Advertisement
Patrick Kelly. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Banner

Clare All-Ireland winner saves late penalty as Inagh-Kilnamona reach first senior hurling final

After a three-point win today, Inagh-Kilnamona will now take on Ballyea or Newmarket-on-Fergus in the final.

Inagh-Kilnamona 1-17

Éire Óg Ennis 0-17

CLARE ALL-IRELAND winning goalkeeper Patrick Kelly saved an injury-time penalty to help secure Inagh-Kilnamona’s place in a first ever county senior hurling final today.

Kelly tipped away Danny Russell’s late strike, the penalty awarded after Shane O’Donnell was fouled following a brilliant catch, and it went out for a ’65 at Cusack Park in Ennis.

Éire Óg Ennis tried to work a goal from that opportunity but Inagh-Kilnamona held out to clinch a three-point success.

It’s a historic win for the combination club that was formed in 2008. They are now through to a senior hurling decider for the first time, where they will meet Ballyea or Newmarket-on-Fergus, who contest tomorrow’s semi-final. It also helps atone for semi-finals loss in 2012 and 2019 as they saw off an Éire Óg team who had toppled reigning champions Sixmilebridge at the quarter-final stage.

Inagh-Kilnamona lost Clare senior Aidan McCarthy through injury in the second half but he had made an important contribution. His brother Jason hit the final score of the game with a point in the 61st minute while Conner Hegarty’s points were key in the second half and Shane McInerney pounced for the only goal of the game in the first half, a strike that transpired to be vital.

shane-odonnell Clare forward Shane O'Donnell. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

The exchanges were tightly contested early on, the teams tied 0-5 apiece by the 14th minute but the McInerney goal pushed Inagh-Kilnamona in front 1-5 to 0-7 by the water break. It was all square, 1-9 to 0-12, at half-time before a Hegarty pointed nudged the winners in front 1-13 to 0-15 by the second-half water break.

Éire Óg trailed 1-14 to 0-15 with ten minutes left but Shane O’Donnell hit two excellent points to help cut the deficit to the minimum, 1-15 to 0-17, before Danny Russell was unlucky to see his point attempt to level the game hit the post.

Hegarty and McCarthy raised the white flags to leave three in it before Kelly’s intervention ensured Inagh-Kilnamona will feature in the final in a fortnight.

 

Inagh-Kilnamona

1. Pa Kelly

2. Colin Shannon, 3. Cathal McConigley, 4. Keith White

5. Seamus Foudy, 6. Jason McCarthy, 10. Kevin Hehir

8. Darren Cullinan, 9. David Fitzgerald

11. Conner Hegarty, 12. Niall Mullins, 14. Aidan McCarthy

13. Josh Guyler, 27. Shane McInerney, 15. David Mescall

Subs

  • Cian McInerney for Mullins (31)
  • Conor Tierney for S McInerney (39)
  • Evan McNamara for Mescall (45)
  • Gerry Coote for Aidan McCarthy (inj) (47)
  • Eoin Fitzgerald for McConigley (56)
  • Austin Kerin for Shannon (60)

Éire Óg Ennis

1. Phillip Walsh

2. Jarlath Collins, 3. Ciaran Russell, 4. Aidan McGrath

5. Nathan Murray, 6. Aaron Fitzgerald, 7. Liam Corry

24. Dara Walsh, 9. Darren O’Brien

10. David McNamara, 11. David Reidy, 12. Oran Cahill
13.Kevin Brennan , 14. Danny Russell, 15. Shane O’Donnell

Subs

  • 19. Kieran Malone for Brennan (21)
  • 20. Marc O’Donnell for O’Brien (inj) (45)
  • 17. Niall McMahon for Malone (58)

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

Your Voice
Readers Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel