Kilkenny SHC round-up: Herry Shefflin's Ballyhale Shamrocks dethrone Thomastown

The second game on Sunday pipped hot favourites O’Loughlin Gaels against Clara and it turned into a real cracker.

Eoin Cody of Ballyhale Shamrocks in action. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor.

It was a dramatic weekend of action in the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship with Thomastown’s reign as county champions coming to an end.

The South Kilkenny outfit were defeated by an on-fire Ballyhale Shamrocks in the first of two games at UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon.

The tie was a repeat of the corresponding fixture from a year ago, but the outcome was very different as Henry Shefflin’s team laid down a serious marker to the other three teams left in the competition.

Shamrocks last won the senior crown in 2022 and after a tight opening period, they opened up in the second half with Niall Shortall getting the all-important goal as they eventually ran out comprehensive 1-22 to 0-16 winners.

Eoin Cody, TJ Reid and man of the match Brian Cody all had impressive showings for the winners and while Robbie Donnelly and Luke Connellan kept Thomastown in it for a period, they were well beaten in the end.

The second game of the day pipped hot favourites O’Loughlin Gaels against Clara and it turned into a real cracker with O’Loughlin’s surviving a huge scare.

A Dara Glynn goal helped Clara into a 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the end of the first quarter but O’Loughlins bounced back with Conor Kelly getting their opening major just a couple of minutes later.

Owen Wall then gave Clara a stiffer task to deal with when getting a second goal on the back of a storming Mikey Butler run and when Fionan Mackessy added a third before the break, the game looked as good as over with Brian Hogan’s men leading on a 3-10 to 1-6 scoreline.

A Chris Bolger goal in the 37th minute offered Clara a lifeline and when the same player batted in another effort with five minutes remaining, only a point separated the teams.

A James Bergin free then levelled the game at 3-17 apiece going into stoppage time but O’Loughlin’s got a second wind from here with Fionan Mackessy and Conor Heary both pointing from play before Mackessy landed the insurance free as they won out on a 3-20 to 3-17 final scoreline.

The first two quarter-finals on Saturday saw Dicksboro and Mullinavat advance to the final four.

The Boro put in an excellent display as they ran out six point winners over Glenmore in the opening clash at UPMC Nowlan Park before Mullinavat edged past Bennettsbridge in a thrilling last eight encounter.

The Dicksboro and Glenmore game was a very open contest that really suited the city side and although Cathal Beirne netted after six minutes for Glenmore, the opening half was dictated by the team in maroon and with Liam Moore and Shane Stapleton both getting goals before the break, they led 2-9 to 1-8.

Even though Ciaran Kirwan got Glenmore’s second goal halfway through the second half, they could never fight their way to the front.

The introduction of Patrick Lacey off the bench gave the Boro a new dimension and they dominated the latter stages to win out on a 2-24 to 2-18 scoreline.

The second quarter-final was equally as compelling and despite playing against the wind, Bennettsbridge threatened to run away with things when they quickly opened up a 0-5 to 0-2 lead and when James Hughes then netted their opening goal they looked in firm control.

Mullinavat didn't go away though and with 1-4 on the bounce including a John Walsh goal, the Vegas boys hit the front before the interval.

The Bridge got a lifeline when Ciaran Brennan hit the net less than a minute after appearing from the bench as a sub and they looked to have the momentum going down the straight.

When leading 3-15 to 1-19, disaster soon struck for the leaders when full-back Enda Morrissey was given a red card on a second bookable offence on the back of a foul on Brian Phelan.

The numerical advantage as well as a superbly taken Mick Malone goal put the sails back in the Mullinavat effort and with Glenmore only adding on one more point before the end, it was Colm O'Byrne's men that sealed their place in the semi-finals for a second year on the trot.