Munster Club JHC: Kilshannig produce good second-half turnaround
Kilshannig's Paddy Walsh, seen here in the win over Ardmore, scored ten points as they overcame Fethard in Saturday's AIB Munster Club JHC semi-final. Picture: Larry Cummins
Victory in Tipperary for the team in a blue jersey with a gold hoop – but at Fethard on Saturday, that meant visitors Kilshannig.
The Cork side secured a place in the final of the AIB Munster Club JHC with an impressive second-half turnaround. Trailing by seven points after 16 minutes, they had reduced that gap to five by half-time but, turning to play with the wind, they record a pair of slack wides.
When Kilshannig were penalised for a throw coming out of defence in the 33rd minute, Danny Barry slotted over his third free to put Fethard – playing in white due to the colour-clash – ahead by 1-7 to 0-4.
However, by the time Barry would add to the hosts’ tally, they had fallen behind as Kilshannig took control of the game. The half-time introduction of Éanna O’Hanlon at centre-forward and rejigging of their attack was a factor, while a tightening up in defence, where Bill Curtin and captain Kieran Twomey excelled, meant that Fethard were given little to feed on.
Patrick Walsh had been Kilshannig’s only scorer in the first half and he had their first three of the second period but there was a greater cohesion and that came to the fore as Jack Twomey was unlucky to see a shot deflected over the bar, then Tom Cunningham and Ryan Crowley combined for O’Hanlon to leave one in it.
They were level as Darragh O’Sullivan’s delivery was the catalyst for Jack Twomey’s second and O’Hanlon laid on the lead score for Andy Hourigan – who had come to the fore at midfield – on the three-quarter mark.
After Walsh made it 0-12 to 1-7, he almost added a goal as he and Diarmuid O’Sullivan attacked another searching ball from by Darragh O’Sullivan but neither could get enough contact and it went wide.
While a good free from the right sideline by Barry ended Fethard’s 18-minute drought, it did little to stem the Kilshannig flow. Kieran Twomey popped over a long-ranger after Ryan Crowley had extricated the ball from a ruck, Curtin did similar and Eoin Burke and Diarmuid O’Sullivan combined for Walsh’s tenth before a great catch by full-back Colm O’Shea led to Jack Twomey’s third.
Fethard sub Jack Davey linked with fellow replacement Sam Coen to float over a lovely effort but Jack Twomey had Kilshannig five in front again, 0-18 to 1-13, three minutes of injury time dawned.
While Fethard did cut the gap through Mark Neville and Barry, the goal they needed was not allowed to materialise and Kilshannig progress to a meeting with Caherline of Limerick in a fortnight.
Fethard did have a goal in the first half and it came after a strong opening with the elements at their back. With Kilshannig wasteful, Fethard had built a 0-5 to 0-1 lead with Ryan Walsh, Mark Neville and Matt Coen joining Barry on the scoreboard and it was Coen who found the net.
Claiming a long pass from Neville, he drove goalwards and, while O’Shea hooked his initial effort, he was able to poke to the net at the second attempt.
The clock was showing 16 minutes at that stage but Fethard were to only add one more point in the first half, through hardworking midfielder Joedy Sheehan, as they passed up opportunities.
Kilshannig were able to eat into the deficit bit by bit thanks to Walsh’s frees and a five-point lead left them in touch but with much to do. They did it, however, and march on to the decider.
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