Kilmallock battle back to secure draw with Ahane in Limerick Senior Hurling Championship

STARING defeat in the face and down to 14-men, it took a trio of late points from Kilmallock to take a point and rescue a draw against an Ahane side that never trailed in an exciting contest.

The round two tie in the Whitebox Limerick Senior Hurling Championship finished Kilmallock  1-15, Ahane 0-18.

Played in dry and sunny Doon, the game was dominated by an end-to-end breeze that the John Meskell’s men used to build up a winning platform, before ultimately having their pocket picked.

There are positives for Ahane, who’d conceded five goals in defeat to Ballybrown. This time they looked far more resolute at the back with Conor Ryan playing the sweeper role well, as they stifled the Kilmallock build-up particularly in the first half.

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That said, to fail to win from an eight-point advantage early in the second half will be of huge frustration. They had an excellent scoring return from Tom Morrissey, who landed ten points, while there was bright showings again from teenagers John O’Connor and Jack Cosgrove.

For Kilmallock, Clare native and manager James Hickey remonstrated with match referee Timmy McGrath at full-time, with a duo of shots which were waved wide perhaps top of his agenda.
Both sides had appeals for a late free but in the end, had to settle for the draw.

It means that no side in the ‘top six’ has maximum points and all six remain in the frame for knockout hurling.

Leading early on from Morrissey’s opener, Ahane were pegged back by a sharp David Woulfe point. O’Connor, Morrissey and Cosgrove hit three of the next four and from here until stoppage time at the end of the game, Ahane led.

It was a four-point buffer at the interval, as Ronan Fox and Robbie Egan landed top quality points. It was a half that rarely threatened a goal, with the sides hitting a combined fifteen wides, with Kilmallock accounting for eight of those.

Late out from the dressing room at half-time, the Castleconnell-Lisnagry outfit were quick to start, the message relayed to them having the desired return. Four points, without reply. Two from Limerick star Morrissey as well as a first for Ciaran Barry and another for former Limerick minor, Cosgrove.

However, Shane O’Brien replied quickly with a goal. Oisin O’Reilly rattled the post after a surging run before O’Brien picked up the pieces and flicked to the net.

There was now momentum with Kilmallock and it was back to two points by 50 minutes as sub Graeme Mulcahy, keeper Conor Hanley Clarke (free) and top scorer O’Brien all landed points.

Morrissey landed a routine free after dissent, before O’Brien kept things tight. Then the red card. Mark O’Loughlin was caught in possession and, already on a yellow card, he hauled down Ronan Fox.

He couldn’t question the second yellow card and for the second week in a row, Kilmallock would finish with fourteen.

Morrissey put three between them but then the Balbec surge. O’Brien entering stoppage time fired over before Conor Staunton landed a monstrous effort from his own half.

Twenty-one-year-old O’Brien had the final say, with a free, ensuring parity at the final whistle. Doon will provide the opposition for the south side, on August 21, while Ahane will target an upset against unbeaten Na Piarsaigh on August 24.

SCORERS: AHANE: Tom Morrissey 0-10 (7 frees); John O’Connor and Jack Cosgrove 0-3 each; Ronan Fox and Ciarán Barry 0-1 each. KILMALLOCK: Shane O’Brien 1-7 (0-5 frees); Phelim O’Reilly 0-2; David Woulfe, Steven Quirke, Robbie Egan, Graeme Mulcahy, Conor Hanley Clarke (free) and Conor Staunton 0-1 each. 

AHANE: Cathal Ryan; Padraig Harnett, Dan Morrissey, Conor Bickford; Shane O’Grady, Ciaran Barry, Dan Minihan; Conor Ryan, Conor Heffernan; Ronan Fox, Tom Morrissey, John O’Connor; Mark Donnellan, Stephen Power, Jack Cosgrove. SUBS: Andy Rowesome for Padraig Harnett, inj (8mins); Gavin Rowesome for Stephen Power (50mins); Kevin Morrissey for Mark Donnellan (59mins).

KILMALLOCK: Conor Hanley Clarke; Dylan O’Brien, Mark O’Loughlin, Steven Quirke; Robbie Egan, Aaron Costello, Gearoid Enright; Conor Staunton, Phelim O’Reilly; Thomas Savage, Michaél Houlihan, David Woulfe; Oisin O’Reilly, Killian Hayes, Shane O’Brien. SUBS: Kevin O'Donnell for Mark O'Loughlin (temp - 7-11 mins); Pierce Connery for Phelim O'Reilly (temp 9 -12; 22); Kevin O'Donnell for Gearoid Enright (35mins); Graeme Mulcahy for Steven Quirke (39mins); Paudie O'Brien for Thomas Savage (39mins); Shane Dowling for David Woulfe (52mins).

REFEREE: Timmy McGrath (Oola).