Lisgoold capture Intermediate A county after shaking off Erin's Own
Lisgoold players celebrate after defeating Erin's Own in the Co-Op Superstores IAHC final replay at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Sheer delight for Lisgoold as they won the Co-Op SuperStores IAHC final replay at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Goals were key and none more so than Cathal Hickey’s late strike which put four points between the sides and effectively killed off Erin’s Own's challenge.
They had several outstanding performances, led by Diarmuid Healy, whose second-half display was also key to their success and it was no surprise he was named Player of the Game.
Liam O’Shea opened the scoring for Lisgoold from a free in the second minute, with Alan Bowen just missing the chance to equalise from another free.
After some good build-up play, involving Bowen and Oran O’Regan, Erin’s Own took the lead when Cathal Lenihan scored.
Kieran Cashman scored from distance for Lisgoold and Mark Hegarty put them in front after nine minutes.
Bowen pointed from a free to make it 0-3 apiece before Lisgoold had two goal chances, both saved by Tom Dillon. The first effort was by Healy and Izaak Walsh’s effort from the breaking ball was also easily dealt with.
Another superb point from Cashman had the sides level for the fourth time before Healy put Lisgoold in front, 0-5 to 0-4. Tiernan Connell replied for Erin’s Own and they were level for the fifth time after 15 minutes, in a game every bit as close as the drawn encounter.
Another Bowen free, his third at this stage, put his side back in front and from the restart he followed up with a point from play, to make it 0-7 to 0-5.
Hegarty pulled a point back for Lisgoold, with O’Regan replying to keep two between the sides.
A free from John Cashman, from well inside his own half, made it a one-point tie as half-time approached.
Lisgoold had a chance to equalise but went for a quick free instead with Healy’s effort then going wide. From the puck out Erin’s Own were awarded a free and Bowen split the posts, to make it 0-9 to 0-7.
Deep into injury time, Walsh scored for Lisgoold, a score they needed at that stage to see them trail by a point at half-time, 0-9 to 0-8.
Erin’s Own were unlucky not to get a goal in the 32rd minute, when Colm Coakley played the ball to Bowen, but his effort went just outside the post from a tight angle.
The sides were level for the sixth time when John Cashman scored from another long-distance free and the same player put his side in front.
Healy added another and when James O’Driscoll scored in the 37th minute it was four in a row for Lisgoold to make it 0-12 to 0-9.
Healy made it five in a row as his influence on the game was growing by the minute and Lisgoold were now playing the much better hurling.
Healy was on target again and Erin’s Own needed a goal at this stage and Dara Twomey duly obliged, after he was put through by Lenihan, to make it 0-14 to 1-9.
Bowen made it a one-point tie, before O’Shea burst past several Erin’s Own defenders to raise a green flag, making it 1-14 to 1-10.
Bowen pulled a point back from a free, with Cathal Hickey replying at the other end, to make it 1-15 to 1-11, with 10 minutes to go.
Credit to Erin’s Own they didn’t panic as John Kavanagh played Stephen Horgan in for their second goal, to put one between the sides.
With five minutes left a long ball in from Kieran Cashman was brilliantly caught by O’Driscoll and his pass found Hickey who blasted to the net to put some daylight between the sides, 2-16 to 2-12. From here there was only going to be one winner as Lisgoold deservedly took the title.
L O’Shea (0-1 f), C Hickey 1-2 each, J Cashman (f), D Healy 0-4 each, K Cashman, M Hegarty 0-2 each, I Walsh, J O’Driscoll 0-1 each.
A Bowen 0-7 (0-6 f). S Horgan, D Twomey 1-1 each, A Bowen 0-7 (6f), C Lenihan, I O’Mahony, T Connell, O O’Regan 0-1 each.
C Cronin; J Hegarty, C Cashman, C Scannell; K Cashman, C Healy, J Cronin; M Hegarty, D Healy; L Walsh, L O’Shea, C Hallahan; I Walsh, J Cashman, J O’Driscoll.
C Hickey for C Hallahan (h-t).
T Dillon; B Nolan, P Fitzgerald, A Moynihan; D Twomey, I O’Mahony, S Cronin; C Coakley, G O’Mahony; R Blackton, A Bowen, T Connell; C Lenihan, K Murphy, O O’Regan.
J Kavanagh for R Blackton (37), S Horgan for T Connell (44), A O’Sullivan for C Coakley (51), J McMahon for C Lenihan (57).
Aidan Hyland, Kilworth.
App?
