Ballyhale Shamrocks progress but Leinster quarter-final spills over at full-time

Kilcormac-Killoughey's Tom Spain and Brian Cody of Ballyhale Shamrocks. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Clohessy

Leinster Club SHC quarter-final: 

Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 0-25 Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-18 

Ugly scenes at full-time marred a blockbuster third quarter by Ballyhale Shamrocks that sent them into the last four of the Leinster club senior hurling championship.

Players and a Kilcormac-Killoughey supporter became embroiled in a mass row in which punches were thrown at the end of the game, which had largely been played in a good, competitive spirit. The fan was escorted away and out the exit of the Paddy Grace Stand having come onto the UPMC Nowlan Park field.

Kilcormac-Killoughey had been more than a match for Shamrocks in the opening half which they led by three but TJ Reid posted eight frees to pave the way for Henry Shefflin’s men.

After nine first-half shots of theirs went wide or short in the first half, Shamrocks didn't miss for 23 minutes in which time they outscored their opponents 0-10 to 0-2. They went ahead in the 41st minute and never looked back.

Their following score from Ronan Corcoran was a fifth without reply and after an Adam Screeney free broke Kilcormac-Killoughey’s duck in the second half Shamrocks followed it with another four. Three of them were contributed by Adrian Mullen who had been having a frustrating afternoon up to that period.

Ballyhale Shamrocks Manager Henry Shefflin. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Clohessy

So prominent in the first half, Mitchell found Shamrocks's defence, led by the evergreen Joey Holden, tightened the lead on him thereafter. Adam Screeney was quiet by his standards and a mishit free early in the second half summed up that period for the visitors.

The first half was played at a blistering pace and it was Kilcormac-Killoughey who dictated it. They may have been as erratic as Ballyhale Shamrocks in racking up seven wides but the game was running on their terms.

There was no question Shamrocks had the physical edge but such was the tenacity of the Offaly men in winning broken ball that the home side’s advantage was negated and Kilcormac-Killoughey deservedly led 1-10 to 0-10 at half-time.

The team were level six times in the opening 21 minutes. By that time, Mitchell had two points to his name whereas Eoin Cody was doing the best work for Shamrocks at the other end.

Indeed, Cody had Shamrocks’s best goal chance in the opening half in the 21srt minute when he stretched clear but his shot was foiled by Conor Slevin and Adrian Mullen’s follow-up was snuffed out.

At least Eoin Kenneally followed it with a point soon afterwards but seconds later Mitchell was wheeling away from his third point and three minutes later came the Kilcormac-Killoughey goal.

Screeny’s penalty goal had come just after Dean Mason had to flick away a ball that Joey Holden under pressure had kicked towards his own goal. The penalty was a blatant one, Brian Butler pulling on Conor Mahon’s jersey as they anticipated a long delivery and Screeney’s execution was excellent.

Ballyhale responded with the next couple of points but Slevin landed a second long-range free and after Paddy Mullen brought his side within two once more, James Gorman ensured Kilcormac-Killoughey’s three-point cushion at the interval.

Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: T.J. Reid (0-12, 11 frees); E. Cody (0-5); A. Mullen (0-3); P. Mullen (0-2); N. Shortall, E. Kenneally, R. Corcoran (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilcormac-Killoughey: A. Screeney (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-4 frees); C. Slevin (0-4, frees); C. Mitchell (0-3); D. Hand, J. Screeney, J. Gorman, C. Mahon, L. Kavanagh, C. Walsh (0-1 each).

BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: Dean Mason; K. Corcoran, J. Holden, B. Butler; R. Corcoran, R. Reid, E. Shefflin; E. Kenneally, A. Mullen; B. Cody, E. Cody, L. Barron; P. Mullen, T.J. Reid (c), N. Shortall.

Subs: D. Mason for B. Butler (43); J. Fitzpatrick for B. Cody (54); F. Shefflin for P. Mullen (59); C. Walsh for L. Barron (60+2); L. Donnelly for R. Corcoran (60+3).

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: C. Slevin (c); J. Mahon, J. Quinn, T. Spain; E. Grogan, C. Kiely, B. Kavanagh; C. Spain, D. Kilmartin; A. Screeney, J. Screeney, D. Hand; C. Mitchell, J. Gorman, C. Mahon.

Subs: A. Kavanagh for J. Gorman (39); T. Guinan for D. Kilmartin (50); L. Kavanagh for D. Hand (55); T. Geraghty for C. Mahon (59); P. Geraghty for C. Spain (60+1).

Referee: P. Dunne (Laois).