Coolderry 2-15 Birr 1-10
Coolderry strolled to an eventually comprehensive win over Birr in the first of the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals in Tullamore yesterday.
Trailing by a point, 0-10 to 0-9, nine minutes into the second half, Coolderry were being pushed to the pin of their collar by a fired up Birr team.
But the course of the game changed with two goals in as many minutes. The first went to Brian Carroll who finished well from close range and moments later, Kevin Connolly got in for the second to give Coolderry a 2-9 to 0-10 lead.
The winners added a further two points before an Emmet Nolan goal gave Birr hope but Coolderry were able to close out the deal with considerable ease.
The first half was a very entertaining affair with end to end hurling and a lot of quality scores. No more than two points separated the sides at any stage and Birr led by 0-9 to 0-8 at half time.
Coolderry: S Corcoran; S Connolly, T Corcoran, S Burke; A Corcoran, J Brady, K Brady; C Molloy, B Teehan; D King (0-3), M Corcoran, K Connolly (1-0); E Ryan (0-2), B Carroll (1-1), D Murray ( 0-8, 7f and 1 '65'). Sub: A Connolly (0-1) for M Corcoran (46m).
Birr: B Mullins; C O'Callaghan, E Hayes, M Verney; B Watkins (0-1), D Hayden, S Ryan; B Whelahan, B Harding (0-2); E Cahill (0-6, 5f), R Hanniffy, B Murphy; S Lonergan, E Nolan (1-1), C Mulrooney. Subs: T Bolger for Mulrooney (36m), D Ryan for Whelahan (51m), A Whelahan for Cahill (56m), C Taylor for Lonergan (56m).
Referee: B Gavin.
St Rynagh’s 1-22 Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-16
Kilcormac/Killoughey’s three year reign as Offaly hurling’s kingpins came to an emphatic end when they were well beaten by a very impressive St Rynagh’s side in Tullamore.
There was absolutely no disputing the merit of St Rynagh’s win as they controlled the game from start to finish and never gave the reigning champions a sniff of it.
They set out an early marker by storming into a 0-4 to no score lead and a tenth minute goal from man of the match, Stephen Wynne gave them a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage.
They went on to lead by 1-13 to 0-5 at half time and a beleagured Kilcormac/Killoughey didn’t know what had hit them. K/K threatened to rally in the second half with the wind on their backs but St Rynagh’s continued to pick off regular scores to remain in the driving seat and K/K’s injury time goal from Ger Healion was way too late to affect the outcome.
St Rynagh's: C Clancy; D Maloney, D Shortt, N Wynne; C Hernon, G Conneely, P Camon; S Dolan, N White; M Maloney (0-1), S Wynne (1-12, 8f and 1 '65'), R Hughes (0-2); A Treacy, J O'Connor (0-2), S Quirke (0-4). Subs: S Og Lyons for White (36m), B Conneely (0-1) for Hernon (43m), G Rafferty for M Maloney (46m), G Scales for Treacy (48m), P Quirke for S Quirke (57m).
Kilcormac/Killoughey: Conor Slevin; Con Mahon, G Healion (1-0), A McConville; E Grogan, P Healion, B Leonard; D Kilmartin, K Leonard; Ciaran Slevin (0-9 (4f and 1 '65'), K Grogan, P Geraghty; J Gorman, D Currams (0-2), C Kiely (0-3). Subs: T Geraghty (0-2) for Leonard (H/T), Cathal Mahon for Con Mahon (40m).
Referee : T Carroll.
Patrickswell 2-24 Adare 0-08
The Ciaran Carey managed Patrickswell cruised past their neighbours Adare in a very disappointing Limerick hurling championship sem-final at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.
This was arguably the most one-sided semi-final ever and the game was over as a contest inside 20 minutes.
Adare had the opening point from from wing back James Gahan and Jack Kelleher equalised with the first of his huge long range points. A pass by John Fitzgibbon enabled Declan Hannon to edge Adare in front again only for another free from 100 yards by Kelleher to tie it up after five minutes.
The anticipated thriller seemed likely at that stage but by the end of the first quarter Patrickswell led 0-8 to 0-3 with points by Tomas O’Brien, Kevin O’Brien and Byrnes (two) and two frees from Kelleher.
