Deserved win sends St. Mary's through to Munster semi-final

St Mary’s 1-16 Ballincollig 0-15

St Mary’s Clonmel carried their outstanding county championship form onto the provincial stage with a thoroughly deserved win over Cork champions Ballincollig in the AIB Munster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship quarter-final before a huge crowd at Clonmel Sportsfield on Sunday.

The Clonmel side trailed 0-2 to 0-1 after three minutes, but once club captain Seamus Kennedy equalised, and fellow county player Peter McGarry put them ahead for the first time in the seventh minute, they were never headed again.

McGarry was outstanding upfront, scoring 0-9, with six from frees, and along with Aaron Cagney and Cathal Deely proved a handful for the over-worked Cork defence.

Seamus Kennedy was a pillar of strength at the heart of the Tipperary champions’ defence and along with Richie Gunne, Tadgh Sheehan and Darragh O’Connor they denied Ballincollig any clear sight of goal.

The only goal of the game, and the decisive score, came midway through the second half. St Mary’s had led 0-9 to 0-5 at half time, and had extended the lead to six, 0-13 to 0-7 by the 46th minute, when substitutes Michael Murphy and Thomas Charles combined to create the chance for midfielder Tadhg Condon to crash the sliothar to the net.

Charles then stretched the lead to ten as St Mary’s looked set for a comfortable win. But there were nervy moments in the final ten minutes, as Ballincollig, inspired by county man Brian Keating, James O’Dwyer and Cian O’Driscoll, ate into the Clonmel lead, but a determined St Mary’s defence denied them the goal they needed for a grandstand finish.

“I’m absolutely delighted”, said St Mary’s manager Fergal Condon.

“It was a big deal to play a Munster championship match, and to play it at home. That was the performance we had hoped for thankfully it was what happened”.

The Clonmel team will play Abbeydorney in the semi-final on November 15, after the Kerry champions beat Clashmore Kinsalebeg of Waterford by 3-14 to 1-19 after extra-time in Sunday’s other quarter-final in Dungarvan.

Scorers for Ballincollig: C O’Driscoll, J Dwyer, T O’Connell, S Wills (1f), Danny Miskella 0-2 each, Theo Morgan, D O’Mahony, B Keating, C Dalton, R O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Mary's: P Mc Garry 0-9 (6f), T Condon 1-0, T Charles 0-3, S Kennedy 0-2, H Lawlor, A Cagney 0-1.

Ballincollig: J Linehan; J Murray, J Dwyer, R O’Donovan, B Coleman ,F Denny; D O’Leary; T Morgan, H Ahearne; K O’Leary, S Wills, C O’Drisoll; A Wills, D O’Mahony D Miskella.

Subs: B Keating for B Coleman ( 35), T O’Connell for D O’Mahony (47), D O’Sullivan for J Murray (50), P Kelly for D Miskella (55), C Dalton for T Morgan (55).

St Mary’s: G Buckley; R Gunne, R Peters, D O’Connor; T Sheehan, S Kennedy, J Morris; T Condon, S Ryan; A Cagney, P McGarry, S Kennedy; H Lawlor, C Deely, J Power.

Subs: T Charles for S Ryan ( h/t), R Peters for J Power (40), M Murphy for H Lawlor (45), J Higgins for S Kennedy.

Referee: Kieran Guina (Limerick).