Golden/Kilfeacle beat 14-man Kilsheelan to advance to Tipperary County Intermediate Hurling final

Golden/Kilfeacle 1-21 Kilsheelan/Kilcash 2-12

Golden/Kilfeacle set up a County Intermediate Hurling Championship final meeting with Boherlahan/Dualla when they beat 14-man Kilsheelan/Kilcash in Saturday's semi-final at Bansha.

Six points separated the sides at the final whistle, but Kilsheelan/Kilcash are left to wonder how things might have panned out had they not had to play all of the second half with just 14 players, after captain and county senior player Mark Kehoe received a straight red card in the final minute of the first half, following an off the ball incident with Golden’s Shane O’Connell.

Golden were ahead at the time by 0-8 to 0-6 and two points was still the difference between them at half-time (0-9 to 0-7) after Kilsheelan’s Martin Gibbs and Jack Leamy (from a free) had traded scores.

With the numerical advantage and the wind to assist them in the second period, the smart money was on a Golden victory at the interval. That was how it transpired, although they met stern resistance from Kilsheelan on the turnover.

The south team battled hard throughout, even if Golden threatened to run away with the game when they scored four points without reply within seven minutes of the restart. Those scores from Jack Bergin, Ben Currivan, Tom Byrnes and Seanie O’Halloran made it 0-13 to 0-7 and suggested they were on course for a stress-free victory. 

They maintained that seven-point cushion until the three-quarter stage, with Barry Kehoe converting two frees for Kilsheelan, while Eoin Marnane, Eanna Ormond (after Kilsheelan goalie Tadhg Lonergan had denied Jack Leamy with a smart save) and Jack Bergin were on target for Golden.

Another Barry Kehoe free cut the deficit to five points, with Kilsheelan hanging in as best they could. However, they gave Golden a real jolt with eight minutes of normal time remaining when Mark Stokes started and finished a move in tandem with Micheal Freaney before smacking home a classy goal to leave just two points between them (0-16 to 1-11).

Their prospects of causing an upset, though, were ended only three minutes later, and the momentum they had built quickly evaporated when Golden’s Jack Leamy stroked a penalty past Tadhg Lonergan after he had been hauled to the ground as he bore down on goal (1-16 to 1-11).

Three further points from Leamy, two from frees, put Golden in the comfort zone. With normal time almost elapsed, Kilsheelan had the consolation of another goal when Jamie Roche buried the rebound after Barry Kehoe had rattled the angle of the post and the crossbar with a shot. 

Paul Maher had a late point for Kilsheelan in between similar scores from Jack Leamy (from a free) and Gavin Dalton that put the seal on Golden’s victory.

This was a well balanced, good all round performance from Golden and they will look for more of the same in the final. Jack Leamy was the game’s most effective scoring contributor with a haul of 1-7, and he had willing accomplices in attack in Tom Byrnes and Jack Bergin.

Ben Currivan and Seanie O’Halloran were real driving forces further out the field while Cian Ryan, Aidan O’Connell and Eoin Marnane were always alert in defence.

There was little to choose between the sides in the opening half, during which they were level on three occasions. Two points from Tom Byrnes gave Golden an early advantage before a brace of points from Barry Kehoe, the first from a free, drew Kilsheelan level.

Barry Kehoe, with good support provided by his brother Mark, was his team’s outstanding performer in those early stages and most of Kilsheelan’s best moments stemmed from his accuracy and creativity. His 65 (which was initially waved wide) gave Kilsheelan the lead in the eighth minute, before Cian Ryan responded for Golden.

Scores from Martin Gibbs and Barry Kehoe had Kilsheelan in front by 0-5 to 0-3 by the 13th minute. Barry Kehoe was on the mark again, this time from a free, after Ben Currivan had struck a fine point from deep in his own half.

Golden took closer order with a Seanie O’Halloran point before Eoin Marnane struck the equaliser when he mopped up a loose ball. 

The Kilsheelan defence, with Kevin Guiry, Emmet Butler and Daire Brennan to the fore, were working overtime to keep Golden at bay, although the west team succeeded in regaining the lead through a fine long distance free from Jack Leamy, and another point from play from the same player. That was shortly before Mark Kehoe received his marching orders, a decision that left a sour taste in Kilsheelan mouths.

Even in defeat, there was no denying Kilsheelan’s great effort, with players such as Micheal Freaney, Martin Gibbs, Senan Butler and Sean Ryan also giving everything for the cause.    

Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Aidan O’Connell (captain), Shane O’Connell, Daithi Bargary, Eoin Marnane (0-2), Cian O’Connell, Cian Ryan (0-1), Ben Currivan (0-2), Seanie O’Halloran (0-2), Jack Lonergan, Jack Leamy (1-7, 0-5 frees, 1-0 penalty), Tom Byrnes (0-3), Eanna Ormond (0-1), Niall Heffernan, Jack Bergin (0-2).

Substitutes: Andy Byrnes for Tom Byrnes, Gavin Dalton (0-1) for Niall Heffernan, Aidan Tuohy for Daithi Bargary.

Kilsheelan/Kilcash: Tadhg Lonergan, Kevin Guiry, Daire Brennan, Jason Madigan, Emmet Butler, Mark Stokes (1-0), Sean Ryan, Micheal Freaney, Billy O’Connor, Tommy O’Connor, Martin Gibbs (0-2), Barry Kehoe (0-8, 5 frees, 1 ‘65), Senan Butler (0-1), Mark Kehoe (captain), Jamie Roche (1-0).

Substitutes: Paul Maher (0-1) for Jamie Roche, Sean Martin for Martin Gibbs, Jamie Roche for Sean Ryan, Kian Quinn for Kevin Guiry.

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess).