Moycarkey Borris blitz Kiladangan late to clinch semi-final spot

FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Moycarkey Borris 3-23

Kiladangan 2-22

Six points down with eight minutes to play, Moycarkey Borris staged a magnificent late rally to oust Kiladangan in a thrilling FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

The Mid boys looked a beaten team, struggling to stay with their rivals as they trailed 1-16 to 2-19 with eight minutes left on the clock.

Then, David Costigan netted for them off a Kieran Morris pass. Kieran Morris pointed a free and, from the puck-out, Morris fired home their third goal of the match to level at 3-17 to 2-20.

It was an extraordinary turnaround. Moycarkey were now in full flight and Kiladangan fell apart under the pressure. Kieran Morris, goalie Rhys Shelley and two further David Costigan points followed for Moycarkey as the Mid wave surged forward.

A Kiladangan mentor was red-carded by referee John Dooley as the North boys’ frustration took hold before Niall Heffernan and Pat Molloy had further points for Moycarkey, who now led 3-23 to 2-20 on the hour mark, an incredible reversal of fortunes that nobody foresaw coming.

Kiladangan must still be trying to figure out what went wrong. This was not the first time in this campaign that they “blew up” when in a winning position, having twice lost to Cashel in the league final and in the round-robin series of the championship, but now the stakes were at their highest and an experienced outfit like Kiladangan would be expected to have the know-how to see out the game.

They had every chance to book their semi-final spot, but one has to salute a Moycarkey side that refused to buckle when their fate looked sealed. For much of the game, Moycarkey were struggling to stay in touch. Dara O’Dwyer’s goal inside a minute set Kiladangan off to a flyer.

Alan Flynn, Billy Seymour and Paul Flynn were quickly into stride as Moycarkey tried to gain a foothold. Kiladangan were 1-6 to 0-5 ahead when Alan Flynn had another green flag for them after seventeen minutes, but, typical of Moycarkey’s never-say-die approach, they responded with a David Costigan goal straight from the puck-out, still hanging in.

Kiladangan went in at the break 2-10 to 1-7 to the good, finishing the half with a flourish, points from Billy Seymour (2) and Tadhg Gallagher pushing them six clear and looking likely winners.

The margin in their favour ought to have been more, but eleven first-half wides helped keep Moycarkey in the game.

One expected Moycarkey to raise their game on resuming, but Kiladangan retained control, three points in rapid succession from Billy Seymour (2) and Conor Byrne extending Kiladangan’s lead to 2-15 to 1-10 after forty minutes.

A brace from Max Hackett and a Kieran Morris free had the lead cut to five points going into the last quarter, but by the fifty-second minute it was 2-19 to 1-16 in Kiladangan’s favour and still no hint of what was to come.

David Costigan’s goal kick-started a Moycarkey comeback that will long be remembered in the club. Three minutes later, Kieran Morris had another, with a Morris point also sandwiched between the goals.

Moycarkey were rampant, Kiladangan in disarray. In rapid-fire fashion, Moycarkey fired over points from Kieran Morris, Rhys Shelley and two more from David Costigan to go 3-21 to 2-20 clear. Niall Heffernan and Pat Molloy put them six clear going into injury time.

Kiladangan finally ended a 2-7 to 0-1 Moycarkey sequence with a point from Bill Cleary. Billy Seymour went for goal from a couple of twenty-metre frees in a bid to salvage their campaign, but Moycarkey were not about to relinquish what they had achieved in such spectacular fashion, finishing four points ahead at the final whistle.

Moycarkey delight at the outcome was unbounded. They saluted their supporters in the stands and hugged and back-slapped their way to the dressing rooms.

It was a win that typified their county campaign all through, unbeaten in a group that featured three divisional champions, including county champions Loughmore Castleiney.

Their honesty and determination to keep going in adversity got them over the line and, in the process, their self-belief must be soaring.

All were stars at the finish, but when it mattered most, it was the work of David Costigan, Kieran Morris and Eoghan Hayes, switched to attack in the second half, that inspired the win.

Niall Heffernan, Joe Maher and Kevin Hayes also had big games to ensure the club goes into the draw for the semi-finals.

Kiladangan frustration is understandable, faltering on the run-in for the third time in games they looked to have won.

For much of the hour, they were the better side and they will have much soul-searching about how this campaign went haywire.

The loss of David Sweeney through injury after only twenty minutes did not help their cause but is no excuse. Billy Seymour was their top performer, a big threat from play and frees all through.

Alan Flynn, Paul Flynn, Dara O’Dwyer and Tadhg Gallagher were at the heart of the best things they did over the hour.

Scorers: Moycarkey Borris: David Costigan 2-3, Kieran Morris (1-6, 0-4f), Joe Maher 0-4, Niall Heffernan 0-3, Max Hackett 0-2, Rhys Shelly 0-1f, Joe Egan, Killian Cantwell, Rory Darmody, Pat Molloy all 0-1 each.

Kiladangan: Billy Seymour (0-9, 0-5f), Dara O’Dwyer 1-1, Alan Flynn 1-0, Paul Flynn, Tadhg Gallagher 0-3 each, Johnny Horan, Conor Byrne 0-2 each, Sean Hayes, Matthew Cleary 0-1 each.

Moycarkey Borris: Rhys Shelley; Kevin Hayes, Tom Hayes, Kevin O’Regan; Stephen Walsh, Eoghan Hayes, Peter Melbourne; Killian Cantwell, Niall Heffernan; David Costigan, Joe Egan, Rory Darmody; Max Hackett, Joe Maher, Kieran Morris.

Subs used: Jack Hayes for O’Regan (HT); Pat Molloy for Darmody (40); Bill Maher for Heffernan (59); Bill Flanagan for Morris (59).

Kiladangan: Barry Hogan; David Sweeney, Joe Gallagher, Darragh Flannery; Willie Connors, Alan Flynn, Dan O’Meara; Dara O’Dwyer, Tadhg Gallagher; Conor Byrne, Sean Hayes, Darren Moran; Bryan McLoughney, Paul Flynn, Billy Seymour.

Subs used: Johnny Horan for Sweeney (20); Tom Boland for McLoughney (HT); Matthew Cleary for Hayes (33); Bill Cleary for Horan (47); Stephen Mulvihill for Moran (60).

Referee: John Dooley (Thurles Gaels)