Shamrocks’ 11-point comeback wins club semi-final

Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-20 Toomevara 3-14, Portlaoise

Kilkenny duo Henry Shefflin and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick were in top form as Ballyhale Shamrocks beat Toomevara 2-20 to 3-14 this afternoon in an epic AIB All-Ireland club hurling semi-final.

In front of an 8,500-strong Portlaoise crowd, the Leinster champions thrillingly came back from a 12-point deficit as they kept on course for their first All-Ireland title since 1990.

Toomevara, though, shot out of the traps with midfielder Francis Devaney pointing the first of first half brace after only 16 seconds of play.

The opening four minutes were evenly matched but Toome, led by the Dunne brothers, burst into life again to hit two goals in the space of fifty seconds.

Half-forward Eoin Brislane was the first to rock the ball past James Connolly, in the fifth-minute, with a bullet of a shot to the right corner of the net.

Paddy O'Brien followed suit, just moments later, with a sizzling strike from 21 metres out. Toome were firmly in the driving seat at this stage and added points from Devaney and Ken Dunne before John Delaney rasped home goal number three - midway through the half - for a 3-4 to 0-4 buffer for the Munster champions.

Ballyhale were evidently struggling at the back but they continued to pick off points from Shefflin and Eoin Reid. However, good work from Ken Dunne and Willie Ryan quickly built up a 12-point cushion for Pat Herbert's side.

A Reid goal then rallied the Shamrocks, helping to cut Toome's lead to eight points at the break, and Ballyhale came out the stronger in the second half.

Toome had their share of scoring chances but they could not put them away, hitting seven wides in an 11-minute spell after the restart.

Shefflin and Fitzpatrick upped the tempo, taking their scores with ease, with goal scorer Reid also showing well as an able point-taker.

Drama followed as Toome lost Tommy Dunne, Tipperary's 2001 All-Ireland winning captain, to a red card and Ballyhale took full advantage to book a trip to Croke Park on St. Patrick's Day.

They secured the lead for the first time right on the hour-mark, before points from Fitzpatrick and Shefflin sealed a hard-fought win in what was a brilliant advert for the club game.

Ballyhale Shamrocks: J Connolly; P Shefflin, E Walsh, P Holden; K Nowlan, A Cummins, B Aylward; J Fitzpatrick (1-4), M Fennelly; E Fitzpatrick, H Shefflin (0-9, 6f), TJ Reid (0-2, 1 sl); E Reid (1-2), P Reid (0-2), M Aylward.

Substitutes used: D Hoyne (0-1) for E Fitzpatrick (34 mins), C Fennelly for Aylward (42).

Toomevara: J McGrath; Barry Dunne, T Delaney, D Young; T Dunne, Benny Dunne, J McLoughney; F Devaney (0-3), K Dunne (0-5, 4f 1 '65'); M Bevins, E Brislane (1-0), T Dunne; P O'Brien (1-4), J Delaney (1-1), W Ryan (0-1).

Substitutes used: B McCormack for Devaney (56-60 mins, blood sub).

Referee: Eamonn Morris (Dublin)