Huge comeback sees Watergrasshill secure a draw against Kilworth in PIHC
Aaron Ricken of Watergrasshill blocks Will Condon of Kilworth. Picture: Catherine Sheehan.
WATERGRASSHILL produced a stunning comeback in Rathcormac to pick up a draw against Kilworth in the PIHC on Sunday, despite being seven points down with seven minutes to go.
Kilworth’s Eoin Carey opened the scoring from a free, but Séan Desmond responded for Watergrasshill with a point that he was forced to work for, as Austin O’Hara defended well.
Kilworth scored an early goal, as Leo Coffey sprinted through the Hill defence, before smashing it into the top corner to finish off his superb solo effort. Coffey followed this up with a point, giving Kilworth a four-point lead over their opponents.
Watergrasshill goalkeeper Aiden Foley pointed from a long distance free, while Desmond and James Gowen also raised the white flag for the Imokilly side.
Noel McNamara pointed from a free, before Kilworth struck green a second time, as Will Condon’s rocket strike from nearly 30 metres out flew into the roof of the net.
The Hill struggled playing into the wind, hitting three consecutive wides. Kilworth were far more clinical, as the Avondhu side took their lead to four points at the break.
Even against the wind, Kilworth kept up their fine scoring form in the second half, and points from Noel McNamara, Jamie Sheehan and Leo Coffey saw them extend their lead to seven after 40 minutes of action.
The Hill pressed on, as Shane O’Regan pointed twice from frees, but Kilworth kept them at arm’s length, and after Liam Whelan scored two brilliant points from play, their seven-point lead was restored with 10 to go.
The Hill were still six behind after 57 minutes of play. O’Regan raised two more white flags, before O’Hara brought down Desmond for a Watergrasshill penalty in added time.
Aiden Foley stepped up and smashed it into the top corner to put the Hill a mere point behind.
Eoin Carey looked to have found the winner for Kilworth in the 64th minute, but a long range free from Foley ensured a draw for Watergrasshill.
S O’Regan 0-7 (0-6 f), A Foley 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2 f), S Desmond 0-3, B Lehane 0-2, J Gowen, L Foley 0-1 each.
L Coffey 1-2, N McNamara 0-4 f, W Condon 1-0, L Whelan 0-3, E Carey, J Sheehan 0-2 each.
A Foley; P Cronin, A Ricken, D McCarthy; M O’Driscoll, D O’Leary, R Murray; A Cronin, D O’Farrell; D O’Riordan, B Lehane, J Gowen; C Cronin, S Desmond, S O’Regan.
D Roche for A Cronin (17, inj) L Foley for O’Farrell (35, inj), C O’Leary for O’Riordan (45), P O’Regan for Murray (47).
K Heggevit; S Óg Kenneally, A O’Hara, D Twomey; K Lane, L Carey, R Jordan; E Carey, M Gowen, J Sheehan, N McNamara, L Whelan; P Riordan, W Condon, L Coffey.
J Saich for Gowen (57), C Donnellan for Coffey (64, inj).
Cormac Dineen (Douglas).
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