A pointed Willie Griffin free gave Adare a temporary lift but they were rocked after nineteen minutes when Lar Considine picked up a pass from playmakerin-chief, Cian Lynch, to strike a goal.
Two minutes later it was as good as over when Tomas O’Brien had a second goal and by halftime Patrickswell led by a whopping sixteen points, 2-14 to 0-4 with three of the Adare points coming from play.
Inspired by Lynch, Byrnes and Kelleher, Patrickswell held a vice like grip on the one sided second half during which they scored ten points and allowed Adare only four more from Andrew O’Connell, Diarmuid Sexton, John Fitzgibbon and Griffin.
Patrickswell had not had a game since August 30 whereas Adare were out for the third week in a row following their draw and replay win against Ahane.
Patrickswell: B Murray; J Lynch, B Foley, J Carrig; M Carmody 0-1, D Byrnes 0-7 (4 f 1 '65'), S O'Brien; C Lynch 0-2, N Foley; A Gillane 0-1, J Kelleher 0-7 (6f), A Carroll 0-1; T O'Brien 1-2, K O'Brien 0-1, L Considine 1-2.
Adare: S O'Donoughue; E Costello, J Hannon, R Kennedy; D Sexton 0-1, W McNamara, J Gahan 0-1; J Fitzgibbon 0-1, N Mulvihill; C McCarthy, D Hannon 0-1,A O'Connell 0-1; M Mackey, W Griffin 0-3 (2f), L O'Brien.
Referee: J Mullins (St Patrick's).
Sarsfields 4-15 Erin’s Own 1-14
The Cork hurling final will be a repeat of last season after holders Sarsfields overcame Erin’s Own in an exciting semi-final replay at Páirc Uí Rinn. They now play Glen Rovers next week.
Sars scored their first goal after seven minutes when Ronan Murphy pounced on a mistake by the goalkeeper. Early second-half goals from Cian McCarthy and Tadhg Óg Murphy stretched Sars’ lead though an Eoghan Murphy goal from a penalty with five minutes left gave Erin’s Own hope. McCarthy scored his second goal in injury-time to settle the issue.
Tallow 1-14 Ballyduff Upper 0-16
Tallow, inspired by former Waterford senior panellist Thomas Ryan, progressed to their first Waterford senior hurling final since 2011 following a one-point win over neighbours Ballyduff at Fraher Field.
Ryan’s 1-5 haul, all registered from play, saw the Bridesiders deservedly advance to the October 18th decider, where they will meet either Ballygunner or Fourmilewater, who will contest the second semi-final on Sunday next.
Trailing by three points at half-time, Tallow needed to find another gear to overturn Ballyduff’s first half advantage, which had been inspired by the veteran Stephen Molumphy and youngster Mickey Kearney.
And they duly found it, clocking up 1-4 without reply in the opening 13 minutes after the break, with Ryan latching onto Jordan Henley’s deep ball, surging past two Ballyduff backs down the left flank and slamming the ball hard and low beyond Ballyduff goalkeeper Shaun O’Sullivan.
While Ballyduff did regain a foothold in a far from classic contest, with Kearney and Molumphy prominent in the closing stages Tallow remained in command during a second half that they largely had the better of.
The eventual finalists were thankful to have as solid a last line as goalkeeper Shaun O’Sullivan, who superbly dealt with a deep ball from 41-year-old Tom Feeney three minutes from time to help ensure Tallow’s progression.
Tallow: S O'Sullivan; M O'Brien, D O'Brien, K Kearney; A Kearney, J Murray, S Feeney; P O'Brien, K Geary (0-1); W Henley (0-2), B McCarthy, R Grey (four frees); T Ryan (1-5), J Henley, E Sheehan (0-1). Subs: P Kearney (0-1) for McCarthy (h/t), McCarthy for W Henley (63).
Ballyduff: D Walsh; D McDonagh, T Molumphy, S Hannon; Michael Kearney, S Kearney, T Feeney; S Hannon (0-1), C Leamy; J Kearney (0-1), S Molumphy (0-3), J Hannon; K Casey (0-2), A Casey (0-2), Mikey Kearney (0-7; four frees, 0-1 65). Subs: O Hickey for T Molumphy (h/t), T Molumphy for A Casey (50).
Referee: Alan Kissane.
