Victory in Premier IHC for Granagh-Ballingarry over Croagh-Kilfinny

GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY claimed their first victory of the Lyons of Limerick County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship beating Croagh-Kilfinny 2-17 to 1-19 at Sean Finn Park, Rathkeale.

Granagh-Ballingarry dominated the first half and Darragh O’Donoghue’s two goals inside the opening quarter helped them to a three-point lead at the break.

John O’Connor’s men subsequently moved six points clear and held on for an important victory despite being outscored 1-5 to 0-3 in the last 20 minutes.

Croagh-Kilfinny’s Denis Lenihan scored a last-gasp goal but an equaliser proved elusive meaning James Hall’s men remain winless so far. Granagh-Ballingarry made a blistering start. Luke Flynn opened the scoring from a free 60 seconds in and three minutes later, he added a point from play.

Croagh-Kilfinny were off the mark on five minutes through Jack Lenihan. However, Darragh O’Donoghue replied with his first goal a minute later.

Dave Lynch saved the initial effort from Paudie Murphy before O’Donoghue collected the rebound and fired low to the net with a powerful shot.

Sean O’Connor and Cian O’Carroll subsequently traded scores before Granagh-Ballingarry’s second goal arrived on 13 minutes. Darragh Casey made a powerful surging run and fed O’Donoghue who dispatched to the net.

Keith O’Kelly was then called into action when the Granagh-Ballingarry goalkeeper denied James Lanigan from point-blank range.

Cian O’Carroll pulled on the rebound first time and slotted over a point. O’Carroll was the standout performer for Croagh-Kilfinny with 12 points overall.

Luke Flynn restored Granagh-Ballingarry’s five-point cushion on 22 minutes but Croagh-Kilfinny responded with three successive scores from Cian O’Carroll (two) and John Wall.

Josh Mulcaire Quille halted Croagh-Kilfinny’s momentum with a fine score before the sides traded two points each as Granagh-Ballingarry led 2-10 to 0-13 at half-time.

Mulcaire Quille made it a four-point game within 60 seconds of the restart. Four minutes later O’Carroll replied for Croagh-KIlfinny.

Granagh-Ballingarry quickly recovered momentum; three successive scores gave John O’Connor’s men a six-point cushion.

Luke Flynn and Paudie Murphy added a point each before O’Connor nailed a free from his own 65-metre line.

O’Carroll subsequently initiated the Croagh-Kilfinny onslaught with three straight points (two frees); further scores from David Condron and O’Connor left a point between them on 51 minutes.

Flynn replied with a pointed free and could’ve added a goal late on but couldn’t direct his effort on target. The same man added two more pointed frees pushing Granagh-Ballingarry four points clear three minutes into injury time.

Croagh-Kilfinny eventually got their goal right at the end. Conor Lenihan’s free was deflected towards corner-back Denis Lenihan who volleyed to the net. The final whistle was blown seconds later and Granagh-Ballingarry could afford a sigh of relief.

SCORERS - GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY: Luke Flynn 0-8 (6f); Darragh O’Donoghue 2-0; Sean O’Connor 0-3 (3f); Paudie Murphy and Josh Mulcaire Quille 0-2 each; Eoin Horgan and Eoin Herlihy 0-1 each; CROAGH-KILFINNY: Cian O’Carroll 0-12 (8f); Jack Lenihan 0-4; Denis Lenihan 1-0 ;Seamus Lenihan, John Wall and Darragh O’Carroll 0-1 each.

GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY: Keith O'Kelly; Eoghan Casey, Ronan Mullane, Mark O'Shea; Eoin Horgan, Jack Cagney, Eoin Herlihy; Darragh Casey, Josh Mulcaire-Quille; Michael Russell, Luke Flynn, Sean O’Connor; Darragh O'Donoghue, David Condron, Paudie Murphy; Subs: Cathal O’Keeffe for Condron (42 mins); Colm Noonan for Herlihy (44 mins); Sean O’Gorman for O’Donoghue (55 mins).

CROAGH-KILFINNY: Dave Lynch; Denis Lenihan, Tom McMahon, Eoin Barry; Conor Lenihan, Barry Lenihan, Séamus Hickey; Josh O'Connor, Séamus Lenihan; Cian O'Carroll, James Lanigan, Bryan Flynn; Gearóid Lenihan, Jack Lenihan, John Wall; Subs: Adam Shanagher for Madigan (h-t); Darragh O’Carroll for Flynn (36 mins); Brian Hannon for O’Connor (40 mins); Seamus Carroll for J Lanigan (51 mins)

Referee: Paddy Lyons (Staker Wallace).