Turlough O'Neill leads the way as Shandrum edge Valley Rovers in gripping U21 semi-final

Shandrum 0-20 

Valley Rovers 0-18 

A game that could have slipped through Shandrum’s fingers ended instead with their fists clenched in triumph, as the north Cork outfit edged Valley Rovers in a cracking U21 A Hurling Championship semi-final that swung and twisted right up until the closing minutes on Saturday evening.

Shandrum had seen their four-point half-time lead vanish, and were level for the fourth time in the second half at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s 4G after Evan O’Shea’s 51st minute free left it 0-15 apiece.

They even briefly fell behind on a couple of occasions – but the third quarter became a battle of placed balls – O’Shea versus Turlough O’Neill. No winner could be found on that one.

When O’Neill nailed a 65 in the 54th minute, Shandrum were back in front, but instead of the usual Valleys reply – Eoin O’Mahony popped up with the first of his two late scores to leave Shandrum 0-17 to 0-15 in front with five to play.

Donnacha O’Connell got the next one back for Valleys, O’Neill then cancelled it with a Shandrum free, and with the clock in red, Shandrum were still hanging on, two points in front.

Eoin Guinane sent over a long-distance free to get Valleys back to within one again, 62 minutes gone. And when Shandrum needed someone to step up, Turlough O’Neill obliged, and not for the first time this year.

Thirteen points in total, seven from play, and the one that finally settled it. Daniel O’Connell launched the next puckout long, O’Neill read the break, slipped behind, gathered possession and slotted over.

And as Valleys tried to quickly salvage something, O’Mahony intercepted the next puckout to strike over and leave it goal or bust for their opponents.

Goal was the hope, but the outcome was bust. The Shandrum wall showed no cracks, and so O’Connell recycled possession to Niall Daly, who slotted over to leave the margin at two, but there wouldn’t be enough time for another Rovers chance.

Shandrum had made life hard for themselves – 16 wides would haunt any management team – and that tally kept Valley Rovers in the fight far longer than they should have been. But they delivered at the death, when it mattered most.

Valleys, who had blitzed the Glen from the start in their quarter-final, lacked that sharpness here. They were caught for three points in the opening two minutes, but had drawn level by the 10th minute, 0-4 each.

The north Cork champions settled into control and notched three without reply, including a great score from Stephen Minihane, who was assisted by impressive centre-back Bill Collins A couple of O’Shea frees had the margin down to one after 17 minutes, but three points all from play, all from O’Neill and all in the space of 80 seconds, left Shandrum 0-10 to 0-7 up.

A placed ball for either side left the same margin of three, 0-11 to 0-8 at the interval, but Valleys were much sharper in the latter half.

They hit the first four points to go in front by the 42nd minute, but after O’Neill and O’Shea played cat and mouse with the frees, Shandrum were able to snatch it in added time, setting up a final with Midleton.

Scorers for Shandrum: T O’Neill 0-13 (0-4 f, 0-2 65), E O’Mahony, Robert Troy 0-2 each, C Dunne, D O’Connell (f), S Minihane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Valley Rovers: E O’Shea 0-10 (0-8 f), D Carthew 0-2, E Gagley, E Guinane (f), S Ryan, D O’Connell, M Woods, N Daly 0-1 each.

SHANDRUM: D O’Connell; J Hogan, T McCarthy, D Ryan; Rory Troy, B Collins, B Carroll; Robert Troy, C Dunne; J Murphy, E O’Mahony, S Minihane; L Coughlan, C Quinn, T O’Neill.

Subs: JD Egan for Coughlan (53), L O’Mahony for Quinn (56).

VALLEY ROVERS: M Kelleher; T McGrath, C O’Sullivan, N Daly; C Johnson, E Guinane, A Slattery; M Woods, S Ryan; D O’Connell, E O’Shea, J Twohig; E Gagley, D Carthew, K Dart O’Flynn.

Subs: H O’Sullivan for Gagley (34), J O’Leary for Dart O’Flynn (45), S McEntee for Carthew (51).

Referee: I McCarthy (Bandon)