Oulart-The Ballagh withstand Kilmore comeback
OULART-BALLAGH KILMORE 2-19 2-16
DESPITE A spirited Kilmore fightback, hosts Oulart-The Ballagh secured a deserved spot in the All-County Hurling League Division 5 final with a three-point victory on Friday.
A youthful home team played some fantastic hurling in the opening half and built a 2-10 to 0-7 advantage at the interval. However, Kilmore pulled within one three times in the final ten minutes but could never get themselves level.
That says plenty about the winners. Oulart-The Ballagh, as a club, never give an inch and invariably respond to a challenge, and they did that every time the gauntlet was thrown down in this semi-final.
It was always a different player too. Just sift through the scoring tallies below, it’s almost impossible to stop that kind of potency.
The three inside forwards shared 1-10 fairly evenly, James O’Toole didn’t miss too many opportunities, and Barry Sinnott made his frees count.
The star had to be Darryl Gray. Oulart-The Ballagh have done it again, they have taken a young player with talent, put effort into developing him, and he has made a huge leap in the last few months.
He has the air of a Nicky Kirwan about him and if he comes anywhere close to achieving what the experienced forward has, his club will be laughing.
All three in the full-forward line were on the scoresheet by the 20th minute as Oulart-The Ballagh led by 0-7 to 0-4.
They had been let off when Kilmore missed an early penalty and made their visitors pay when Barry Sinnott latched onto O’Toole’s handpass and flicked over the advaning Graham Mernagh to the net.
Tom White was keeping Kilmore in touch with frees against the light breeze, but the Enniscorthy District side struck a big blow right on half-time when Gary Murphy cut in from the right, maintained possession under pressure and fired high to the net (2-10 to 0-7 at the break).
Kilmore’s Barry Sinnott flicked home Criostóir Reville’s long ball in the 36th minute as things started to change.
Yet, it seemed like Oulart-The Ballagh had weathered the worst of the storm when consecutive points by O’Toole and Darragh Nimmo left them 2-15 to 1-12 ahead with twelve minutes left.
That wasn’t counting on another Kilmore scoring burst. After Páraic Reville pointed, substitute Seán Hogan miscontrolled Sinnott’s pass but was still able to whip it past Cathal Sinnott.
Three times Kilmore pulled within a point but late scores from Jamie Leacy and Cathal Kenny ensured Oulart-The Ballagh advanced to the final.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Cathal Sinnott; Liam Roche, Jack Roche, Niall Nimmo, Ethan Freeman, Darragh Nimmo (0-1 free), Micheál Doyle; Cathal Kenny (0-1), Eoin Foy; Barry Sinnott (1-4, 0-4 frees), Stephen Doyle, James O’Toole (0-3); Gary Murphy (1-3), Jamie Leacy (0-3), Darryl Gray (0-4).
Kilmore: Graham Mernagh; Daithí Moore, Stephen Cousins, Denis Kenny; Criostóir Reville, Tommy Cousins (0-1), Conor Moore (0-1); Páraic Reville (0-3), Philly Sutton; Paddy Byrne, Tom Byrne (0-2), Tom White (0-9 frees); Barry Sinnott (1-0), Noel Casey, Aaron Kielthy. Sub. - Seán Hogan (1-0) for Kielthy (40).
Referee: Paddy Campbell (Shelmaliers).