Hurling semi-finals

IF 2017 thought us anything it’s to never, ever, write off Ballyduff. In the quarter-finals of the County Senior Hurling Championship against Causeway they pulled off the coup of the season – to date – by winning against a team who should really have won the game rather comfortably.

Then, in the semi-final, they looked all but dead and buried against Kilmoyley in their clash (a replay of the 2016 final). Kilmoyley, playing well within themselves it seemed, had opened out at six point advantage the break, 0-10 to 0-4, against a Ballyduff side playing poorly.

All over then? Most of us in attendance would have thought so, yes. More fool us. Ballyduff played marvellous stuff in the second half, blitzing the reigning champions. Pádraig Boyle was the star of the show nabbing 1-9 by the close of play to secure for the Duffers a 1-17 to 0-16 victory.

The other semi-final lacked quite the same drama, but it was still plenty exciting and had a moment of real controversy when Rory Horgan was sent off on a straight red card with twenty minutes to go. St Brendans were adamant their man had did little wrong and certainly not enough to warrant a red card. Whatever about that it was probably the defining moment of the game and allowed Lixnaw to push on for victory, 1-13 to 2-8.

The frustration for Brendans was that they were the better side for much of the game – they led at half-time 1-6 to 0-5 – but Lixnaw were beginning to come back into the game even before the Horgan red card.