Drama aplenty as Killeagh edge Newmarket on penalties

The burgeoning reputation of Ben Geary received another injection as he netted the two goals from play. Pic: Chani Anderson

The Cork Junior A Hurling Championship quarter-finals had no shortage of drama, with Killeagh and Newmarket playing out a remarkable battle in Grenagh that went right through to extra time and penalties on Sunday, where the East Cork side were faultless in the shootout to prevail 4-2.

Killeagh had raced into an early lead against the wind, going 2-4 to 0-0 ahead after only seven minutes, while the burgeoning reputation of Ben Geary received another injection as he netted the two goals from play.

Geary would finish the contest with 2-6 (0-4 f), but Newmarket fought back in the second quarter to leave it 2-8 to 0-9 at the interval. 

They drew level 10 minutes into the second half when Barry O’Connor goaled and Darren O’Keeffe struck over to leave it Killeagh 2-9 Newmarket 1-12, but the East Cork outfit would push themselves four in front again by the 59th minute.

However, Newmarket would turn the game on its head when Hugh O’Connor hit the net on the hour mark and Donal Hannon levelled from a free in stoppage time, sending it to extra time with the teams level at 2-15 apiece.

Newmarket led briefly but it was tit-for-tat across the additional 20 minutes, though Killeagh’s chance to push clear was denied from a penalty after a brilliant Ben Newman save, leaving it tied at the break in play. 

Again Killeagh pushed in front but were pegged back by another free from Donal Hannon, and with the teams deadlocked at 2-19 apiece, penalties followed. Geary, Dan Walsh, Seán Walsh and Andy Leahy all converted their penalties as Newmarket missed two to fall short. 

Hannon finished with 0-9 from placed balls while O’Connors Hugh and Barry finished with 1-2 from play each. Seán Walsh (0-4) and Andrew Leahy (0-3) were on form for Killeagh.

Saturday’s hurling quarter-final was a goalfest, Diarmuid Ó Mathúna’s seeing off Whitechurch in extra-time as Jamie Lucey grabbed his second and third goals to seal a 6-20 to 4-18 win at Páirc Uí Rinn. 

Lucey was the difference between the sides, his total 3-3 securing a semi-final place for Ó Mathúna’s. Whitechurch had fought back from eight points down to lead by four with only two minutes to go, but Lucey bagged 1-1 to send it to extra time and Ó Mathúna’s pulled clear in the following 20 minutes.

Caolan O’Donovan was in superb form too as he netted a brace, while Kevin O’Donovan converted the other green flag. Jamie Hegarty scored 1-7 while John Kelleher struck 1-2 for Whitechurch. 

Full-back Killian Ryan and wing-forward Daniel Kelleher did well for the Seandún side too. The result condemned Whitechurch to a third-straight quarter-final defeat in the county Junior A championship. 

Ó Mathúna’s will now take on Donoughmore after they defeated Dripsey in the Muskerry decider, while Killeagh face Valley Rovers, who overcame north Cork winners Dromina on Sunday.

It ended 0-16 to 0-13 in Valley Rovers’ favour, the Innishannon side stretching clear in the fourth quarter to eke out the victory. 

They had been deadlocked at 0-11 each on 44 minutes and four times previously in the latter half. Rovers came from two behind at the break – at that point Dromina had led 0-8 to 0-6 – but Valleys held them to only two scores from play in the second half to take the win at Whitechurch. 

Eoghan Galgey was Rovers’ top scorer with 0-8 (0-7 f), while Eoin O’Reilly clipped 0-3. Davie Jones was Dromina’s top scorer with 0-7 (0-5 f, 0-1 65).

In the Junior A Football Championship quarter-finals, Douglas eased to a win over Carrigaline, ending as 1-14 to 1-8 victors at Shanbally. Jamie O’Brien top-scored for the southsiders with 0-5 (2 tpf), while Chris O’Keeffe finished with 1-1. 

Ben Corkery-Delaney was Carrigaline’s most prominent attacker, ending the contest with 0-5 (2 tpf). Luke Jordan netted the Carrigaline goal late on when the contest had already been settled.

Aghinagh comfortably saw off Carraig na bhFear in the other football clash, winning 3-14 to 1-9 in Ballyanly. Con Buckley starred for the Muskerry side and scored 2-3 from play, while other impressive forwards Liam Twohig finished with 0-6 (0-2 f) and William Coakley 1-2. 

Defenders TJ Buckley and Luke O’Leary were also on form for Aghinagh as they were never in any doubt against their opponents. Adam Bowen was Carraig’s sole goal-scorer, while substitute Cormac Murphy kicked a two-pointer and full-forward Colm Murphy finished with 0-2.

Aghinagh now take on the winner of the quarter-final between Castlemagner and Barryroe, the latter only crowned West Cork champions on Sunday with a 1-9 to 0-9 win over St Mary’s, while Douglas will meet Charleville in the other semi-final.