Four goal hero Michael Slattery sends champions Abbeydorney through to Kerry SHC final

Abbeydorney qualify for a repeat of last year’s SHC final meeting with Ballyduff on August 3rd.

Champions Abbeydorney crush Kilmoyley in the Kerry SHC semi-final. Pic:Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD.

Garveys SuperValu County SHC semi final: Abbeydorney 4-15 Kilmoyley 1-15

Champions Abbeydorney served a stern warning to Ballyduff that they have ambitions to secure back-to-back county hurling final title after they crushed 26-time champions Kilmoyley in the semi-final, thanks to four goal hero Michael Slattery.

Slattery, who wasn’t fit enough to start last season, has been a scoring sensation this year along with Jack Sheehan, who scored a hat-trick against Tralee Parnells in the final group game, and now Slattery adds another four goals to sink Kilmoyley.

It was a thrilling contest for fifty minutes with Abbeydorney leading by a goal, 2-14 to 1-14, in the 52nd minute. But for the remaining 16 minutes (including nine minutes added time for a serious looking injury sustained by Daire Nolan) Abbeydorney outscored the losers, 2-4 to 0-1.

Slattery added to two earlier goals with super finishes in the 53rd minute after Michael O’Leary collected a poor Kilmoyley puck-out and then Slattery polished off a man of the match performance with his fourth goal in added time.

But the scoreboard flatters Abbeydorney a tad as Kilmoyley were right in the mix until that third Slattery goal.

Abbeydorney made a bright start to this second County SHC semi-final played at a wet Austin Stack Park as they raced 0-4 to 0-0 ahead inside the opening seven minutes thanks to three Michael O’Leary frees and a superb point from Jack Sheehan.

David McCarthy eventually got Kilmoyley’s opening point but it was Abbeydorney who were in full flow with James O’Connor, Jedd Maunsell, Stephen Egan, Jack Sheehan and Michael Slattery on top as they continued to dominate the opening quarter.

Paudie O’Connor and David McCarthy were the only Kilmoyley players who appeared to be at the pace of the game.

Michael O’Leary and Jack Sheehan pushed Abbeydorney 0-6 to 0-2 in front by the end of the opening quarter before Kilmoyley finally got motoring.

Points from Robert Collins (2), Ronan Walsh (2) and Daniel Collins had Kilmoyley in the contest but a Slattery goal in the 21st minute, which he somehow forced home, gave the champions a five point cushion. 

But two Robert Collins points helped close the gap to a goal by the 27th minute.

Mossie O’Connor, just back from Australia for the game, was introduced by Kilmoyley boss Ian Brick in the 25th minute and his impact was immediate.

Flor McCarthy sent in a long delivery and O’Connor slipped past his marker and billowed the net with his first touch. O’Connor added another point to ensure that the sides retired on 1-8 apiece after a high octane opening half.

Michael O’Leary moved to the edge of the square for the second period and a goal and a point from Slattery had Abbeydorney on the front foot, but Paudie O’Connor and Daniel Collins were not letting the champions move beyond reach with three Robert Collins frees levelling the contest at 2-11 to 1-14 by the end of the third quarter.

But thanks to superb defending led by Stephen Egan and the guile of Michael Slattery, Kilmoyley lost their way and Abbeydorney qualified for a repeat of last year’s SHC final meeting with Ballyduff on August 3rd.

Scorers for Abbeydorney: M Slattery (4-2), M O’Leary (0-9,9fs), J Sheehan (0-2), O Maunsell and K Varian (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilmoyley: R Collins (0-7, 6fs, 1 '65), M O’Connor (1-1), R Walsh and D Collins (0-3 each), D McCarthy (0-1).

ABBEYDORNEY: C Bohane; J Maunsell, S Egan, N O’Mahoney; M Clifford, R Donovan, J O’Connor; D Hogan, C O’Sullivan; D Egan, M O’Leary, J Sheehan; O Maunsell, B O’Leary, M Slattery.

Subs: K Sheehan for D Egan (h/t), R O hAinifein for D Hogan (38), K Varian for C O’Sullivan (44), J Hannon for O Maunsell (65).

KILMOYLEY: J B O’Halloran; J Casey, D Regan, D Kennedy; D Nolan, J Godley, F McCarthy; P O’Connor, S Nolan; R Walsh, D Collins, D McCarthy; P Maunsell, R Collins, B O’Connor.

Subs: M O’Connor for D Regan (25), C Savage for B O’Connor (43), L Flaherty for P Maunsell (50), L Fitzell for D Nolan (inj 58), K McCarthy for D McCarthy (62).

Referee: S Stokes (Limerick).