Kilkenny IHC- Big win for fast-finishing Fenians over Carrickshock

The survival specialists of Kilkenny hurling, the Fenians, have done it again!

The Johnstown men showed their battling skills were to the fore as they hit Carrickshock with a late brace of points to get out of the intermediate hurling relegation scrap.

Having survived - just - on the final day last season, they went one better this year when grabbing a first round win at a damp and drizzly John’s Park.

Sunday’s game had all the makings of heading for a replay - the sides were level on 10 occasions, and were guilty of a rising number of wides - but Fenians dug a little deeper at the death.

A foul on the hard-working Darragh Tobin gave Mark Webster the chance to level matters with a 61st minute free.

Better was to follow. Conor Tobin - a thorn in Carrickshock’s side all day - pushed his side ahead when he arrowed a sideline ball over the Nowlan Park end crossbar three minutes into stoppage time. The Fenians fans started to believe.

The North Kilkennymen kept going, pushing for the score to make the game safe. John Henderson drove them on from the back, threading a ball for Padraig O’Grady to chase. Shaking off his man he bore down on goal, but Dan Blanchfield made a great save - there was a bonus for Fenians as the ball spun over the bar, giving them a two-point cushion with just seconds remaining.

Carrickshock will be left wondering how a game they seemed comfortable in suddenly got away from them. After an indifferent first half where they shot eight points and nine wides, they seemed to click into gear with a solid burst to go three ahead by the minute.

Eoghan O’Neill got them going with a pointed free, then struck one from play after good work from Paidi Lennon and Kevin Farrell. The gap was out to three (0-12 to 0-9) when Farrell ended an impressive drive through the centre with a smart 38th minute shot. They could have gone further ahead just a minute later, but O’Neill saw a free go off-target.

Had the gap grown to four points, then who knows if the ’Shock would have kicked on. As it was, that miss gave the Fenians a fighting chance - and they didn’t pass it up.

The early stages of the first half ran along similar lines in that Carrickshock made a good break, but couldn’t get far enough away from their rivals. They went three clear when Eoin Crowley (2), Eoghan O’Neill and Kevin Farrell rattled off a burst of points in quick succession, but some wayward shooting and the concession of too many frees to an in-form Mark Webster meant the Fenians weren’t behind for long.

The North Kilkenny side kept pushing - Willie Brennan showed their intent with a fine score from close to half-way - before Webster’s third free of the half had them level by the 26th minute. They ended a good spell with a fourth point in as many minutes when Cathal Phelan split the posts, but it could just as easily have been a goal. Panic spread in the ’Shock ranks when Cathal Phelan dispossessed netminder Dan Blanchfield and fed the ball to Tobin, but his shot fizzed over the bar.

A goal could have made a major difference, but Carrickshock made sure they ended the half on level terms. Two Jamie Power frees, each one coming either side of an Adam Duggan score, ensured the sides went in all square at the break (0-8 to 0-8).

Carrickshock were fast out of the blocks after the restart, but couldn’t shake off the Fenians. Although trailing by three points (0-12 to 0-9) they quickly regrouped; Cathal Phelan popped up for a quick point before Webster hit two frees in quick succession to restore parity for the eighth time. They traded scores again soon after, then were level for the 10th and final time when Jamie Power and Webster traded frees.

At that stage it looked like both would live to fight another day - but the Fenians had other ideas.

Teams and scorers

Fenians - Mark Webster (0-8, frees); Conor Tobin (0-4, 0-1 line ball); Willie Brennan, Adam Duggan, Padraig O’Grady, Cathal Phelan (0-1 each).

Carrickshock - Jamie Power (0-4, 0-3 frees); Eoghan O’Neill (0-4, 0-2 frees); Jake O’Dwyer, Eoin Crowley, Kevin Farrell (0-2 each).

Fenians - Damian Delaney; Aaron Dermody, John Henderson, Sean Brennan; Niall Carroll, Rory Phelan, Darragh McCormack; Willie Brennan, Padraig O’Grady; Kieran Grehan, Cathal Phelan, Darragh Tobin; Mark Webster, Adam Duggan, Conor Tobin.

Subs: Mark Hughes, Sean Tobin.

Carrickshock - Dan Blanchfield; Eddie Dunphy, Niall Tennyson, James Grace; Sean Moore, John Power, Paidi Lennon; Mikey Murphy, Damian Walsh; Michael Rice, Jamie Power, Kevin Farrell; Eoghan O’Neill, Jake O’Dwyer, Eoin Crowley.

Sub: Barry Lennon.

Referee - Patrick O’Reilly