Killenaule second half blitz too much for poor Portroe performance

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Club Hurling Championship - Round 1 - Group 4

Killenaule 3-23

Portroe 1-8

By Liam Hogan

An impressive second half showing saw Killenaule cast a disappointing Portroe team to one side when they met in the opening round of the FBD County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship played at Borrisoleigh last Saturday afternoon.

The new South Tipp senior hurling champions looked to be in a small bit of bother at halftime when they trailed 1-7 to 0-6 at half time but the changeover changed everything and with the help of a very strong diagonal breeze, they simply swept the opposition away.

The win must surely put Killenaule into the favourites spot for the last four at least but let’s not forget that Portroe are in a transition.

The loss of AJ Willis and Ruadhan Mulrooney who are out of the country is immense while just before half time they lost Kevin O’Halloran to injury.

In addition, there was a suggestion that Robert Byrne may have sustained a hand injury late in the game and was replaced. Not a great year for the Arra boys. John Sheedy’s goal from a penalty was the perfect start for Portroe in the second minute.

With Dean O’Connor and Joe O’Dwyer (free) cutting the deficit to one, there was no panic in the Port defence where Robert Byrne really stood out at half back while Jack Moloney had his moments also. Indeed, both players scored in that first half as Portroe increased their lead to five by the 29th minute, 1-6 to 0-4 with Mark Gennery adding two points to the total also.

Killenaule’s scoring threat was minimised and they had to depend on the work rate of Jimmy Feehan and Dean O’Conor while Padraig O’Dwyer plus Killian O’Dwyer excelled on the inside backline not forgetting the accuracy of centre-back Joe O’Dwyer whose three first half points from frees kept Killenaule close.

Port led by four on the changeover. Tom Stakelum scored for Killenaule after two minutes but a brilliant score by John Sheedy had Port four in front after four minutes. We were in for a great last twenty or so we thought.

However, it was a false alert because Port would not score again. Instead, Killenaule took over and were level by the 41st minute after Paudie Feehan scored two points in a row.

Eoin Barry gave Killenaule the lead in the 44th minute and a minute later Tom Stakelum availed of a defensive mix-up before steering a low shot past Diarmuid Boyle.

After Dean O’Connor and the impressive Padraig O’Dwyer had added a point each there was more misfortune for Port as they conceded a second goal in the 49th minute when Dean O’Connor was on hand to vail off an Eoin Barry pass before finding the back of the net.

Killenaule’s superiority was so much in evidence as they added another 1-9 in the remaining ten minutes plus two of added time which included Tom Stakelum scoring his second goal in the 56th minute before Joe O’Dwyer completed the mission with two pointed frees.

Killenaule: Joe Caesar; Padraig O’Dwyer (0-1), Killian O’Dwyer (0-2), Jack Hassett; Joe O’Dwyer (0-6f), Thomas Keaveney, Ciaran O’Dwyer (0-1); Paddy Codd, Jimmy Feehan; Paudie Feehan (0-3), Dean O’Connor (1-3), Eoin Shaw; Michael Doyle, Tom Stakelum (2-1), Eoin Barry (0-3).

Subs used: Mark Stakelum (0-3) for Doyle (37); Eoin O’Connell for Shaw (50); Luke Ryan for Barry (55); Finn Nolan for Hassett (55); Dara Fitzerald for Shaw (55).

Portroe: Diarmuid Boyle; Willie Flood, Michael Breen, Adrian O’Halloran; Brian Keating, Robert Byrne (0-2), Jack Maloney (0-1); Colm Gleeson, Jack O’Callaghan; Anthony Bourke, John Sheedy (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-2f), Ian O’Donnell; Sam Madden, Mark Gennery, Kevin O’Halloran.

Subs used: Justin Conroy for O’Halloran (28, inj); Michael Creamer for Flood (29); Kieran McKeogh for Ian O’Donnell (47); Conor Byrne for Byrne (58, in).

Referee: Gerry Treacy (Borris-Ileigh)