Delight as Tipperary club make it to a first cup final in seven years

Peter O'Reilly Cup semi-final

Kilsheelan United 4 – 3 Powerstown

Kilsheelan United progressed to the Peter O’Reilly Cup final on Sunday, defeating Powerstown in a seven goal thriller at the Ormonde Stores pitch.

The home side started off on the front foot, forcing the visitors keeper into a brilliant low save, before having the ball cleared off the line twice in short succession.

The pressure finally paid off in the 17th minute, when a Ruairi Doyle long-throw fell to the feet of Mark Heffernan who tapped home to give the hosts a deserved lead. They continued to play bright football, but despite this found themselves level ten minutes before half-time.

The visitors got in behind the defensive line, forcing Conor Grant into a finger-tip save onto the post before David Grace fired home the rebound to level proceedings. Both sides took a while to get into the second-half, before Kilsheelan United regained the lead in the 62nd minute. Mark Heffernan broke beyond the Powerstown defence, squaring the ball to Billy O’Connor who made no mistake from eight yards.

And just minutes later it was three, when Nathan Dolan fired home from the penalty spot after Mark Heffernan was taken down inside area.

With 15 minutes remaining, they made it four, when Heffernan picked up a loose ball 25 yards out before curling it into the bottom right-hand corner to grab his second of the game.

But their was still a sting in the Powerstown tail, and they got two goals back inside the final ten minutes, when Conor McGrath fired home a penalty kick, and Cathal McKeown scored from another set piece delivery. But in the end the home side held out to make their first final in seven years when they will face Moyglass United.