Abbeydorney edge another extra-time epic at expense of Clashmore

Substitute Oisin Maunsell struck the decisive goal. Pic: Domnick Walsh

AIB Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship quarter-final: Abbeydorney (Kerry) 3-14 Clashmore Kinsalebeg (Waterford) 1-19 (aet)

Kerry champions Abbeydorney survived a pulsating Munster encounter in Dungarvan, defeating Clashmore Kinsalebeg after extra-time for their second such victory at this venue in three years.

Substitute Oisin Maunsell struck the decisive goal, while Michael O’Leary’s extraordinary late equaliser rescued Abbeydorney from defeat in normal time.

The visitors started brightly, O’Leary opening the scoring with a free before Darragh Ryan replied. Mikey Clifford and O’Leary added points, then a defensive mistake gifted Abbeydorney their opening goal. Kyle Moloney played a short puckout to Ciaran Bourke, who hesitated under pressure. O’Leary swooped, stripped possession and hammered a rasping drive into the far right corner.

Clashmore responded through Tadhg De Burca, Ryan and Josh Fitzgerald, but O’Leary remained influential, creating another score for Niall O’Mahoney. Damien Hogan also pointed before Cian Ryan completed the first-half scoring. Despite registering eight wides, Abbeydorney led 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval.

Clashmore emerged transformed after the restart. Although Clifford landed a fine point, Abbeydorney then went 19 minutes without scoring as their opponents registered 1-5 unanswered.

Ryan and De Burca reduced the deficit before Clashmore struck in the 38th minute. Brian O’Halloran released Fitzgerald, whose unselfish square ball found Brian Lynch. Even as he dropped to his knees, Lynch managed to fire past the goalkeeper, giving the Waterford men their first lead.

Three successive Paul O’Connor points pushed Clashmore five clear. They might have finished Abbeydorney off had Cian Ryan not overhit his pass towards an unmarked Brian O’Halloran with the goal at his mercy.

Abbeydorney’s lifeline arrived in the 52nd minute. Clifford picked out Michael Slattery with an inch-perfect delivery. Slattery gathered, swivelled and unleashed a thunderous shot into the top right corner, suddenly reigniting the contest.

O’Leary then landed a magnificent point from the left flank, although De Burca answered with a free. Another O’Leary free narrowed the gap to one entering stoppage time.

With the last puck of normal time, O’Leary produced something extraordinary. On the back foot, he beat De Burca to the sliotar and somehow split the posts off his weaker side. At 2-11 to 1-14, extra-time beckoned.

Maunsell, introduced despite a hamstring problem, supplied the decisive intervention. A long delivery dropped into his path and he caught it superbly before cleverly lifting his finish over the advancing Moloney to restore Abbeydorney’s advantage.

O’Leary added a free, but Brian O’Halloran and O’Connor replied, leaving Abbeydorney leading 3-12 to 1-16 entering the final ten minutes.

Clifford and Lynch exchanged excellent points before Clashmore squandered a glorious opportunity. Lynch drove towards goal and released the unmarked Luke Coughlan, but the county final hero failed to gather cleanly with the net beckoning.

Shane Coughlan and Kevin Varian traded points before Ryan converted a close-range free, setting up a frantic finish. Clashmore needed possession from the subsequent puckout, but Abbeydorney held firm.

The Kerry champions escaped by the narrowest margin, booking a Munster semi-final against St Mary’s Clonmel in two weeks’ time.

Scorers for Abbeydorney: Michael O’Leary (1-7; 0-5f); Oisin Maunsell and Michael Slattery (1-0 each); Mikey Clifford (0-3); Niall O’Mahoney (0-2); Damien Hogan and Kevin Varian (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clashmore Kinsalebeg: Darragh Ryan (0-6; 0-6f); Brian Lynch (1-1); Paul O’Connor (0-4; 0-2f); Tadhg De Burca (0-3; 0-2 ‘65; 0-1f); Josh Fitzgerald, Ed O’Halloran, Cian Ryan, Brian O’Halloran and Shane Coughlan (0-1 each).

ABBEYDORNEY: Jason Fealy; Jedd Maunsell, Stephen Egan, Ruairí Ó hAiniféin; Damien Hogan, Ronan O’Donovan, James O’Connor; David Egan, Darragh O’Connell; Niall O’Mahoney, Michael O’Leary, Mikey Clifford; Jack Sheehan, Adam Maunsell, Michael Slattery.

Subs: Kian Sheehan for Darragh O’Connell (23; inj); Oisin Maunsell for Adam Maunsell (36); Luke Fitzmaurice for Jedd Maunsell (41; temp); Jedd Maunsell for Luke Fitzmaurice (44); Jack Hannon for Jack Sheehan (47); Kevin Varian for Kian Sheehan (52); Jack Sheehan for Niall O’Mahoney (70); Luke Fitzmaurice for Ruairí Ó hAiniféin (79).

CLASHMORE KINSALEBEG: Kyle Moloney; Danny O’Mahony, Ciaran Bourke, Ben Lombard; Sam Fitzgerald, Tadhg De Burca, Cian Ryan; Ed O’Halloran, Aidan Trihy; Darragh Ryan, Ronan Fitzgerald, Brian Lynch; Paul O’Connor, Brian O’Halloran, Josh Fitzgerald.

Subs: Shane Coughlan for Ronan Fitzgerald (34); Luke Coughlan for Darragh Ryan (41); Adam O’Sullivan for Aidan Trihy (51); Darragh Ryan for Paul O’Connor (73). 

Referee: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork).