St Colman's minor hurlers through to Premier 1 semi-final after late Adam Lee goal
Daire Cummins, St Colman's, winning this high ball from Youghal players Finn Coleman and Eoin Kennedy in their Rebel Óg Premier 1 MHC clash. Picture: Dan Linehan
Youghal needed two things to happen. They had to win, and they had to hope Midleton did the same against Inniscarra.
Midleton held up their end of the bargain. Youghal almost did too at home to St Colman’s. Almost.
For the second Premier 1 Minor Hurling Championship game in a row, St Colman’s were spared by a late, late rescue act from Adam Lee.
With 58 minutes gone and Youghal two clear, Lee burst away, shook off the challenge of Joe Cashman and let fly. Ewan McCarthy got a touch, but not enough.
The ball squirmed over the line. Colman’s erupted. Youghal were floored.
It was cruel on Youghal. For long stretches they were the better side. They led from the 14th minute to the 45th, led again from the 46th to the 57th, and still held it when Daniel Walsh clipped over a free to cut the gap to one. From the next puckout, disaster struck.
Youghal went hunting for the goal that would save them. Marley Walsh dropped in a free, but Rian O’Connell, excellent all evening, cleared. Gearóid Geary, one of Youghal’s standouts at wing-back, delivered the next ball in. Cleared again.
Their final chance came in the 63rd minute. McCarthy found Geary, who slipped it to Joe Cashman. A neat pass put Jamie Lenane through, but Padraig O’Brien was in pursuit and the pulled shot tailed wide. That was it.
Youghal had 13 wides of their own. Colman’s hit 17. Wastefulness was the constant.
The first eight shots of the second half between them drew no flag of either colour. It took until the 37th minute for Eoin Kennedy to steady Youghal, Lenane then adding a 65 to push them 1-7 to 0-6 ahead – the widest their lead would stretch.
Colman’s responded ruthlessly. Lee squared for Walsh, who rounded the keeper for a glorious finish, before adding a point to level it. The pendulum threatened to swing their way, but Lenane wasn’t having it. Two quick points from their talisman had Youghal 1-9 to 1-7 clear after 47 minutes.
It was tit-for-tat to the finish, Youghal two ahead with three minutes left. But then Walsh’s free, and Lee’s goal. The knockout punch.
The first half had been no great spectacle either. A two-minute burst was as good as it got for either side. Finn Coleman and Cork U16 Marley Walsh clipped points, before Lenane finished superbly, the trademark finish that he makes look so ordinary for a 1-5 to 0-4 lead on 16 minutes.
That was the high point. Colman’s stayed in touch with two frees, and by half-time it was a two-point game, 1-5 to 0-6.
The drama was all to come. For Youghal, heartbreak. For Colman’s, progression and a semi-final against Sarsfields.
J Lenane 1-3 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), D Foley 0-3 (0-2 f), E Kennedy 0-2, M Walsh, F Coleman, B Griffin 0-1 each.
A Lee (0-3 f), D Walsh (0-2 f) 1-3 each, S Murtagh, D Heavin, D Cahill (f), R O’Connell (f) 0-1 each.
E McCarthy; D Coleman, C Galvin, C Cashman; Z Skehan, D Trossero, G Geary; F Coleman, M Walsh; E Kennedy, D Lyons, J Coyne; B Griffin, J Lenane, K Ansboro.
C Hehir for Ansboro (20 inj), P Nicholson for Galvin (HT-32 temp), Nicholson for Coyne (37), O Crowley for Cashman (46), J Cashman for Trossero (53 inj).
C Williams; C Heavin, T Cronin (c), C Gleeson; D Cahill, R O’Connell, L Fitzgerald; A Noble, D Cummins; D Sheehan, S Murtagh, E Millerick; D Walsh, A Lee, D Heavin.
Y Hallahan for Cummins (11), Cummins for Sheehan (23 inj), L Zanda for Cummins (41), C O’Brien for Hallahan (48), P Ahern for Millerick (55).
T O’Connor (Killeagh).
App?
