Penalties see Garryspillane back to senior after classic with Effin
TJ, Colin and Donal Ryan with the Limerick premier intermediate hurling final Trophy. Pic: Brendan Gleeson
It took penalties to separate Garryspillane and Effin in an extraordinary contest, which sees the Knocklong outfit return to senior in Limerick, as Premier Intermediate Champions.
Three scored by one side, two saved by Adam Sheehan as well as a third off the woodwork, saw this grade decided by penalties for the first time.
It took a nerveless free from Hugh Flanagan to haul the Bouncers level at the end of the sixty minutes. The same play was needed by Patrick O’Donovan of Effin to force penalties, as his arrowed over two late frees to bring his tally to sixteen points and level it deadlocked after 80-plus minutes of action.
Starting in glorious autumnal sunshine, the rain arrived later on, as too did the rain, which caused problems for defences which were already under pressure.
A brace of Hugh Flanagan goals in extra-time appeared to swing the tie to Aaron Considine’s men, but there was a superb fightback from Effin, who were hoping to end more than a decade away from senior hurling.
In a game that truly swung one way, and then the other, it was 2-6 to 0-10 in favour of the eventual winners after 30 minutes. Key here were goals from captain Colin Ryan and Calum Sheehan, netting early in the second quarter.
Effin had largely relied on O’Donovan frees buy Cillian O’Riordan and Aaron Moffatt also picked off points.
The game changed on 47 minutes, after a injury disrupted spell of play. Ruairi O’Connor’s first touch off the bench was to bury a goal. This sparked an Effin purple patch with a long delivery deflected home by Conor Kearney – despite the protests of a square ball.
A second green flag had them four up. However, there was Bryan Heavey, Calum Sheehan and Dylan O’Shea changed the tune. While O’Donovan’s 65 gave the advantage to the men in green late on.
Two down, Eoin O’Mahony landed a wonderful score from his own half, before Calum Sheehan won a free which Flangan landed.
The same man buried two goals in quick-fire fashion earlier in extra-time, only for Effin to rally once more.
Impressive wing-forward Ewan Dillon, and Fergal O’Connor both chipped away at the lead. It was 4-17 to 2-19 by half-time for the 2018 winners.
It was six points to two in the second period of extra-time, as O’Donovan landed five points, mainly from frees. Enda Kelly landed a point also but it was O’Donovan, a Fitzgibbon Cup winner earlier in 2025, who forced penalties.
Dylan O’Shea, Ciaran Sheehan and Hugh Flangan were all on target, which O’Donovan, Nickie Quaid and Ryan O’Neill denied by both Adam Sheehan and the metalwork.
Having celebrated 20 years since a senior title earlier this week, the likes of Donie Ryan, TJ Ryan and Frankie O’Carroll were jumping for joy after the shootout, with this sweet in its own special way.
A trip to Waterford to face Tallow awaits in a Munster Intermediate quarter-final.
H Flanagan 2-6, (0-5 frees); C Sheehan 1-3; Colin Ryan 1-1; J English 0-3; D O'Shea 0-2; D Heavey, R Sampson, M Donovan and J Dineen 0-1 each.
: P O'Donovan (0-16, 0-13 frees, 0-1 65); R O'Connor, C Kearney 1-0 each; E Dillon 0-3; C O'Riordan 0-2; P O'Kelly, E Kelly, F O'Connor, A Moffatt 0-1 each.
A Sheehan; J O’Sullivan, R Sampson, C Sheehan; D Heavey, D O’Shea, E O'Mahony; J Dineen, J Morrissey; J English, B Heavey, R Tobin; C Sheehan, Colin Ryan (C), H Flanagan.
Subs: M Donovan for Morrissey (45), S Ryan for Colin Ryan (55), Cian Ryan for Tobin (57), R Donovan for O'Shea (62); C Ryan for B Heavey (65).
: R O’Neill, E Cagney, A Byrne, M Mullins, A Moffatt, N Quaid, S Canning; F O’Connor, C O’Riordan; B Clifford, P O'Donovan, E Dillon; P O'Kelly, C Kearney, D Herr.
Subs: T Quaid for Clifford (37 minutes), R O'Connor for Herr (45 minutes), E Kelly for O'Kelly (57 minutes), C Doherty for Kearney (62 minutes), M Rea for Moffatt (63 minutes)
: Michael Sexton (Bruree)
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