Ballyhale Shamrocks turn game around in second half to claim Leinster club quarter-final

Ballyhale Shamrocks’ Niall Shortall and Cillian Kiely of Kilcormac-Killoughey fight for possession. Pic: Dan Clohessy/Inpho

Leinster Club SFC quarter-final: Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 0-25 Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-18 

Moments of madness marred what was an otherwise entertaining Leinster Club quarter-final that Ballyhale Shamrocks turned around in a blistering third quarter.

A Kilcormac-Killoughey spectator attempted to punch at least one Shamrocks player after a late tackle on Adrian Mullen and reaction at the final whistle.

As well as the fan, several players from both sides were involved in the row that is likely to prompt an investigation by the Leinster Council’s competitions control committee upon receipt of referee Pádraig Dunne’s report.

Both managers Henry Shefflin and Declan Laffan were dismayed by the scenes; Shefflin acted as peacemaker as the scenes grew ugly. “It was unsavoury,” said Shefflin. “We absolutely don’t condone it. I'm disappointed we were involved in such a situation because the match was over. We didn't need to. So, I'm disappointed in the scene, to be fair, to get dragged into something like that.” Shefflin, who commiserated with the Kilcormac-Killoughey players and managers in their dressing room afterwards, continued: “It's not right because I see my own kids and stuff and they're running down towards them. I'm like, ‘What is going on here? It's out of control and there's no place for it whatsoever in the game.

“So, look, we all agree on that. I think they're a fabulous hurling team and we like to play hurling the right way as well. So, it's disappointing that that's what we’re going to be talking about.” Laffan echoed Shefflin’s sentiments. “Look, there was no call for it. I know the tackle obviously instigated it, but probably a lot of frustration and somebody came in out of the crowd and nobody wants to see that.

“Whatever happens on the field, whether players are going out or whatever, leave them at it and let that be it and it'll finish, it'll play itself out. But look, I suppose frustration split over, but unfortunately we can't control everybody.” Laffan expects an investigation will take place but said the incidents did not reflect Kilcormac-Killoughey. “Look, I suppose anything comes out of the crowd and hits another player, it's not a good look.

Ballyhale Shamrocks manager Henry Shefflin. Pic: Dan Clohessy/Inpho

“But the one thing I'd say, for KK's point of view, that's not them as a club. And it's about the same for Ballyhale, nobody takes any kind of solace in what went on there. And it's not a true representation of both clubs and unfortunately it just happened and we have to move on.” 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 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.

Shefflin believed his players were more discerning with their shot-taking in the second half. “I can vividly remember one or two lads shooting over the shoulder and not even looking. I'm like, “That's not the way we want to play”. So, I thought there was a difference in how they approached it.” Laffan felt his team were at the wrong end of a couple of “dubious calls”, namely a long-range free, which Reid converted, after an adjudged illegal hand-pass by Alex Kavanagh just as a goal opening was developing for Kilcormac-Killoughey.

“There was a couple, I think, the one with the handpass when Charlie's heading for goal I think is the very obvious one and I'm sure it's probably slowed down in the telly five times and we're trying to see. But there was the equivalent handpass about two minutes earlier at the far side of the field with Evan Shefflin and it looked more of a throw and it was let go. They go down the field to get a score off to three.

“So instead of maybe heading for goal and I think we were three down at the time and I was cutting back to two or it could have been a goal, they go down and get a point. So, it's back out to four all of a sudden and probably the game died out there. And it probably looked like you needed a goal at that stage as well.” 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 only goal in the game was an Adam Screeney penalty in the 25th minute. Brian Butler pulled 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.

For their superiority in open play, Laffan felt they should have been further ahead and ultimately it cost them. It's Ballyhale Shamrocks who face Clough-Ballacolla at this same venue in two weeks.

Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 0-12 (11f), 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, 3f), C Slevin (4f), 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, TJ Reid (captain), 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 (captain); 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).