Aghabullogue beat Lisgoold in thriller to book semi-final spot in IAHC
Aghabullogue goalkeeper Finbarr Foley is held by Lisgoold's Liam O'Shea, during their Intermediate AHC clash at Caherlag. Picture: David Keane.
AGHABULLOGUE got the better of Lisgoold in a thrilling contest in Caherlag on Saturday afternoon to book a semi-final spot in the Intermediate A HC.
The Mid Cork outfit played excellent hurling and came away deserved winners after an agonisingly close final quarter, where either side could have won it right up until the final whistle.
Aghabullogue opened the scoring with Shane Tarrant’s effort, but Lisgoold replied with scores from Liam O’Shea and John Cashman.
Aghabullogue levelled it through Colm Gillespie, but Lisgoold scores from Cian Scannell and Cork U20 star Diarmuid Healy saw the Imokilly side take a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after 5 minutes.
With the score 0-6 to 0-4 in favour of the east Cork side, they nearly managed a goal on minute 17, but Finbarr Foley came to the rescue.
Foley made a remarkable double save, stopping a powerful effort from James O’Driscoll, and then sticking his leg out while grounded to stop the follow-up. Cashman pointed from the subsequent 65, before getting a second score, this one from play.
As the Muskerry club began to match the intensity of their opponents, John Corkery spurred his side on in the closing stages of the half.
And after his two scores, the sides were 0-10 a piece at the break, and Aghabullogue would have been the happier of the two, as you could get a sense that they would push on in the second half.
Aghabullogue took the lead in the second half, the first time they led since the opening score, courtesy of Tarrant’s 32nd-minute free.
With momentum on their side, Paul Ring made an exceptional run, travelling half the length of the pitch before laying it off to Corkery, who smashed it beyond Ciaran Cronin to put them three in front.
The goal only lit a spark in Lisgoold, who got back within one after two scores from Cashman. Ring, Corkery and Furey upped the tempo for the Muskerry side, but Lisgoold were strong at the back.
With Aghabullogue two points ahead with just a quarter of an hour to go, Mark Hegarty produced an incredible piece of hurling to get beyond two Aghabullogue defenders and smash it relentlessly into the top corner from a tight angle.
Within five minutes Aghabullogue created a response, as Corkery got his brace with a well-worked goal, putting them two in front with 10 to go.
Anytime the leaders went two up, Lisgoold would get back within one, and this trend continued into injury time, with Cashman cancelling out Corkery’s score, before repeating it after Tarrant’s point for Aghabullogue, but the team in green and white held on for a huge win.
J Corkery 2-4, S Tarrant 0-7 (0-5 f), P Ring, M Bradley 0-2 each, C Gillespie, B Casey 0-1 each.
J Cashman 0-10 (0-6 f 0-1 65), M Hegarty 1-1, C Hickey, L O’Shea 0-2 each, J O’Driscoll, D Healy, C Scannell, C Hallahan 0-1 each.
F Foley; T Long, C Timmons, J Corkery; TJ Buckley, P O’Sullivan, M Dennehy; N Barry-Murphy, S Furey; M Bradley, P Ring, J Foley; J Corkery, S Tarrant, C Gillespie.
B Casey for Foley (49), B O’Sullivan for Gillespie (52).
C Cronin, J Hegarty, C Cashman, C Healy; K Cashman, C Hickey, J Cronin; P Fitzpatrick, C Scannell; J O’Driscoll, D Healy, M Hegarty; L O’Shea, J Cashman, T Savage.
C Hallahan for C Healy (40), D O’Brien for Savage (54).
Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).
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