Injury time leveller edges Carrigaline into quarters

Carrigaline mounted a spirited comeback in the second half to book their place in the quarter-finals where they will face Castlemartyr but it wasn’t without its struggles

COMEBACK: Carrigaline progress to knockout stages after epic clash with Watergrasshill. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

There was drama aplenty in Blarney yesterday as an injury-time point from sub Kevin Kavanagh claimed the all-important draw for Carrigaline that edged them into the Premier IHC knockout phase on scoring difference over their opponents Watergrasshill. In fact, it came down to that 64th minute equaliser in more ways than one, as Carrigaline progressed on the basis of a plus-one scoring difference over Watergrasshill's scoring difference of zero. It was that tight! The Carrigdhoun side had to mount a spirited comeback in the second half to book their place in the quarter-finals where they will face Castlemartyr - but a slow beginning could have cost them.

The Hill were firing on all cylinders in the first half, going into the break six points to the good (2-7 to 0-7). Keeper Aiden Foley dispatched a spot-kick with aplomb after Sean Desmond was dragged to ground in the box. The second goal came via wing-forward Brendan Lehane when Carrigaline keeper Robert Foster couldn’t collect the high ball.