Kinsella earns derby draw
A TED Kinsella pointed free in additional time handed Askamore a lifeline as they salvaged a late draw with neighbours HWH-Bunclody in this The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship Group A game in Monamolin on Sunday.
Having led for most of this game, Askamore allowed the initiative to slip in the final quarter, so much so that it took that late intervention with Kinsella’s free to salvage a point.
They are still in a must-win situation in their final game to stand any chance of progressing through to the quarter-finals, which is in stark contrast to their opponents who now sit on top of the table on five points with their knockout spot looking a little more assured.
Askamore had a dream start, exploding into a 2-2 to 0-2 lead inside the opening seven minutes through goals from Edmond Kenny and Pádraig Byrne.
Bunclody struck back in the eighth minute when Aidan Nolan placed Cathal Doyle for a goal to reduce the deficit to 2-2 to 1-2.
With Ted Kinsella and Shane Tomkins impressing in the Askamore attack, they continued to stretch their lead with some fine points, while it took Billy Kelly and Aidan Nolan efforts to keep Bunclody in contact.
Still, Askamore led by 2-11 to 2-8 at the interval, with Aidan Nolan goaling for the opposition just on the break..
Straight from the re-start Podge Kehoe was presented with a real chance of equalising but pulled his shot into the side-netting as ’keeper Brian Hayden advanced.
While points from Conor Crean and Billy Kelly did reduce the deficit to the minimum (2-11 to 2-10) after 37 minutes, it was still the point-taking ability of Kinsella, Pádraig Byrne and Tomkins that kept Askamore in front, and they led by 2-14 to 2-12 at the end of the third quarter.
With the sides deadlocked at 2-15 each after 49 minutes, a superb long-range Colm Farrell point gave Bunclody the lead for the first time with seven minutes remaining.
And they were still clinging to that single point advantage until Kinsella’s late intervention from an additional time pointed free, to give his side a share of the spoils with their neighbours.
HWH-Bunclody: Arthur O’Neill; Martin O’Connor, Colm Farrell (0-1), David Reck; Conor Crean (0-1), Seán Kenny, Enda Slevin (0-1); Billy Kelly (0-4, 3 frees), John Atkinson (0-1); Ronan Roberts (0-1), Aidan Nolan (1-4), Edward Dunbar; Cathal Doyle (1-2), Eoin Kelly (0-1), Podge Kehoe (0-2). Subs. - John Dunne for Atkinson, Atkinson for Dunbar, Conor Hendrick for Dunne.
Askamore: Brian Hayden; Patrick Nolan, Frank Lancaster, Tomás Hayden; Tom Kavanagh (0-2), Tommy Devereux, James Lancaster; P.J. Nolan (0-1), Conor Levingstone; Gavin Sunderland, Shane Tomkins (0-4), Pádraig Byrne (1-1); Ted Kinsella (0-8 frees), Edmond Kenny (1-1), Garry Doran (01). Sub. - Billy Nolan for Levingstone.
Referee: Paddy Brady (Ballygarrett).