Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-15
Kilmacud Crokes 0-12
GOALS FROM HENRY Shefflin and TJ Reid helped Ballyhale Shamrocks cruise into the AIB Leinster senior hurling final this afternoon in Parnell Park.
The Kilkenny champions showed no effects from the exertions of winning their county senior final last Sunday as they dismissed Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes yesterday.
In a game played in glorious sunny conditons, Ballyhale Shamrocks enjoyed a profitable trip to the capital and they set up a final meeting with Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughey on 7 December.
The success sees Ballyhale advance to a first Leinster club final since 2009 where they will hope to win the club’s eighth provincial crown.
Their powerful start to yesterday’s game laid the foundations for the victory. In the 5th minute Shefflin showed his predatory instincts to rise highest and bat a Conor Walsh delivery to the net. That put Ballyhale 1-3 to 0-1 ahead with the accuracy of Reid from frees sending them 1-6 to 0-3 clear by the 20th minute.
Kilmacud rallied with some good points from Caolan Conway, Sean McGrath and Dillon Mulligan. They trailed 1-7 to 0-6 approaching half-time before disaster struck when TJ Reid’s long-range free flew all the way to the net as the ball evaded goalkeeper Matt Collins.
Ballyhale were ahead 2-9 to 0-6 at the break but they shipped three points in a row after half-time. Yet the side coached by Tipperary duo Colm Bonnar and Andy Moloney simply upped the ante once more.
They were in front 2-12 to 0-10 entering the final quarter and ended up having eight points to spare. Kilmacud tried hard with Ryan O’Dwyer to the fore but they couldn’t find a way past the Ballyhale rearguard to hit the net.
Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 1-8 (1-6f), Henry Shefflin 1-2, Mark Aylward, Colin Fennelly 0-2 each, James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick 0-1.
Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Ryan O’Dwyer 0-5 (0-4f), Sean McGrath (0-2f), Caolan Conway, Dillon Mulligan 0-2 each, Damien Kelly 0-1.
BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS
1. Richie Reid
2. Alan Cuddihy
3. Joey Holden
4. Tom Coogan
5. Paul Shefflin
6. Michael Fennelly
8. Bob Aylward
7. Conor Walsh
9. David Hoyne
10. James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick
14. Colin Fennelly
12. TJ Reid
13. Eoin Reid
11. Henry Shefflin
15. Mark Aylward
Subs: 20. Brian Cody for Hoyne (41), 32. Keith Nolan for Coogan (50), 21. Ronan Corcoran for Aylward (55), 22. Aidan Cummins for Cuddihy (55), 19. Gavin Butler for Walsh (55).
KILMACUD CROKES
1. Matthew Collins
2. Niall Corcoran
21. Rob O’Loughlin
4. Jamie Clinton
3. Rory O’Carroll
6. Jack Dougan
5. Cian MacGabhann
8. Dillon Mulligan
11. Damien Kelly
9. Ross O’Carroll
25. Conor Clinton
19. Jude Sweeney
13. Caolan Conway
12. Sean McGrath
10. Ryan O’Dwyer
Subs: 7. Bill O’Carroll for Jamie Clinton (16), 17. Robert Murphy for Rory O’Carroll (27), 14. Oisin O’Rorke for Conor Clinton (40), 18. Barry Mulligan for MacGabhann (47), 22. James Burke for McGrath (52).
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
- This article was first published on 24 November at 16.55pm
