Kilkenny JHC- Emeralds find that bit extra in battle with Barrow Rangers

It took extra time to separate Emeralds and Barrow Rangers in this pulsating J.J. Kavanagh & Sons Kilkenny Junior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final tie in Ballyragget on Saturday afternoon.

The game was played in the toughest possible conditions with incessant rain and wind, but that did not stop the two teams from serving up a classic contest.

Barrow Rangers were the better side in the opening half but failed to show that superiority on the scoreboard.

They had first advantage of the breeze but struggled to put much daylight between themselves and their opponents all through the opening half.

Points from Keith Flavin and Joe Healy saw the Paulstown side take an early lead, but some wayward shooting was to prove costly in that first half. Emeralds had few scoring opportunities in the opening quarter, but they eventually got off the mark with a superbly struck point from a line ball by Killian Doyle in the tenth minute.

Jack Kelly, Cathal Purcell and Keith Flavin added further points for Barrow Rangers before the excellent Darragh Queally, showing some deft touches in the difficult conditions, pointed for the Urlingford men to leave three points between the sides on sixteen minutes.

The tempo of the game grew steadily in the second quarter. Michael Doyle (BR) and Darragh Queally (E) exchanged points just before Joe Healy bore down on the Emeralds goal and his booted effort flew over the crossbar. It could so easily have been a goal.

Five minutes later a green flag was raised at the other end of the pitch when the hard-working Gerry Troy laid off the ball to Darragh Queally. The Emeralds wing-forward managed to evade a few tackles before tapping the sliothar past Richie Doyle in the Barrow Rangers goal. It was a huge score with Emeralds playing against the breeze.

Barrow Rangers did manage to recover quickly from that goal with a brace of pointed frees from Joe Healy, but Emeralds finished the first half impressively with points from Gerry Troy and a Darragh Queally free to leave the minimal between the sides at the interval with Barrow Rangers ahead.

The Urlingford side made a blistering start to the second half. Aided by the breeze they scored three points without replay through Pa Doheny, Padraig Phelan and JJ McLoughlin. A Jack Kelly point for Barrow Rangers after some neat passing brought the margin back to the minimum. The Paulstown had a decent goal scoring chance moments later when a Keith Flavin effort was well defended by the winners.

The weather was deteriorating with every passing moment and the conditions were becoming more and more challenging for the players. But that was when we saw the best from two superb teams.

Defences were generally on top at both ends of the pitch. Micheal Ahearn, Shane Norton and the superb Sean Burke kept driving the winners forward at every opportunity. So too the hard-working Killian Doyle at midfield. At the other end of the pitch the central defensive axis of the Paulstown men, Kevin Brennan and Marc Drennan along with Killian Rudkins were equally impressive.

Joe Healy (BR) and Darragh Queally (E) were continuing to find the range for their respective teams, with Conor Hanlon making a big impression when introduced by Barrow Rangers.

On the cusp of full time it looked as if Oisín Deegan had won the game for Emeralds only for Cathal Purcell to land a late point to send the game to extra time.

Emeralds now had first advantage of the breeze and a five point return was a good reward for some impressive hurling. Four of those points came from Player of the Match Darragh Queally with the other from Adam Barnaville who made a huge impact when introduced.

Despite enjoyed wind advantage in the second period of extra time, Barrow Rangers struggled for scores with the loss of a player to a red card early in extra time not helping their cause.

A further brace of points from the superb Darragh Queally and Gerry Troy saw Emeralds lead by six points, but when Kieran O’Neill scored a brilliant late goal for Barrow Rangers, that score made for a nervous finish for the Urlingford side.

The three point margin between the sides at the finish was a fair outcome of a game where Emeralds had the better balanced side and they deserved their passage into the championship semi-final.

Teams and Scorers

Emeralds- Darragh Queally (1-11, 0-4 frees and  0-1 ’65); Padraig Phelan and  Gerry Troy (0-2, each), Pa Doheny, JJ McLoughlin, Ollie Deegan, Killian Doyle (Line-Ball) and Adam Barnville (0-1, each).

Barrow Rangers- Joe Healy (0-9, 0-3 frees); Kieran O’Neill (1-0); Cathal Purcell, Jack Kelly, Keith Flavin (0-2, each), Michael Doyle, Conor Hanlon (0-1, each).

Emeralds- Enda Kelly, Micheal Ahern, Damien Fitzgerald, Jack Kavanagh, Tony Farrell, Shane Norton, Sean Burke, Oisín
Deegan, Killian Doyle, Darragh Queally, Padraig Phelan, Gerry Troy, Liam Grant, Pa Doheny, JJ McLoughlin.

Subs (Used) – Adam Barnaville, Craig Barnaville, Ollie Kenny, Cathal Walsh, Johnny Doyle.

Barrow Rangers-  Richie Doyle, Paul Delaney, Kevin Brennan, Killian Rudkins, Patrick Purcell, Marc Drennan, Noah Scully, Cathal Purcell, Brian Kelly, Billy Hanlon, Jack Kelly, Michael Doyle, Joe Healy, Kieran O’Neill, Keith Flavin.

Subs (Used) – Conor Hanlon, Tom Brennan, Jimmy Kane, Darragh O’Connor,

Referee - Julian O’Dwyer (John Lockes)