Battling Kilbrittain hold off Davidstown-Courtnacuddy to reach All-Ireland JHC final

Kilbrittain will play Sligo's Easkey in the final at Croke Park on January 10/11

Mark Hickey scored 12 points for Kilbrittain in their victory over Davidstown-Courtnacuddy in the All-Ireland JHC semi-final. Pic: Dan Linehan

All-Ireland Club JHC semi-final: Kilbrittain (Cork) 2-15 Davidstown-Courtnacuddy (Wexford) 1-16 

A battling display from Kilbrittain saw them edge past Davidstown-Courtnacuddy in Saturday’s All-Ireland Club JHC semi-final at Clonmel Sportsfield.

Winter hurling can lead to dour slogs but this was nothing of the sort – two well-matched teams each gave as much as they got and, at the end of 65 minutes, Kilbrittain were still standing.

Leading by 1-8 to 0-10 at half-time, Kilbrittain found themselves pegged back within ten seconds of the restart and were trailing by the 35th minute. They tied the game again through a Mark Hickey free – his ninth of 12 points – and then came what proved to be the crucial score.

It exemplified their ability to adapt to the setting: Colm Sheehan sent a well-judged pass to Conor Hogan – scorer of the first-half goal – only for him to look like he'd lost his footing. Still, he managed to snaffle possession and evade challenges – though, surrounded, a lofted foot-pass was the best way to deliver the ball to Luke Griffin. The full-forward had missed a goal opportunity in first-half injury time but here he made no mistake.

The importance of that 38th minute score was underlined by the fact that Kilbrittain would not add to it for a quarter of an hour. In the interim, Davidstown-Courtnacuddy battled their way back, with three long-range points from their star turn, Oisín Hayes, tying the game.

However, while they were pegged back, Kilbrittain did not fall behind. When Ronan Crowley’s clearance alleviated pressure, Griffin was fouled and Hickey converted; like buses, another point followed when he stroked another over following a foul on Seán Sexton – who, along with midfield partner Josh O’Donovan, was tireless throughout.

Kilbrittain players celebrate their win over Davidstown-Courtnacuddy in the AIB All-Ireland Club JHC semi-final at Clonmel Sportsfield. Pic: Dan Linehan

When Sexton did brilliantly to claim possession and feed Hickey for his tenth, the lead was three but the delicate nature of such an advantage was shown when Davidstown-Courtnacuddy sub Tom Quigley found Joe Doyle – throughout their campaign, goals had been a strong currency and those in the crowd must surely have visualised the net dancing, but instead the ball struck the post and bounced out. Kilbrittain broke and won a free, which Hickey again converted – a four-point swing and a four-point lead.

Davidstown-Courtnacuddy did reply to that with a goal, though – James Doyle doing well to keep the ball alive and feeding Lucas Fitzpatrick, who crashed a shot home. With four minutes of added time to be played, extra -time loomed ever larger – but the men from the Model County were not to score again.

Instead, Kilbrittain dug in and battled for everything. James Hurley’s clearance found Sexton, who sent the ball in to Griffin and, again, he claimed it and was fouled. Hickey claimed his dozen to leave two in it – Kilbrittain’s disciplined defending at the death, and safe hands from veteran goalkeeper David Desmond, ensured it wasn’t a dangerous lead.

Earlier, good goal opportunities had book-ended the first half for Kilbrittain. Inside the opening minute, Conor Hogan set up Ronan Crowley but he was falling as he shot and his low effort was just wide of the post, while in injury time a good Darragh Considine delivery created an opportunity for Luke Griffin but, as goalkeeper Seán Cooper came off his line, the attacker’s shot flashed across goal.

Those two wides were among eight that Kilbrittain had in the opening period compared with one for Davidstown-Courtnacuddy but otherwise it was an even affair. Mark Hickey’s free-taking was, as ever, a strong foundation for Kilbrittain while the Wexford side’s equivalent was Oisín Hayes, named at corner-forward but operating around the middle.

Kilbrittain didn’t trail for the opening 24 minutes but, equally, two points was the biggest lead they held. Then, when a Hayes free from his own 65 put the Slaneysiders ahead for the first time, Kilbrittain replied with a goal.

Moments before, Hickey had gone low from a free that Cooper repelled but with the ball kept in enemy territory, Bertie Butler found captain Philip Wall, whose pass was perfect for Conor Hogan to calmly slot home.

That put them 1-7 to 0-8, two points ahead – the same gap would be there at the end, but not without a serious test of character.

Scorers for Kilbrittain: M Hickey 0-12 (0-10 f), L Griffin, C Hogan 1-0 each, T Sheehan, R Crowley, B Butler 0-1 each.

Scorers for Davidstown-Courtnacuddy: O Hayes 0-10 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), L Fitzpatrick 1-1, P Doyle 0-2, D Dunne, Joe Doyle, T O’Connor.

KILBRITTAIN: D Desmond; D Considine, J Hurley, E O’Neill; T Sheehan, A Holland, C Sheehan; S Sexton, J O’Donovan; M Hickey, B Butler, R Crowley; L Griffin, P Wall. C Hogan.

Subs: N O’Donovan for C Sheehan (35-37), C Ustianowski for Considine (40), D Harrington for Hogan (56), T Harrington for Griffin (60+4).

DAVIDSTOWN-COURTNACUDDY: S Cooper; S Fitzpatrick, E Kelly, S Nicholson; J O’Regan, T O’Connor, J Kelly; B Nolan, B Smith; D Dunne, L Fitzpatrick, P Doyle; Joe Doyle, James Doyle, O Hayes.

Subs: R Whelan for Nicholson (26, injured), E Cloke for Smith (50).

Referee: N O’Toole (Waterford).