Penalty drama at Ballinlough as Na Piarsaigh beat Passage to reach Seandún final

Na Piarsaigh 1-20 

Passage 0-23 (AET 4-3 pens)

Last year’s beaten finalists Na Piarsaigh needed extra time, followed by a penalty shoot-out, to defeat Passage and book their place in the decider of the AOS Security Seandún Junior A Hurling championship, where they will meet defending champions Whitechurch.

Passage made the better start, before Na Piarsaigh seized the upper hand, with the game’s only goal in the eighth minute. 

This game went down to the wire, with Craig O’Sullivan’s pointed free for Na Piarsaigh sending the game to penalties.

Dylan Barrett and Conor Coughlan got points for Passage, followed by a free by Niall McCarthy. Alan Keating opened Na Piarsaigh’s account with a pointed free. Callum Griffin replied with a point for Passage.

Na Piarsaigh levelled matters when Jack Scanlon set up Evan Sheehan for the game’s only goal, which levelled matters at 1-1 to 0-4.

Na Piarsaigh had Passage pinned back as Keating got two points, including a free. Dayne Lee also scored a point. 

Passage responded with a point by Barrett and two points by Niall McCarthy. Both sides exchanged frees, to level matters at 1-6 to 0-9 at half-time.

Passage played a more open game in the second half as Niall McCarthy got their only score from a placed-ball. Keating converted two frees and O’Sullivan pointed a 65, to tie the scores at 1-13 to 0-16 and send the game into extra time.

O’Sullivan got three points, including a free for Na Piarsaigh. Passage replied with a point from play from Thomas O’Neill and a pointed 65 by Liam Harrington. This left Na Piarsaigh leading 1-16 to 0-18 at the end of the first period of extra time.

Passage outscored Na Piarsaigh by five points to three in the final period of extra time, before penalties were required.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: A Keating 0-8 (0-6 f), C O’Sullivan 0-8 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), E Sheehan 1-0, D Lee, J Scanlon, L Hurley, S Galgey 0-1.

Passage: N McCarthy 0-6 f, D Barrett 0-5, L Harrington 0-4 (0-2 f, 0-1 65), T O’Neill, S Coughlan 0-2 each; R Harrington (f), C Griffin, C Coughlan, D McCarthy 0-1 each.

NA PIARSAIGH: J Lonergan; K Power, C Joyce, G Joyce; P Lehane, P Cunningham, J Scanlon; SP Cooke, DJ Coffey; A Keating, D Lee, E Sheehan; S Galgey, M Sheehan, L Hurley.

Subs: C O’Sullivan for Galgey (28), I McDonnell for Coffey (47), E Cronin for Power (54), Coffey for E Sheehan (60+), S Daly for Cooke, Galgey for Lee (both 70+), C O’Brien for Cunningham (80+).

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

Subs: R Harrington for N McCarthy (53), R Carroll for S Coughlan (69), O O’Donovan for C Coughlan, J Healy for C Griffin (both 70).

Referee: Pat Lyons (Bishopstown).