Cashel King Cormacs book final place after edging eight-goal thriller in Thurles

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Cashel King Cormacs 6-21

Upperchurch Drombane 2-28

An extra-time goal-scoring spree of four goals was the golden ticket for Cashel King Cormacs to book their place in this year’s FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Final after a free-flowing and high-scoring affair in FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Deadlocked after normal time at 2-20 each, it looked as though it would be a one-score game either way to determine a winner of this evenly matched semi-final.

But Tipperary U20 star Oisin O’Donoghue had other ideas and his placement into the full forward line was the move that essentially decided the game, as he burst into life first half extra time scoring two goals a minute apart in the 65th and 66th minute before winning a penalty three minutes later which was expertly dispatched by Eoghan Connolly. It was an incredible first half considering what had come before.

Upperchurch Drombane battled gamely even when punch-drunk from those green flags and had the game back to three-point at one stage in the second half of extra time but they were out on their feet chasing the game and the loss of Paddy Phelan through injury at the end of normal time was a blow.

Adrian Cummins had the honours of finishing the game late on - not long on the pitch - burying a one-on-one goal chance past Ciaran Shortt in added time to copperfasten a result which was determined by the class of Oisin O’Donoghue in a three-minute period.

Cashel book-ended this game in a big way as they started the game exactly the way they finished - in complete supremacy as they had a lead of 1-8 to 0-4 built up in the opening quarter with David McGrath’s early goal along with some well-taken points putting them well ahead early on as Upperchurch were slow to get to the pitch.

Slow they were, but they eventually got into the game and it was a role reversal of the early play; the Mid men dominating up to half-time with Paudie Greene’s goal in the 19th minute getting them back in the contest while Paddy Phelan hit three fine points in that time too as the sides were level at 1-13 apiece at half-time.

A very open first half settled into a slightly more attritional battle as the scores were a bit harder earned in the second half. Still, Cashel had a two-point lead by the 47-minute mark thanks to a Ger Browne goal after some brilliant play from Oisin O’Donoghue set the former Tipp senior player in on goal to slot home.

The joy from the Cashel supports after that goal was short-lived though, as Upperchurch hit them for a three-pointer straight after as some sloppy play at the back from the Cashel defenders led to a turnover and, despite being dropped to his knees after a tackle, Paddy Phelan showed great awareness to whip on the ball from the 14-yard line to put the ‘Church back in front.

It was a tit-for-tat battle now and the scoring took on that pattern for the remainder of normal time, with Upperchurch clinging onto a one-point lead late on it was rescue time from the experienced Paddy Fahy to win a hard-earned free for Devon Ryan to slot a free and send the game to extra time.

You couldn’t have predicted the chaos of the start of extra time but after having an unusually quiet game by the standards he has set in his first year at the adult level, Oisin O’Donoghue burst into life with the three goals creating a buffer that proved too severe for Upperchurch Drombane to overcome.

Scorers: Cashel King Cormacs: Eoghan Connolly (1-6, 0-3f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 65, 0-1 sl-cut); Devon Ryan (0-7, 0-3f); Oisin O’Donoghue 2-1; David McGrath 1-1; Ger Browne, Adrian Cummins 1-0 each; Cathal Quinn, Ross Bonner 0-2 each; Ronan Connolly, Pady Fahy 0-1 each.

Upperchurch Drombane: Paudie Greene (1-6, 0-3f, 0-1 65); Paul Ryan (0-6, 0-5f); Paddy Phelan 1-3; Pat Ryan 0-3; Gavin Ryan (0-4, 0-3f); Niall Grant, Diarmuid Grant 0-2 each; Ailbe O’Donoghue, Conor Fahey 0-1 each.

Cashel King Cormacs: Johnny Walsh; Con Bonner, Nathan Ryan, Kieran O’Dwyer; Anthony Walsh, Conor O’Dwyer, Cathal Quinn; Eoghan Connolly, James Cummins; David Walsh, Devon Ryan, Ronan Connolly; Oisin O’Donoghue, Paddy Fahy, Ross Bonner.

Subs used: Ger Browne for D McGrath (40); Dan Moloney for Cummins (54); Simon Delaney for O’Donoghue (temp sub, ET); Adrian Cummins for R Bonner (HT, ET); David McGrath for Browne (78, ET).

Upperchurch Drombane: Ciaran Shortt; Ger Grant, Keith Ryan, Dean Carew; Ailbe O’Donoghue, Gavin Ryan, Niall Grant; Luke Shanahan, Aaron Ryan; Paul Shanahan, Diarmuid Grant, Paul Ryan; Paddy Phelan, Paudie Greene, Pat Ryan.

Subs used: Mikey Lavery for O’Donoghue (42); Conor Fahey for Paul Ryan (53); Colm Ryan for Phelan (63).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels)