Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-20
Thurles Sarsfields 1-14
Kilcormac-Killoughey created history by qualifying for their first ever AIB All-Ireland club final with victory over Thurles Sarsfields in this afternoon’s semi-final in Portlaoise.
The Offaly club’s remarkable rise to prominence continues after they only won their first ever county title last year.
They ensured the Faithful County will have a presence in the St Patrick’s Day showpiece for a second successive year after Coolderry achieved that feat last March.
Kilcormac-Killoughey were fully deserving winners in the game in O’Moore Park as they nullified the threat of Thurles Sarsfields leading lights. They were ahead narrowly at half-time, 1-8 to 1-7, but produced a powerful second-half display and they outscored their opponents by six points to one in the last ten minutes.
Ciaran Slevin once again proved a lethal attacking weapon for Kilcormac-Killoughey as he shot 0-11 from wing-forward while Daniel Currams, who found the net in December’s Leinster final win over Oulart-The-Ballagh, again notched a crucial goal.
Currams bundled the ball to the net just before the interval to put the Offaly champions into the ascendancy after a couple of minutes earlier Thurles Sarsfields had found the net with a terrific shot from Tipperary senior Pa Bourke.
The first-half had been an evenly-contested affair but after leading by a point at the break, Kilcormac-Killoughey reeled off four points without reply early in the second-half from Conor Mahon, Slevin, Brian Leonard and Daniel Currams.
Thurles Sarsfields fought back into contention with Denis Maher grabbing a lovely point in the 43rd minute and Bourke, along with substitute Ronan Maher, bagged points that propelled the Tipperary champions within touching distance of their opponents.
Thurles Sarsfields had trimmed the gap to the minimum, 1-14 to 1-13, with ten minutes remaining but Kilcormac-Killoughey wrestled back the momentum and their defence were heroic and determined in the finale.
Bourke was the only player to provide a consistent threat for Thurles Sarsfields with the likes of Lar Corbett and Aidan McCormack enduring quiet afternoons.
In contrast Kilcormac-Killoughey produced a flurry of late points with Slevin contributing four of those and the final whistle prompted huge celebrations amongst their supporters as they look forward to a place in the All-Ireland decider on March 17th.
Scorers for Kilcormac-Killoughey: Ciaran Slevin 0-11 (0-8f, 0-1 ’65), Daniel Currams 1-1, Brian Leonard (0-1f), Conor Mahon 0-2 each, James Gorman, Tomas Geraghty, Peter Geraghty, Killian Leonard 0-1 each.
Scorers for Thurles Sarsfields: Pa Bourke 1-5 (0-3f, 0-1 ’65), Johnny Enright (0-1f, 0-1 ’65), Denis Maher 0-2 each, Richie Ruth, Michael Gleeson, Aidan McCormack, Ronan Maher, Michael O’Brien 0-1 each.
Kilcormac-Killoughey: Conor Slevin; James Grogan, Ger Healion, Alan McConville; Kevin Grogan, Peter Healion, Brian Leonard; Killian Leonard, Damien Kilmartin; Ciaran Slevin, Conor Mahon, Peter Geraghty; James Gorman, Daniel Currams, Tomas Geraghty.
Thurles Sarsfields: Paddy McCormack; Stephen Maher; Kevin O’Gorman, David Maher; David Kennedy, Padraic Maher, Michael Cahill; Michael Gleeson, Johnny Enright; Pa Bourke, Jim Corbett, Lar Corbett; Richie Ruth, Pa Bourke, Aidan McCormack.
Subs: Ronan Maher for Enright, Ger O’Grady for Jim Corbett, Michael O’Brien for Ruth.
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
