Strong second half performance sends Killenaule to the top of group two

Killenaule 2-21

Thurles Sarsfields 0-18

A turbo-charged second half saw Killenaule overcome Thurles Sarsfields by nine points in the FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 2, Round 2 clash at Littleton on Sunday afternoon.

The win sends The Robins to the top of the group with two wins from two and in pole position to advance to the knockout stages. Their final group game is against Carrick Swan, who are pointless after their first two games.

Killenaule trailed Sarsfields by two points, 0-9 to 0-7, at half time and nothing in the first half pointed to what would unfold in the second, especially its first nine minutes.

Cillian Minogue was the main threat for Sarsfields in that first half, with his side’s first three points, and they really should have been ahead by more at the break. Team captain Michael Cahill was immense at the heart of the defence.

But the South Tipp side re-emerged a transformed team and hit 2-5 without reply by the 39th minute, with two goals in the space of two minutes from Tom Stakelum proving crucial. They were blows from which the Thurles side could never recover.

The points came first to give Killenaule a 0-12 to 0-9 lead six minutes into the half. Joe O’Dwyer pointed a free in the first minute, a minute later Oisin Shelly broke from a scrum of players to hit the leveller and a brilliant score from Luke Ryan on the sideline put them ahead.

The traffic remained one-way as Tony Ryan set Paudie Feehan up for a superb score, and then Shelly again extended the lead to three.

Sarsfields had yet to lay a glove on Killenaule in the second half and it quickly got worse. Stakelum’s first goal in the 37th minute followed a brilliant move, the ball worked from defence through substitute Jack Hassett, Luke Ryan, Charlie Barrett and Darragh Doyle before Stakelum hit an unstoppable shot past Sars ‘keeper Michael McCormack.

His second goal two minutes later found him in the clear following a pass from Paudie Feehan. This time his shot lacked similar pace but still slipped in between the post and McCormack’s hurley. It was a stunning start to the half that paved the way to a deserved victory.

Jack Lanigan had Sarsfields’ first second half point after ten minutes but they never managed to get closer than five points to the South side’s lead. Manager Padraic Maher rang the changes from the bench but they never looked likely to emulate his Dan Breen Cup side’s win over Holycross/Ballycahill a day earlier.

Lanigan pointed four more frees, with scores from play from Cillian Minogue (2), sub Conor Lanigan and Liam McCormack, but the outcome of the game was decided long before the final whistle.

The Robins were playing with a confidence and swagger not apparent in the first half and over the hour eleven players scored from play, including all six starting forwards and two midfielders. Tom Stakelum’s goals were crucial but Luke Ryan also put in an immense performance, including 0-4 from play, with Darragh Doyle, Fionn Fitzgerald and Oisin Shelly all impressing.

A Killenaule point six minutes from time epitomised their play, Charlie Barrett starting the move from deep in defence, with Tom Stakelum providing the assist for a great Fionn Fitzgerald score.

Killenaule added fourth quarter points from Fionn Fitzgerald (2), Tony Ryan (2, one a 65), Joe O’Dwyer (2, one a free), Darragh Doyle, Luke Ryan and sub Mark Stakelum.

In contrast to Killenaule’s 2-18 from open play, Sarsfields hit just 0-10, with five of those from Cillian Minogue, who was particularly sharp in the opening half, hitting his side’s first three points, with Killenaule replies from Podge O’Dwyer, Luke Ryan and Joe O’Dwyer. Liam McCormack also impressed for the mid team with 0-3 from play over the hour.

Midway through the first half the Thurles side had gone 0-6 to 0-4 ahead through Tommy Doyle, Liam McCormack and a Lanigan free, to a Killenaule response from Charlie Barrett, but the Sars lead should have been greater but for wayward shooting when they failed to translate their dominance into scores.

Their lead was still just two at the break, with points from two Lanigan frees and Liam McCormack, and Killenaule replying through Luke Ryan, Darragh Doyle and a Tony Ryan free.

That gave no indication of what was to follow in the second half when Killenaule turned the game on its head, and that second half display laid down a serious marker of their championship challenge.

Scorers: Killenaule: Tom Stakelum 2-0, Luke Ryan 0-4, Darragh Doyle 0-3, Joe O’Dwyer 0-3 (1f), Tony Ryan 0-3 (1x65, 1f), Oisin Shelly, Fionn Fitzgerald 0-2 each, Charlie Barrett, Podge O’Dwyer, Paudie Feehan, Mark Stakelum 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: Jack Lanigan 0-8f, Cillian Minogue 0-5; Liam McCormack 0-3, Tommy Doyle, Conor Lanigan 0-1 each.

Killenaule: David McCormack; Shane Ryan, Killian O’Dwyer, Jimmy Feehan; Charlie Barrett, Joe O’Dwyer, Thomas Keaveney; Podge O’Dwyer, Luke Ryan; Tony Ryan, Tom Stakelum, Darragh Doyle; Paudie Feehan, Fionn Fitzgerald, Oisin Shelly.

Subs: Jack Hassett for Shane Ryan (15, inj), Mark Stakelum for Shelly (55), Gus Browne for Paudie Feehan (57).

Thurles Sarsfields: Michael McCormack; Fionn Fogarty, Kieran Costello, Kieran Moloney; Michael Purcell, Michael Cahill, Cathal Moloney; David Corbett, Tommy Doyle; Liam McCormack, Philip Hayes, Rory Purcell; Cillian Minogue, Bill Fogarty, Jack Lanigan.

Subs: Darragh Minogue for Jack Lanigan (37), Harry Fitzgibbon for Doyle (41), Conor Lanigan for Hayes (50), Pa Bourke for Liam McCormack (60).

Referee: Nigel Carrigan (Ballybacon/Grange).