A replay will be required to separate Éire Óg and Kildangan following a dramatic Clean Ireland Recycling County Senior Hurling Semi-Final played at Semple Stadium, Thurles this evening.
Clean Ireland Recycling County Senior Hurling Semi-Final
Nenagh Éire Óg 4-13 Kildangan 2-19
A replay will be required to separate Éire Óg and Kildangan following a dramatic Clean Ireland Recycling County Hurling Semi-Final played at Semple Stadium, Thurles this evening – the details of the replayed fixture will be published in due course.
To their credit Kildangan recovered a nine-point deficit in the second half. With just fifteen minutes to play Éire Óg led 4-11 to 1-11, but Séamus Gleeson’s side out-scored the Blues 1-8 to 0-2 during the final quarter with a Ruairí Gleeson free levelling matters in the second minute of injury time.
The sides traded points early on and the game was locked at 0-2 apiece by the 8th minute with a long-range point from Billy Heffernan illustrating the strength of the breeze at Éire Óg’s backs in the opening half.
A Kevin Tucker free presented Éire Óg with a narrow 0-4 to 0-3 lead in the 15th minute, but a Mikey Heffernan goal following powerful work by Richie Flannery helped the Blues into a four-point lead. Kildangan responded with a point, but Richie Flannery deflected home a Mikey Heffernan shot in the 20th minute and Éire Óg now led 2-4 to 0-4.
A Kevin Tucker free forced Éire Óg seven points clear, that is until Darragh Egan buried a 21-yard free in the 22nd minute 2-5 to 1-4.
A Mikey Heffernan free then left five between the sides, but Kildangan closed out the half in determined fashion with four unanswered points leaving just one in it at the break (2-6 to 1-8). Indeed, the Éire Óg goal was fortunate to remain intact in the 28th minute when Michael McNamara made a fine save to deny Joe Gallagher a goal.
Within two minutes of the second half Kildangan had taken a 1-10 to 2-6 lead. Éire Óg hit back, however, with points from Mikey Heffernan, Kevin Tucker (two frees), James Mackey and Donnacha Quinn forcing the Blues into a 2-11 to 1-10 lead by the 39th minute.
Éire Óg appeared to then strike for a crucial goal in the 40th minute when a James Mackey run culminated with a Paddy Murphy strike. Kildangan hit back with a Ruairí Gleeson ’65, but Éire Óg plundered yet another goal thanks to Mikey Heffernan in the 45th minute to lead 4-11 to 1-11.
Points from Ruairí Gleeson (free) and the outstanding Gerry Slattery steadied Kildangan before a Richie Flannery point in the 49th minute left eight between them – 4-12 to 1-13.
An Eoin Gleeson point preceded a Joe Gallagher goal in the 53rd minute and suddenly the Éire Óg lead was down to four – 4-12 to 2-14.
Darragh Egan (free) and Ruairí Gleeson (free) then added to the Kildangan tally before a Kevin Tucker free in the 57th minute left a goal between them – 4-13 to 2-16.
With the wind at their backs there was still time for Kildangan to rescue the situation and rescue it they did with points from Tadhg Gallagher, Tommy Connors and Ruairí Gleeson (free) forcing a replay.
Loughmore-Castleiney won their corresponding semi-final this afternoon in Semple Stadium when beating a gallant Borris-Ileigh side 1-17 to 2-12.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Michael McNamara, Mark Flannery, Noel Maloney (captain), John Brennan, Daire Quinn, Hugh Maloney, Billy Heffernan (0-1), Barry Heffernan, Kevin Tucker (0-6, 0-6 frees), Pearse Morris (0-1), Michael Heffernan (2-2, 0-1 frees), Killian Gleeson, Brian Quinn, Richie Flannery (1-1), Paddy Murphy (1-0). Subs: (HT) Donnacha Quinn (0-1) for Brian Quinn, (38th) James Mackey (0-1) for Killian Gleeson, (57th) Seánie Geaney for Barry Heffernan.
Kildangan: Darragh Egan (1-1, 1-1 frees), David Sweeney, Martin Minehan, Fergal Hayes, Hugh Flannery, Gerry Slattery (0-2), Gary Byrne (0-1), Jack Loughnane (0-1), Tommy Connors (0-1), Willie Connors, Joe Gallagher (1-2), Eoin Kelly, Tadhg Gallagher (0-3), Dan Hackett, Ruairí Gleeson (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-2 ‘65s, captain). Subs: (42nd) Eoin Gleeson (0-1) for Eoin Kelly, (54th) Páraic Kelly for Dan Hackett.
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla).
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