Junior Hurling All-County League Semi-Final Monday 28th July 2014 in Adare 7:45pm
Kilmallock 3-8 Kildimo/Pallaskenry 1-19
Kildimo/Pallaskenry went into this game as hot favourites and are highly fancied to win the Intermediate grade this year and from early on it was clear to see why. They are a stylish outfit with key performers in all areas. But this said, Kilmallock went toe-to-toe with them in Adare last Monday evening and with a minute to go to full-time there was only two points between the teams. A goal on the stroke of the final whistle was greeted with relief by the Kildimo/Pallaskenry mentors and ended Kilmallock’s hopes of what would have been seen as an upset.
Kilmallock were dogged from the start and chased everything. Every player gave 100% and with Kieran Kenneally causing untold problems for the opposition the men from the west realised they had a battle on their hands. Trailing five points to one after eleven minutes we were awarded a free on the twenty-metre line after a foul on the flying Stephen O’Riordan. Owen Webb O’Rourke stepped up and buried the sliotar to give us the lift that we needed. Kildimo/Pallaskenry continued to tag on the points and at the break Kilmallock trailed 0-10 to 1-2.
Sean Burchill had a few calm words with his men at half-time and it was clear that if we kept making the efforts that we made in the first half the reward would come. The second half was a great team performance. Conor Staunton kept us in touch with his excellent free-taking and then rattled the net with the first of his two goals to give us some belief. A second goal from Staunton after fine work from Conor Barry and Stephen Quirke left us trailing by only two points but with time running out Kildimo/Pallaskenry cleared their lines and with everybody pushing forward we were exposed at the back and they netted just as the referee blew for the end of the game.
Team: Adam Costello, Dan Joy, Vinny Hurley, John-Mike Manning, Fergal Chawke, Eamon Maguire, Tomas English, Mark Hayes, Niall Hurley, Kieran Kenneally, Owen Webb O’Rourke, Stephen Quirke, Conor Barry, Conor Staunton, Stephen O’Riordan.
Subs used: Cian Hennessy for Hayes(injured 20mins)
