Champions Whitechurch beat Passage to return to City Division Junior A Hurling final

Whitechurch 0-19 Passage 0-18

Defending champions Whitechurch have qualified for their third successive AOS Security Seandún Junior A Hurling Championship decider, as they defeated last year’s runners-up Passage at Ballinlough. 

Whitechurch have set up a meeting with Na Piarsaigh's second team.

With Passage leading 0-18 to 0-17, this game went down to the wire as Whitechurch rescued the game with Killian Ryan’s equalising point. This was followed by the winning score by Jamie Hegarty, two minutes into stoppage time.

Whitechurch made the better start, while Passage had to wait until the sixth minute for their first score from play. Passage held the upper hand in the final quarter as they converted four frees, before Whitechurch rescued the game.

Whitechurch opened the scoring with unanswered points from play by Hegarty and Cillian Egan. Passage’s Niall McCarthy and Hegarty converted a free each. Niall McCarthy then tagged on Passage’s first point from play.

Whitechurch’s David O’Sullivan traded points with Passage’s Ryan Carroll, before Ronan Harrington converted a 65 for Passage to level matters at four points apiece.

Darragh O’Connell and Egan each added points for Whitechurch. Liam Harrington replied with two points from play for Passage.

Hegarty converted Whitechurch’s second free, but Luke Hanlon levelled matters. This was followed by a free by Niall McCarthy, which put Passage ahead for the first time.

Sean Keane equalised for Whitechurch, but Ryan Carroll restored Passage’s lead. Whitechurch tagged on three unanswered points. Passage responded with a point from play by Niall McCarthy. This left the half-time scoreline reading 0-12 to 0-10 in favour of Whitechurch.

Dylan Barrett tagged on a point from play for Passage within seconds of the resumption, before Passage found themselves pinned back. Whitechurch added three unanswered points to open a four-point gap.

Keelan O’Flynn added a point for Passage before wayward puck-outs were proving to be costly for Passage. Keane and Egan got points for Whitechurch in quick succession.

Passage had Whitechurch on the back foot before the scene was set for a dramatic finish.

Scorers for Whitechurch: J Hegarty 0-8 (0-5 f), C Egan, S Keane, D O’Connell 0-3 each, D O’Sullivan, K Ryan 0-1 each.

Passage: N McCarthy 0-8 (0-5 f), R Harrington 0-2 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), L Harrington, R Carroll 0-2 each, L Hanlon, D Barrett, K O’Flynn, C McCarthy 0-1 each.

WHITECHURCH: C Mulcahy; A Murphy, B O’Sullivan, J Dennehy; K Ryan, M Callanan, R O’Connell; S O’Reilly, R Buckley; D O’Sullivan, J Hegarty, S Keane; D O’Connell, C Egan, C O’Brien.

Subs: J McGrath for O’Reilly (10), C Hennessy for B O’Sullivan (35, inj),

PASSAGE: A Long; N O’Connor, T Harrington, D Barrett; K O’Flynn, R Harrington, S Harrington; R Carroll, J Kind; D McCarthy, T O’Neill, L Harrington; C Coughlan, L Hanlon, N McCarthy.

Subs: G Carroll for R Carroll, C McCarthy for O’Neill (both 41), R Carroll for Barrett (56).

Referee: Niall Fahy (Brian Dillon’s).