Shane Horgan levels for Nemo against Kilbrittain to seal Premier Junior Hurling progress

Kilbrittain 1-14 Nemo Rangers 0-17 

Nemo Rangers are through to the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship quarter-final following a draw against Kilbrittain in this enthralling contest at Macroom.

This was a captivating duel from the outset and there was neither to separate the two teams in the end. But it was despair from Kilbrittain who narrowly miss out on the knockout stages after a late Shane Horgan free forced a draw.

Kilbrittain began brightly and got the scoring up and running thanks to points from Ronan Crowley and Philip Wall. Nemo, winners of the Cork JAHC title in 2023, responded in kind courtesy of points from Horgan and a free from former Cork footballer James Masters.

A score courtesy of Bertie Butler put Kilbrittain 0-5 to 0-3 ahead with 15 minutes played, before Nemo levelled up proceedings again through another Horgan effort and a lovely Mark Cronin score on the turn.

The city side went ahead for the first time in the contest on 24 minutes, thanks to a Kevin O’Donovan point. This was before Kilbrittain struck to go back in front, as Wall planted a clinically taken effort to the back of the net.

At the of a very competitive opening half, it was Kilbrittain that held the advantage at 1-7 to the 0-8 of Nemo.

Kilbrittain extended their lead early in the second half thanks to a Harrington point. But Nemo rallied and levelled the game up through points from Barry Cripps and Kevin O’Donovan.

Both sides continued to trade blow for blow throughout the second half. A crisply taken Harrington score looked to have secured the win for Kilbrittain.

But another Horgan free levelled the game up as the whistle blew shortly afterwards and sent Nemo through to the knockout stages.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: S Horgan 0-9 f, K O’Donovan, M Cronin, R Dalton 0-2 each, J Masters (f), B Cripps 0-1 each.

Kilbrittain: B Butler 0-7 f, P Wall 1-1, D Harrington 0-3, T Sheehan, R Crowley, S Shorten 0-1 each.

NEMO RANGERS: J Masters; S Cronin, J Cowhig, B Murphy; B O’Neill, A O’Donovan, K O’Donovan; E Dilloughery, A Cronin; M Cronin, B Cripps, S Horgan; A Burns, R Dalton, C Kiely.

Subs: C Horgan for Kiely, J Kearney for Burns (both HT), G Barrett for Dilloughery (40), J Coorgan for O’Neill (56), C O’Donovan for Cronin (57).

KILBRITTAIN: D Desmond; D Considine, N O’Donovan, J Hurley; T Sheehan, T Harrington, C Sheehan; J O’Donovan, B Butler; M Sexton, D Harrington, R Cashman; P Wall, S Dewey, R Crowley.

Subs: S Shorten for Cashman (27), E O’Neill for Dewey (47).

Referee: John Ryan (Macroom).