Pierce’s late show earns Kilworth another crack at Grenagh

Grenagh 1-9 Kilworth 0-12

Trailing by six points and having lost the services of midfielder Dian Cahill and corner-forward and free-specialist Paudie Lynch for second yellow card offences, it looked curtains for Kilworth with a quarter of an hour remaining.

But Kilworth stunned their opponents by conjuring up a fairytale comeback with the magnificent Pierce was chief architect.

From both play and frees Pierce hit over some fabulous long-range points, five in succession.

It was colossal stuff on one of the worst playing surfaces I have seen for many a long day. The pitch was a quagmire and the decision to play another game beforehand was a disgrace.

Grenagh had a perfect start with two points within a minute from DD Dorgan and Dean Dalton and although Kilworth pulled one back through Coughlan, the Muskerry champions were the dominant side early on.

Grenagh led 0-4 to 0-2 after the first quarter and then moved into top gear following a great ground strike from wing back James O’Neill which yielded a crucial goal in the 18th minute.

Grenagh maintained their grip on the unsavoury proceedings and turned over leading 1-6 to 0-4, with Kilworth now reduced to 14 men following Cahill’s sending off.

Although Pierce first displayed his prowess when he pointed a free a minute after the resumption, there was little to suggest that Kilworth would seriously trouble their opponents, particularly after DD Dorgan converted two frees to stretch Grenagh’s lead to six points with 20 minutes remaining. And when Lynch was red-carded four minutes later, Grenagh seemed destined to win

Grenagh led by five points with eight minutes to go, but then came Kilworth’s stupendous fightback, with Pierce the hero. The Kilworth midfielder hit over five points in succession, some of them from over 90 metres, to level the game at the end of normal time.

He had an opportunity to win it in injury time but his free attempt dropped short. Seconds later forward Adrian O’Neill also had a chance for Grenagh shot wide and so the sides must meet again in the replay scheduled for Páirc Uí Rinn under lights on Wednesday night.

Scorers: Grenagh:. J. O’Neill 1-0; D. D. Dorgan 0-6 (0-3 from frees); R. Dorgan, D. Dalton and T. Kenny 0-1 each.

Kilworth E. Pierce 0-7 (0-4 from frees); P. Lynch 0-4 (0-3 from free); J. Cahill 0-1.

GRENAGH:M. Barry; Colin Kenny, M. Kenny, C. Keohane; J. O’Neill, T. Kenny, Cillian Kenny; D. Dalton, J. Russell; D. D. Dorgan, G. Russell, S. Dorgan; R. Dorgan, S. Coleman, A. O’Neill. Subs:. P. McDonnell for Dalton; Dalton for S. Dorgan.

KILWORTH:. K. Walsh; A. Kenny, J. Hegarty, D. McNamara; D. Tobin, W. Twomey, M. O’Connor; D. Cahill, E. Pierce; T. Twomey, N. Gowen, J. Cahill; P. Lynch, B. Tobin, A. Mannix.

Subs: M. McNamara for Tobin; J. Moakley for Mannix.

Referee: C. McAlister (Midleton).