Glenroe and Effin play out exciting draw in Limerick premier intermediate hurling championship

“LUCKY to get out of here with a result,” was Effin manager Adrian Barrett's reaction as a last gasp free from almost half-way snatchhed a 0-18 to 1-15 draw against Glenroe in the second round of the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship in Kilfinane on Thursday evening.

“We were looking for a win after losing our first game so we at least we got something out of the night.”

“We let this one get away from us at the finish”, was how his opposite number Danny Murphy saw it as Glenroe also remained locked on one point out of four from their first two outings. “We just haven't been able to get over the line.”

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Even though Murphy's charges dominated the second half as the turned a deficit of three points into a lead of two by the end of regulation time, the share of the spoils was probably a fair reflection of how this South Limerick derby played out.

Without ever reaching any great intensity, two mirror-image halves saw Effin dominate the play before the break yet fail to open a lead of substance as they were held in check by the free-taking of Darren Frewen. It was then a second period during which all of Effin's scores come from Paddy O'Donovan frees.

Sure, there were time when one side or the other looked to be on the verge of stealing a march but, apart from the few minutes following the game's only goal five minutes after the change of ends, the momentum never held long enough to make a lasting difference.

With the diagonal breeze at their backs, Effin started in a mad hurry, going ahead with O'Donovan's lift and strike off the throw-in and Evan Dillon following up for a lead of two inside a minute.

Glenroe's efforts at a response were being crowded out by the opposing defence as Fergal O'Connor stretched the deficit facing them but the Garrienderk club missed a few chances before goalie David McCarthy, from well inside his own half, and Frewen punished fouls to Glenroe off the mark.

The game continued in a similar manner past the quarter mark with Effin dominating possession only to waste their hard-won advantage on adding to their wides' tally and then giving away the foul. 

Points from O'Connor and O'Donovan were met by a Frewen pointed free as were O'Donovan's pointed free and '65'. After Ruairií O'Connor restored the lead to four points, sharpshooter Frewen hit back with another free and the Ballyhoura club's first score from play.

Punctuated by numerous stoppages, the run-in to the break was extended by an extra five minutes as O'Donovan's free was cancelled out by Frewen's two before Cillian O'Riordan's score right on the short whistle sent Effin into the dressing-room with a lead of two points, 0-10 to 0-8.

Another O'Donovan free opened the second hlf but there was no follow-up as Glenroe made the most of the enrgy their half-time subs were bringing to the party and they got their breakthrough when McCarthy's long free floated into the the square and was met by Mark O'Connell's outstretched hurley to guide to the net.

The hugely influential O'Donovan replied immediately from a free to restore Effin's lead. However, the tide was now definitely flowing in the other direction as Liam Dennehy, Adam Frewen and McCarthy's pointed free put the Geln ahead for the first time.

Coming up to the three-quarter mark, another O'Donovan pointed free halved the deficit only for the score to be outdone by two Darren Frewen points, from a free and a '65'. However, they were prevented from opening up a sizeable gap as a few substitutions steadid the Effin ship going into the final straight. Three O'Donovan frees later and the sides were level again only for Glenroe to find another gasp of oxygen.

Scores from Dennehy and another monster McCarthy free looked to have squeezed them over the line. However, another six minutes were added for the various stoppages and Effin seized the opportunity to draw the last two fouls for O'Donovan's frees to reascue them from a second successive defeat.

SCORERS: EFFIN: Paddy O'Donovan 0-13 ( 10 frees, 1 '65'), Fergal O'Connor 0-2, Ewan Dillon, Cillian O'Riordan, Ruairí O'Connor 0-1 each; GLENROE: Darren Frewen 0-9 (7 frees, 1 '65'), David McCarthy 0-3 (3 frees), Mark O'Connell 1-0, Liam Dennehy 0-2, Adam Frewen 0-1.

EFFIN: Ryan O'Neill; Robert Cagney, Alan Byrne, Mark Mullins; Clive Doherty, Nickie Quaid, Fergal O'Connor; Cillian O'Riordan, Seán Canning; Brian Clifford, Paddy O'Donovan, Evan Dillon; Ruairí O'Connor, Aaron Moffatt, Tommy Quaid. SUBS: Frankie Herr for Aaron Moffett (41 minutes), Mike Rea for Tommy Quiad (47 minutes), Enda Kelly for Ruairí O'Connor (51 minutes), Conor Kearney for Brian Clifford (59 minutes).

GLENROE: David McCarthy; Shane O'Donoghue, Patrick Holian, Darren Carroll; Seán O'Donnell, Stephen Walsh, Jordan Sheehy; Daniel Murphy, Brian O'Connell; Ciarán Kelly, Mark O'Connell, Liam Dennehy; Adam Frewen, Darren Frewen, Cillian O'Brien. SUBS: Oisín Browne for Daniel Murphy (half-time), Dáithí Dennehy for Cillian O'Brien (half-time), Aaron Buckley for Mark O'Connell (57 minutes), Eoghan Fitzgerald for Adam Frewen (injured, 65 minutes).

REFEREE: Paddy Lyons (Staker Wallaces).