Meehan the difference for Banner as they overcome Kilgarvan

An impressive personal total of 2-11 from Shane Meehan was the difference for Banner of Clare against Kilgarvan in the Munster club Junior Hurling Championship

IMPRESSIVE HAUL: An impressive personal total of 2-11 from Shane Meehan was the difference for Banner of Clare against Kilgarvan in the Munster club Junior Hurling Championship. File pic

Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship quarter-final

BANNER (CLARE) 2-15  KILGARVAN (KERRY) 1-15

An impressive personal total of 2-11 (6f) from Shane Meehan was the difference for Banner of Clare in getting through a very tricky examination against Kilgarvan of Kerry in this Munster JCHC quarter-final in Lewis Road Killarney on Saturday.

Both of Meehan’s goals came in the first five minutes as direct ball into the full-forward worked a treat in putting Banner into a 2-1 to 0-2 lead. Kilgarvan settled though through frees from Cian O’Connell in the main as they were right back in the contest at half-time. 

Kerry senior football panelist Donal O’Sullivan was playing his first game of competitive hurling this year and he was involved in their goal before the break.

He played a pass across to centre-forward Richard O’Sullivan who finished well to the net making it 2-7 to 1-8 at half-time to Banner. 

O’Sullivan and Ronan Foley opened the second half with points to level the game but Banner didn’t panic in going back into the lead. Defender Oisin McMahon caused a lot of trouble for Kilgarvan when moved further up the pitch to the forwards in the second half.

Shane Meehan put Banner four ahead at 2-12 to 1-11 after 49 minutes but Kilgarvan rallied once more. Gearóid Fennessy put over an impressive sideline ball for their fourth consecutive score to level the match again (2-12 to 1-15) with five minutes of normal time left. Meehan responded for Banner though and their midfielder Tomas Meenaghan showed good initiative to keep a wayward sideline ball in and get a score for himself.

Meehan finished his scoring with an impressive effort from play under pressure near the sideline to give them a three-point advantage once more. Donal O'Sullivan did have a half goal chance for Kilgarvan late on but his effort was easily dealt with by the Banner defence. 

In the final of three added minutes then Keith Harrington dropped a high ball into the Banner goalmouth but the Banner defence weren’t caught out by the effort and cleared the ball to the sound of the final whistle.

It is Banner who will march on to the semi-finals against the Limerick champions in two weeks time.

Scorers for Banner: S Meehan (2-11, 6f), D O’Halloran (0-2), O McMahon and T Meenaghan (0-1 each)

Scorers for Kilgarvan: C O’Connell (0-5, 5f), R O’Sullivan (1-1), G Fennessy (0-4, 2f, 1sl), D O’Sullivan (0-3), D Casey and R Foley (0-1 each) 

BANNER: D Meehan; J McGrath, O Rynne, O McMahon; C Ryan, N Walsh, C Rynne; J Martin, T Meenaghan; A Flynn, I Molloy, M McGrath; D O’Halloran, S Meehan, J Collins. 

Subs: D Toner for A Flynn (H/T), F Hayes for C Ryan (34), A Kelly for M McGrath (55), D Daly for O McMahon (60 +3)

KILGARVAN: T O’Donoghue; G Randles, S O’Sullivan, G Donovan; J Foley, JM Foley, E O’Shea; C O’Connell, G Fennessy; K Harrington, R O’Sullivan, R Foley; D O’Sullivan, D Casey, C Murphy.

Referee: J O’Halloran (Limerick).