have to fight out again to determine who progresses to meet Birr in the
intermediate hurling championship final.
Aidan Bracken Building Design AHC semi-final
The initiative swung to and fro in this lively semi-final at St Rynagh's Park
on Saturday afternoon. And the sides were deadlocked on no less than five occasions.
'Skenach came out firing on all cylinders and inside three minutes they were 0-4 to nil ahead. Ballinamere recovered well and by half time they were 0-10 to 0-7 in front, and realistically, they should have boasted a bigger cushion as they struck some aimless wides from distance.
Ballinamere, beaten in the '07 final by Birr, forged five points clear (the widest margin that separated the teams at any stage) by the 37th minute, 0-12 to 0-7. 'Skenach, relegated from the senior ranks at the end of '07, re-grouped and boosted by Ciaran Kirwan's goal they nosed ahead, 1-11 to 0-13. Stephen Weir equalised and Emmett Molloy's 43rd minute goal gave Ballinamere a 1-14 to 1-11 advantage.
Ballyskenach registered the next four points, 1-15 to 1-14 after 56 minutes, only for Rory Buggy to step up to the plate and level matters for the fifth and final time. 'Skenach did have a last-gasp chance to snatch victory but to their dismay John Dooley's hurried snap shot sailed wide.
A draw was a fitting outcome as neither side demonstrated enough guile or ruthlessness to kill the other off when they got on top. 'Skenach, who last won the IHC in 1995, were without Brendan Murphy and if he were to be available for the replay, then one would expect them to prevail.
Ballinamere, once they found their stride, played some fine hurling but on the negative side their only score in the concluding 17 plus minute was Buggy's equalising free. They were also guilty of delivering in too much aimless high ball, taking their full forward trio out of the equation and the wily Michael Duignan wasn't slow about letting the players out the field know this.
Ballinamere, who've contested five IHC finals since 1994, had good performers in David Gillespie, Niall Kinnarney, Stephen Weir, Emmett Molloy, Rory Buggy and Martin Og Buggy. While 'Skenach's most consistent were Cathal Murphy, Aidan Franks, Morgan Lalor, Timmy Hennessy and Ciaran Kirwan.
'Skenach quickly found their groove with Morgan Lalor (2), Timmy Hennessy and Ronan Middleton grabbing points. Martin Og Buggy (one from a free) replied with two Ballinamere points but 'Skenach quickly restored their four-point lead, 0-6 to 0-2, as Shane Carroll and Lalor (free) split the posts.
Ballinamere took over the reins completely after this and between the 10th and 25th minutes they hit seven unanswered points through Rory Buggy (3), Nicholas Minnock, Emmett Molloy, Og Buggy (free) and Stephen Weir, 0-9 to 0-6. Ballinamere, who were fast and sharp, should have been out of sight altogether but they hindered their own cause by poor shooting and some poor luck – Og Buggy's 12th minute ground shot hit the inside of the post with Alan Franks beaten.
John Dooley brought 'Skenach's twenty-minute wait for a score to an end and the last say of the half fell to Ballinamere's Paul Kinnarney who clipped over a point.
Points on the restart from Molloy and Og Buggy (free) helped Ballinamere open up a 0-12 to 0-7 lead. Lalor (who switched to right half forward) pulled back two points before Og Buggy (free) made it 0-13 to 0-9 in the 39th minute.
'Skenach kept plugging away and sandwiched in between points by Hennessy and Dooley (free), Ciaran Kirwan found the net, 1-11 to 0-13, as Ballinamere's defence was caught napping under a high Derek Middleton delivery.
Former Offaly senior panellist Weir displayed nice skill and accuracy to arrow over the levelling point. And then in the 43rd minute, Michael Duignan, despite being hampered by hamstring trouble, won possession and fed Emmett Molloy who fired a low shot to the corner of the onion bag, 1-14 to 1-11 in favour of Ballinamere.
Aidan Franks converted two 65's to keep 'Skenach in the hunt and Og Buggy sent a '65 wide at the other end (Ballinamere's 12th wide in total). Og Buggy (who was at full forward) went for goal in the 53rd minute but was denied and 'Skenach counter-attacked and Ciaran Kirwan equalised. Lalor put his side ahead, 1-15 to 1-14, and in a tense finish Rory Buggy sent the tie to a replay.
BALLINAMERE: Kieran McLoughlin; Kevin Hennessy, David Gillespie, Ken Molloy;
Peter Leonard, Niall Kinnarney, Damien Spollen; Stephen Weir, Paul Troy; Paul
Kinnarney, Martin Og Buggy (capt.), Emmett Molloy; Rory Buggy, Michael Duignan,
Nicholas Minnock.
Subs.: Christy Corroon for P Kinnarney (blood, 20 mins), Gerry Spollen for P
Kinnarney (blood, 39 mins), G Spollen for M Duignan (50 mins), Daniel Minnock
for D Spollen (56 mins), M Duignan for P Kinnarney (57 mins).
BALLYSKENACH: Alan Franks; Padraic Kennedy, Cathal Murphy, Tony O'Riordan;
Mark Kirwan, Aidan Franks (capt.), Shane Kirwan; Morgan Lalor, Derek Middleton;
Shane Carroll, Timmy Hennessy, Alan Middleton; Ciaran Kirwan, John Dooley, Ronan
Middleton.
Subs.: Tadhg Maher for S Carroll (30 mins), Daryl Carney for R Middleton (56
mins), Tom O'Toole for P Kennedy (59 mins).
REFEREE: Tony Carroll, Kinnitty.
(C) The Offaly Express
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