Munster Club JHC: St Catherine's pull clear in second half to reach final

St Catherine’s 2-17

Ballinahinch (Tipperary) 0-11

A superb second-half performance earned St Catherine’s a spot in the AIB Munster Club JHC after seeing off Ballinahinch at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday.

Falling behind for the first half in the nascent stages after half-time, Catherine’s replied with a goal from Brian Mulcahy to move back in front at 1-8 to 0-9. From there, Denis Walsh’s sode were to outscore their Tipperary opponents by 1-9 to 0-2, securing a meeting with Limerick’s Feenagh-Kilmeedy in the final in a fortnight.

In the immediate aftermath of the goal, Ballinahinch’s Ger Grace might have had an opportunity to reply in kind but he was well crowded out and Matthew Mulcahy’s third point gave Catherine’s breathing space.

While Brendan Ryan pointed for Ballinahinch to leave it 1-9 to 0-10, a Seán O’Donoghue free at the other end led to a turnover by Eoin Condon from the puckout, allowing Brian Mulcahy to slot home the second goal.

Though Joey Kelly replied, Ballinahinch were not to score again. Rory Galvin’s brilliant catch and point put Catherine’s 2-11 to 0-11 ahead and they pushed on in the closing stages with subs Kevin Barry and Aaron Neville getting among the scores.

Having scored the opening three points in as many minutes after throw-in, St Catherine’s never trailed at any stage in the first half but equally they could not pull fully clear of Ballinahinch.

Kyle Wallace’s good ball allowed Matthew Mulcahy to open the scoring inside 28 seconds, with a Seán O’Donoghue pointed free followed by William Leahy setting up Brian Mulcahy – his shot whizzed just over the cross bar.

Eoin Condon drew a save from Darragh McGrath with a shot from a tight angle as Catherine’s continued to impress but Ballinahinch, with the wind behind them, got a foothold as former Tipperary star Shane McGrath came to the fore at centre-back.

The deficit was down to 0-5 to 0-3 after a Brendan Ryan free from 20 metres – he had gone for goal from a similar situation a minute beforehand – and John Foley cut the deficit to a point after he forced a turnover.

Ryan levelled with a free from halfway but Catherine’s responded well as O’Donoghue and goalkeeper Eoin Davis landed frees.

Ballinahinch were level after a Joey Kelly point was followed by a Shane McGrath free (Ryan was receiving treatment at the time) but the Tipp could not forge ahead. They almost had a goal chance after Paddy Kelly did brilliantly and fed Foley but Catherine’s joint-captain Eoghan O’Riordan, who was excellent at full-back, got a challenge in without conceding a free.

Davis’s second long-range free left Catherine’s 0-8 to 0-7 in front at the interval but Ballinahinch were level when captain Karl Kelly landed a huge free on the restart and they had the lead for the first time.

It was only a fleeting situation, however. Catherine’s were back in front as Kyle Wallace’s miscued point attempt was parried by McGrath and Matthew Mulcahy was only to fire the loose ball to the net. That made it 1-8 to 0-9 and they drove on impressively from there.

Scorers for St Catherine’s: M Mulcahy 1-4, B Mulcahy 1-1, S O’Donoghue 0-4 (0-3f, 0-1 65), E Davis 0-3f, R Galvain, W Leamy, K Wallace, K Barry, A Neville 0-1 each.

Ballinahinch: B Ryan 0-5 (0-4f), J Kelly 0-2, J Foley, A Kelly, K Kelly (0-1f), S McGrath (0-1f) 0-1 each.

ST CATHERINE’S: E Davis; F O’Connell, E O’Riordan, L O’Connor; K O’Donoghue, O Fitzgerald, K Neville; S O’Donoghue, S Cotter; W Leamy, K Wallace, R Galvin; B Mulcahy, E Condon, M Mulcahy.

Subs: E Wallace for O’Connell (38), K Barry for Wallace (49), J Neville for K O’Donoghue, N Sheehan for Leamy (both 55), A Neville for B Mulcahy (56).

BALLINAHINCH: D McGrath; J Lynch, K Fitzpatrick, A Ryan; K Kelly, S McGrath, Cathal Ryan; B Keane, G Grace; B Ryan, P Kelly, J Kelly; A Kelly, J Foley, D Healy.

Subs: E Kearns for J Kelly (38-42, temporary), Kearns for Keane (53), F Troy for Cathal Ryan, Cathan Ryan (B) for Grace (both 58), N Harrington for J Kelly (59).

Referee: E Stapleton (Limerick).