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Leinster Final awaits as Lisdowney see off Laois champions
Lisdowney 2-15 Borris Kilcotton 2-13
Reporter:
Kilkenny People Reporter
24 Nov 2024 9:24 AM
Email:
sport@kilkennypeople.ie
Lisdowney are into the Leinster Intermediate Hurling Final after they held off Borris-Kilcotton in a cracking semi-final clash in Portlaoise on Saturday afternoon.
The Kilkenny side held a big lead initially through goals from Luke Holohan and Cathal Jordan but their opponents refused to go away and the game was in the melting pot all the way to the final whistle.
The pair came into this contest as the favourites to take the Leinster crown and they produced an excellent battle despite the tough conditions underfoot after the downpours of rain for the 24 hours previous.
A strong wind blew towards Portlaoise and the visitors had it to their advantage for the first half, and they made use of it early on by following a Brian Kavanagh point with a goal from Luke Holohan in the third minute.
Borris-Kilcotton responded in kind as Aaron Dunphy was on the end of a brilliant move by Jer Quinlan and PJ Scully to hit back with a goal at the other end, but Lisdowney kept their noses in front with points from Liam Dunphy, Richard McEvoy and Kavanagh.
PJ Scully slotted four points in the opening quarter as Borris-Kilcotton began to find their groove, but a host of wides would prove costly in the end.
Lisdowney's shooting was impeccable on the other hand with Michael Kenny and Pat O'Carroll striking wonderful scores to make it 1-7 to 1-3 after 17 minutes, with the visitors yet to put a ball wide of the mark.
Their lead increased further when Pat O'Carroll went on the attack again and the seas parted in the Borris-Kilcotton defence to leave Cathal Jordan in a world of space straight in front of the goals and Eoin Fleming stood no chance in saving the powerful strike.
Now trailing by six points Borris-Kilcotton had it all to do and once again they reacted brilliantly in despair as Niall Coss tore up the right wing before expertly splitting the posts from an angle.
Coss was again the man of the moment just a minute later when a lovely piece of teamwork down the right side bore fruit for Borris-Kilcotton as Coss made his way to just outside the box on the right and hammered it into the net past Aidan Tallis.
Richard McEvoy immediately hit back with a score for Lisdowney as the action picked up serious pace once again and both sides were all out attack.
Scully pointed a brilliant free from the 65 on the right wing, but Lisdowney came back strong once more with three points in succession. Liam Dunphy slotted from play after pressuring the Borris-Kilcotton backline into a failed clearance and Kavanagh struck a brace of frees.
The teams would trade points before half time through Scully and Kavanagh, which meant Lisdowney led 2-12 to 2-7 at the break, but the hosts would have the wind in the second half.
They made it pay with three points in the opening six minutes and they appeared to have Lisdowney on the ropes, but the Kilkenny side found their rhythm quickly.
Scully opened the half with a free and Aaron Dunphy followed from play before another Scully score from a free and just two points split them with 36 minutes played.
Lisdowney struggled to get the ball up the field and when they did it was coming back down thanks to incredible defending from Matthew Whelan and Enda Parlon, but they eventually got off the mark with a Pat O'Carroll point on 39 minutes.
Borris-Kilcotton were finding it difficult to add further scores as little would stick in their forward line either, but Conor Kilbane found space in midfield to drive one over midway through the half.
Both sides were reduced to 14 men when Dylan Jordan and Dean Carey were red carded for a tussle, though it appeared Jordan was the aggressor and Carey was hard done by.
Kavanagh slotted a brace of frees for the visitors to put four between them with 52 minutes gone and all the pressure was on Borris-Kilcotton.
Aaron Dunhpy pointed excellently under pressure and Eoin Fleming launched over a free from his own half in injury time, but they couldn't find the goal that they desperately needed and Lisdowney held on for the win.
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Bereaved father Michael English at Kilmoyler Bridge where his daughter Bronagh (INSET) died in a road traffic accident last April. Picture: Maria Taylor
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