Kilkenny IHC- Bergin leads the way for composed Conahy

Conahy maintained their intermediate status after the James Bergin-inspired Shamrocks saw off O’Loughlin Gaels in Muckalee on Saturday evening.

Bergin finished with a grand total of 1-8 for the winners and it was his first half goal which arrived in the last play that gave Conahy the breathing space to flourish.

O’Loughlin’s battled all the way to the end but the city side relied a little too much on the free taking of Sean Bolger and they now must dust themselves down for a relegation final with Carrickshock.

James Bergin got the scoring underway with an opening minute free but O’Loughlin’s responded almost immediately with efforts from Kevin Murphy and Sean Bolger.

Murphy also had a goalbound attempt well blocked early on as the second string outfit began to find their stride.

As ever with relegation games, it was a tight and tense affair and Conahy really struggled in the scoring ranks to begin with and they only scored their first effort from play via James Bergin in the 18th minute.

O’Loughlin’s were getting their scores easier from play with Murphy, Ryan Poyntz and Sammy Johnston all finding the target and they soon led 0-7 to 0-5.

Conahy finished the half very much on the front foot though and after Bergin and Edmond Delaney levelled up matters, the 2020 junior champions then struck for goal when Bergin caught a long ball directed towards the square before rounding his man and coolly batting the sliotar past Jamie Malone in the O’Loughlin’s goal.

The goal gave Conahy a 1-7 to 0-8 advantage at the interval and it was the first time that they led since the opening minute of the game.

O’Loughlin’s came out fighting at the start of the second half and that man Bolger, who finished with 10 points in total, knocked over a free and a 65 to deadlock the sides once more.

No doubt feeling a bit of pressure for what was on the line, Conahy then scored four on the bounce to go four clear with a Tom Rice double from play squeezed between two Bergin frees.

O’Loughlin’s, with mostly Bolger frees, kept in touch with the centre forward getting their last five points of the game but they could get no closer than within three points of their opponents.

Conahy upped the tempo when needed and kept O’Loughlin’s at arm’s length with Tom Phelan, Kieran Mooney and Darren Cuddihy leading the charge as they can now look forward to a championship quarter-final with Lisdowney.

O’Loughlin’s though have one more game to save their season.

Teams and Scorers

Conahy: James Bergin (1-8, 0-5 frees and 0-2‘65s); Tom Rice (0-3); Kieran Mooney (0-2, 0-1 free); Darren Cuddihy, Donal Brennan, Tom Phelan, Edmond Delaney (0-1 each).

O’Loughlin Gaels: Sean Bolger (0-10, 0-9 frees, 0-1 65), Ryan Poyntz (0-3), Kevin Murphy (0-2), Sammy Johnston (0-1)

Conahy: Karl Downey; Simon Callanan, Philly Cass, Ciaran Rice; Donal Brennan, Eoin Cahill, Liam Cass; Tom Rice, Tom Phelan; Edmond Delaney, John Mullan, Darragh Dooley; Darren Cuddihy, Kieran Mooney, James Bergin.

Sub: Sean Brennan for Dooley 40 mins.

O’Loughlin Gaels: Jamie Malone; Ruaidhri Galwey, Ronan Buckley, Oisin Murphy; Finn Hogan, Barry Lawlor, Cian Loy; Ben Leydon, Matthew Russell; Ryan Poyntz, Sean Bolger, Jamie Ryan; Sammy Johnston, Gary Kelly, Kevin Murphy.

Subs: Fergal Brennan for Russell 50 mins, Alex Sheridan for Buckley 50 mins.

Referee: John Walsh