Kilkenny IHL- McGrath strikes late winner for Martin’s

A pointed free three minutes from the end of normal time from St Martin’s goalkeeper Colin McGrath saw his side secure a narrow but deserved win over Conahy Shamrocks in a pulsating intermediate hurling championship tie in Ballyragget on Sunday afternoon.

It was McGrath’s second pointed free of the second half and he scored another from a placed ball from 80 metres in the opening half.

St. Martin’s started impressively with the Conahy Shamrocks defence under strong pressure from Sean Hunt and especially James O’Neill who contributed an incredible eight points of his side’s tally, all from play.

The Conahy Shamrocks full-back line was stretched in the opening quarter.

Hunt and O’Neill converted every chance that came their way with Darragh Hennessy getting Conahy’s first score after two minutes.

They slowly worked their way into the game with points from James Bergin (free), Tom Phelan (line-ball) and Tom Rice.

A brace of points from Kieran Mooney and Tom Phelan tied the game at 0-7 each on 14 minutes.

One minute later Karl Downey in the Conahy goal saved brilliantly from Jamie Morrissey with the game still level two minutes later after Micheal Keane and James Bergin had swapped points.

Colin McGrath pulled off a brilliant save from Tom Phelan on 19 minutes but all the way to the interval it was tit- for-tat scoring.

Eoin Cahill scored two brilliant points for Conahy, with the free taking of Shane Kinsella keeping the winners ahead by the minimum margin.

A strong finish to the first half saw Martin’s land further points through frees from Colin McGrath and Shane Kinsella and this left them ahead by that two-point margin at the interval.

Four points without reply in the opening nine minutes of the second half saw Conahy Shamrocks take a two point lead. They were enjoying the advantage of the marginal breeze at that stage, but once St. Martin’s got their first score of the second half through James O’Neill on 12 minutes it settled the winners once again.

The Conahy goal enjoyed a couple of scary moments in the second half, including another brilliant save from Karl Downey.

Micheal Keane and James O’Neill landed a couple of great points for the winners with Conahy Shamrocks very dependent on James Bergin for their scores.

Six minutes from the end of normal time John Mulhall tied the game once again, but the winners were enjoying better possession at that stage and it took some outstanding defending from Darragh Hennessy and Donal Brennan in the Conahy rearguard to keep the winner’s attack at bay.

With five minutes remaining James Bergin had the ball in the back of the St. Martin’s net but the referee called back play for a free which tied the game.

Two minutes later Conahy’s indiscipline, not for the first time in the game, let them down. Colin McGrath pointed the resultant free and it turned out to be the winning score.

Three minutes into injury time Conahy Shamrocks were awarded a long-distance free with an opportunity to tie the game, but the free was cancelled by referee Owen Beehan for an altercation by a Conahy player.

Perhaps the free might not have been pointed, but with the wind in their backs, Conahy would have had a final late opportunity to tie the game and send it to extra time.

But over the 60 plus minutes St. Martin’s were marginally the better team and deserved to move forward into the quarter-finals.

Teams and Scorers

St Martin’s - James O’Neill (0-8); Shane Kinsella (0-5, 0-4 frees); Colin McGrath (0-3, frees); Sean Hunt and Micheal Keane (0-2 each); John Mulhall (0-1).

Conahy Shamrocks - James Bergin (0-11, 0-9 frees); Tom Phelan (0-4, 0-1 line ball); Eoin Cahill (0-2); Tom Rice, Kieran Mooney, Darragh Hennessy (0-1 each).

St Martin’s - Colin McGrath; Ollie Walsh, Micheal Keane, Matthew Bolger; Justin Manning, Brian Byrne, Cathal Keegan; Brian
Cody, Tristan Roche; Donal Shore, Shane Kinsella, John Mulhall; James O’Neill, Sean Hunt, Jamie Morrissey.

Subs: Aaron Farrell, Russell Kealy.

Conahy Shamrocks - Karl Downey; Ciaran Rice, Philly Cass, Liam Cass; Donal Brennan, Brian Healy, David Healy; Eoin Cahill, Darragh Hennessy; Tom Rice, Kieran Mooney, Tom Phelan; Rob Ring, James Bergin, Mark Gunner.

Subs: Darragh Dooley, Bill Murphy, Eoin Carroll.

Referee – Owen Beehan (Fenians).