Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas hurlers overcome Whitechurch in extra time after 10-goal epic

Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas 6-20 Whitechurch 4-18 (after extra time)

Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas claimed a famous extra-time victory as they outgunned Whitechurch in the Co-Op Superstore Junior A Hurling quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday.

A storming second-half performance from the Seandún side saw a Jamie Hegarty point after 58 minutes put them three up. But hat-trick hero Jamie Lucey struck for 1-1 in the closing stages when a late Daniel Kelleher white flag looked like securing a Whitechurch victory.

Level 3-13 apiece, this thrilling contest went into an additional 20 minutes of extra time. The West Cork men put their opponents to the sword in extra time with Caolan O'Donovan and Lucey netting after 65 and 68 minutes.

At the outset, it was advantage Mathúnas when Kevin O'Donovan nailed a brilliant individual goal but it was all square after John Kelleher weaved his own magic. Outscoring their opponents from there, with Caolan O'Donovan chipping in with three scores, the Carbery side led 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.

A Jeremiah Hurley goal at the opening of the second half looked like killing off Whitechurch, but back they came. And when second-half substitute Dave O'Sullivan hit the net on 53 minutes, the tide looked well and truly turned as they hit the front for the first time.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man, and Lucey was him as they now face Donoughmore in the county semi-final.

Scorers for Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas: J Lucey 3-3, C O'Donovan 1-9 (0-7 f), K O'Donovan 1-4, J Hurley 1-0, M Draper, G O'Donovan, J Fleming, P Crowley (sl) 0-1 each.

Whitechurch: J Hegarty 1-6 (0-4 f), J Kelleher 1-2, R O'Connell, D O'Sullivan 1-1 each, D Kelleher, C Egan 0-3 each, M Callanan, D O'Connell 0-1 each.

DIARMUID Ó MATHÚNAS: M O'Driscoll; M Daly, S Crowley, C O'Sullivan; J O'Callaghan, C Mangan, J Hurley; R Lucey, K O'Donovan; M Draper, G O'Donovan, M O'Sullivan; J Lucey, C O'Donovan, T Lordan.

Subs: J Fleming for R Lucey (38), P Crowley for T Lordan (45), W Horgan for M Draper (56), R Lucey for J Hurley (63), M Draper for M O'Sullivan (65), N Hillard for M Draper (75).

WHITECHURCH: J Kelleher; A Murphy, K Ryan, J Dennehy; J Kelleher, M Callanan, R O'Connell; S O'Reilly, R Blake; D Kelleher, D O'Connell, J Hegarty; C Egan, S Keane, R Murphy.

Subs: C Kelleher for A Murphy (12), K McIntyre for R Blake (45), A Kelleher for R Murphy (48), D O'Sullivan for S Keane (50), C Hennessy for C Kelleher (57), C O'Brien for M Callanan (65), S Glackin for K Ryan (73), A Kelleher for S O'Reilly (75).

Referee: J Smiddy (Castlemartyr).