J.J. Kavanagh & Sons Junior E County Final

Rower-Inistioge 1-13 Lisdowney 0-15

Rower-Inistioge and Lisdowney met in Clara in the J.J. Kavanagh & Sons Junior E County Final. On a glorious evening for hurling, both teams served up an absorbing, gritty finale which went right down to the wire. Lisdowney started well but Rower-Inistioge led 0-11 to 0-8 at the interval, a half where both teams will be disappointed with their missed chances. A late goal looked to be decisive when it pushed Rower-Inistioge into a 2 point lead but credit to Lisdowney, they rallied and levelled the game with time just up. The specter of extra time loomed large until a late, late point ensured the spoils were heading south on a scoreline of 1-13 to 0-15.

Spectators were still streaming in when Lisdowney Captain Darragh Mackey fired over the first point of the game. Fiacre Farrell levelled from a placed ball after a foul on Michael McDonald. Lisdowney responded with two quickfire scores from an Eoin Kenny free and a long range effort from Luke Campion, 0-1 to 0-3 after 4 minutes.

Rower-Inistioge stemmed the flow with their own flurry of scores. Ciarán Keher Murtagh collected an Eoin O’Brien pass and rifled over. Ciarán Keher Murtagh then turned provider with a pinpoint cross field pass to Michael Grace who landed a great score. Jamie Holden made it three unanswered scores for Rower-Inistioge as he pointed from 65 yards out on the left, 0-4 to 0-3 to Rower-Inistioge after 8 minutes.

The tough and uncompromising nature of the game was best illustrated between the 9th and 27th minutes when all 7 scores were from placed balls. Lisdowney landed 4 frees through Eoin Kenny (3) and wing back Richard McEvoy with Fiacre Farrell sending over 3 for Rower-Inistioge, 0-7 apiece after 27 minutes.

Michael Grace found space to fire over a point after the ball was recycled back out to him before he showed all his experience picking out a great run from Jamie Holden with an indirect free who duly obliged with a score nudging Rower-Inistioge into a 2 point lead, 0-9 to 0-7 after 31 minutes.

Gary O’Sullivan cut the deficit for Lisdowney from 40 yards before the increasingly influential Eoin O’Brien scored the last 2 points of the half, 0-11 to 0-8 to Rower-Inistioge at the break.

Lisdowney started the second half with goals on their mind. Eoin Kenny pointed a free after what could only be described as a good foul to give away when Lisdowney were bearing down on goal, 0-11 to 0-9 two minutes into the second half. Moments later, wing forward Luke Holohan raced clear of the Rower-Inistioge defence only to be thwarted by a great save from Dan Mulholland.

Rocked by the Lisdowney onslaught, Rower-Inistioge gave up possession and their defence led by Ruaidhrí Delaney had to scramble to deny another goal scoring opportunity. In truth, Lisdowney will rue the opening 4 minutes of the second half which should have yielded more than a solitary point.

Eoin O’Brien restored Rower-Inistioge’s 3 point lead when he collected a wayward puckout and pointed from 45 yards, 0-12 to 0-9 after 38 minutes. Eoin Kenny (L) cut the deficit when he slotted over a free in the 40th minute after the referee spotted a chop down on a Lisdowney attacker’s hurl.

Substitute Paddy Bowden (L) made an instant impact when he sent over 2 points to level the game, 0-12 apiece after 47 minutes. Luke Holohan edged Lisdowney in front with a well taken score, 0-12 to 0-13.

The decisive moment in the game arrived in the 61st minute when Eoin O’Brien showed blistering pace to get behind the Lisdowney rearguard. His shot was well saved by Jack Dunphy in the Lisdowney goal but Caoimhín Lynch Perrott was following up and flicked the ball to the net, 1-12 to 0-13.

Richard McEvoy (L) fired over his second score of the game, a great point from long range to cut the Rower-Inistioge lead to 1 after 64 minutes before a Paddy Bowden (L) free in the 69th minute levelled the match, 1-12 to 0-15. With extra time almost an inevitability, up popped Ciarán Keher Murtagh to fire over the game winning point from 40 yards on the right.

A special mention for Michael McDonald who has shown great leadership and enthusiasm for the grade during his time as player manager.

Rower-Inistioge Team:

Dan Mulholland, James O’Brien, Ruaidhrí Delaney, Jack Fitzpatrick, Richard Ryan, Tom Cullen, John Grace, Eoin O’Brien (0-3), Jamie Holden (0-2), Fiacre Farrell (0-4, 4F), Conor Lyng (C), Caoimhín Lynch Perrott (1-0), Ciarán Keher Murtagh (0-2), Michael Grace (0-2), Michael McDonald.

Subs:

Harry Murphy, Danny Cotterell, Michael Moffitt, Oisin Whelan, Tiernan Morrissey, James Prendergast, William Mulholland, Michael Savage, Michael Chapman, John Murphy

Lisdowney Team:

Jack Dunphy, Conor Tallis, Peter O’Sullivan, Jack McGree, Richard McEvoy (0-2, 1F), Lee McCann, Harry Kennedy, Killian Dunne, Luke Campion (0-1), Dean Brophy, Gary O’Sullivan (0-1), Luke Holohan (0-1), Daragh Mackey (C) (0-1), Eoin Kenny (0-6, 6F), Luke Moore.

Subs:

Paul Murphy, Jamie Bergin, Stevie Dunne, Mark Fitz, Willie Cahill, Charlie Kennedy, Paddy Bowden (0-3, 1F), Eibhan McEvoy, Lee McCann, Jack O’Sullivan

Referee: Maurice Flynn