Second half Ballygiblin goals end Grangemockler/Ballyneale's Munster Championship dream

AIB Munster Club Junior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Ballygiblin (Cork) 2-10 Grangemockler-Ballyneale 0-11

A battling performance from Grangemockler-Ballyneale came up just short in their AIB Munster Club Junior Hurling Championship quarter-final against Cork side Ballygiblin at Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon, losing by five points, 2-10 to 0-11.

Two second half Ballygiblin goals proved the decisive scores as they overcame a two points deficit, 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time. Indeed Grangemockler-Ballyneale were the better team in the first half as they took the challenge to their much-vaunted opponents from north Cork, a club based just outside Mitchelstown.

It was a lack of scoring power that was the Tipp side’s undoing, with Darragh Shelley accounting for ten of their eleven scores, and he and team captain John Lyons hitting the only three points from play, two from Shelley. Five of the six starting Cork forwards scored, with the side hitting 2-5 from open play.

The odds seemed stacked in favour of Ballygiblin from the start. Grangemockler had failed to win their county title, losing out to Upperchurch-Drombane in the final and qualifying for the provincial stages as the Upperchurch side were the Mid club’s second string and not eligible to qualify.

Meanwhile Ballygiblin were the reigning Munster champions and defeated All Ireland finalists and still eligible to play in the junior grade this year following grading changes in the Cork championship.

A huge and vocal Ballygiblin support travelled to Semple Stadium – moved to the Thurles venue two days earlier as Cahir was unplayable due to the heavy rain – but they didn’t have much to cheer about in the first half as Grangemockler came flying out of the blocks.

Dillon Sheehan (Ballygiblin) in possession is challenged James Daly (Grangemockler/Ballyneale) in Saturday's Munster JHC quarter-final game at Semple Stadium. Pic: Michael Boland

Their early pressure saw Darragh Shelley point a 65 in the third minute and even though Joseph O’Sullivan equalised a minute later, the south Tipp side were two in front, 0-3 to 0-1, by the tenth minute, with two more Shelley frees. Many of the Grangemockler moves began deep in defence with fullback Michael Meaney winning vital intercepts and Enda Fogarty impressive at the heart of the defence.

Joseph O’Sullivan from a free reduced the arrears and the Cork side were level again after a goal-bound Sean O’Sullivan shot was deflected over the bar. Ballygiblin had now moved up a gear and their sharp attack saw them go into a two-points lead – Dean Barry was alert to gather a Cathail O’Mahoney shot that came back off the crossbar and shoot over, and Darragh Flynn followed up with a good score to make it 0-5 to 0-3 with eight minutes to half time.

But Ballygiblin failed to score again in the half as the Tipp side hit four without reply in their best spell of the game. After Darragh Shelley was wide from a free from halfway and Mark O’Meara off target from play, Shelley found the range from a placed ball following a foul on Sean O’Meara. The pressure was further rewarded when John Lyons tied the scores with a great point from play..

Then when Mikie Lyons was fouled, Shelley restored the Grangemockler advantage and he doubled it on the stroke of halftime with a great score from play. They had outplayed the Cork side, quietened the visiting support and the players headed into the dressing room in confident mood with a 0-7 to 0-5 lead.

However, the second half was a different story. Ballygiblin upped their game as Grangemockler struggled to maintain their momentum, reflected in scoring only once from play in the second thirty minutes.

The first major turning point came four minutes in when Cork corner forward Cathail O’Mahoney broke through a stretched Tipp defence to shoot to the net past David Power. However, Grangemockler responded well and within two minutes a Shelley free had the sides level again. Joseph O’Sullivan restored the Ballygiblin lead after taking a clever return pass from a short sideline cut but again Darragh Shelley tied the scores from a free.

Then midway through the half they took the lead again, John Lyons setting up Shelley for a superb point. But instead of pushing on, they were hit with a purple patch of Ballygiblin play. O’Mahony drew his side level with a superb sideline cut from a tight angle, and within a minute the visitors hit their second goal, Darragh Flynn shooting home after sustained pressure. When Joseph O’Sullivan pointed a free to make it a four points game, it looked bleak for the Tipp men.

They replied with another Shelley point from a free - a superb display of shooting from the midfielder over the hour - but roared on by their enthusiastic support, Ballygiblin came back with the game’s last two points, from Flynn and another Joseph O’Sullivan free, to win through to the semi-final.

A more potent attack and a stronger spread of scorers proved the difference for the title holders and they will take encouragement from this win, especially achieved in the hallowed Field of Legends.

But Grangemockler-Ballyneale can take great encouragement from their performance. They more than matched the Cork side in the first half, strong in defence and impressive in their build-up play. The Ballygiblin goals knocked them out of their stride but they showed great resolve to hit back so often and in scorer-in-chief Darragh Shelley they had one of the star players on the pitch.

Ballygiblin – Christopher Noonan, Lorcan Finn, Fionn Herlihy, James Mullins, Barry Coffey, Mark Keane, Michael Lewis, Ryan Donegan, Killian Roche, Dean Barry 0-1; Joseph O’Sullivan 0-5, 0-4 frees; Dillon Sheehan, Cathail O’Mahoney 1-1, 0-1 sideline cut; Sean O’Sullivan 0-1; Darragh Flynn 1-2. Subs – Kieran Duggan for Dean Barry, Aaron O’Brien for Sean O’Sullivan, Cian O’Brien for James Mullins.

Grangemockler-Ballyneale – David Power, James Daly, Michael Meaney, Darragh Lambe, Sean Daly, Enda Fogarty, Leon Kennedy, Darragh Shelley, 0-10, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘65’; Conor Hahessy, Ben Comerford, John Lyons 0-1; Mark O’Meara, Sean O’Meara, Thomas Grinsell, Mikie Lyons. Subs – Jamie Walsh for Thomas Grinsell, Alex Millea for Conor Hahessy, Michael Meagher for James Daly, Tom Brett for Mark O’Meara.

Referee – Nicky Barry (Waterford).