Christy Ring Cup Hurling Semi-Final – Kerry vs. Carlow

Kerry drew with Carlow after extra time in the Christy Ring Cup Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final on Saturday at Dr. Cullen Park Carlow on a scoreline of Kerry 2-12 Carlow 1-15.

Christy Ring Cup Round-Up

Carlow 1-15 Kerry 2-12

From the GAA.ie web site

Saturday, May 6

Kerry and Carlow produced a thrilling encounter in Dr Cullen Park but failed to produce a winner while Down trounced Mayo.

Down, meanwhile, had an easy win over Mayo and await the winner of the replay in the other semi-final.

Kerry produced a superb display to snatch a draw against Carlow in a thrilling Christy Ring Cup clash at rain soaked Dr Cullen Park on Saturday afternoon.

Kerry trailed by three points in the final minute of normal time, but John Mike Dooley sent the game to extra-time when he volleyed Shane Brick’s free to the back of the net.

The sides shared four points equally in the two ten-minute periods of extra-time and the both teams will have to meet again to see who will face Down in the final.

Kerry led 1-5 to 1-4 at the break, but they were facing into a strong wind in the second half. Inevitably, Carlow came haring out of the blocks and scored four points without reply to assume control.

Midfielder James Hickey levelled the game 45 seconds into the second half before Paudie Kehoe added a free to give the Barrowsiders the lead.

Aidan Healy, the Kerry goalkeeper, denied Robbie Foley of a certain goal chance when he deflected the ball out for a ’65. Shane Kavanagh put resultant placed ball over the bar before Foley added another point.

Kehoe sent Carlow even further ahead, but Kerry hit a purple patch and came back into the game with a Shane Brick free and a superb long-range point by JM Dooley.

However, Kehoe pegged the Kingdom back again with another free before Mossie Carroll’s men hit three points in a row to level the game at 1-10 apiece after 20 minutes.

Shane Brick hit two of those points from placed balls before substitute Gary O’Brien forced the ball over the bar after a pass from Tipperary native Evan Sweeney.

Carlow then hit three points without reply and looked to be strolling to into the Christy Ring Cup final.

However, Brick shocked the Dr Cullen Park faithful when he struck a brilliant free from 30 yards and goal poacher supreme JM Dooley applied the finishing touch to level the game at 2-10 to 1-13 in the last minute.

Kavanagh, the Carlow full-back, did have a chance to win the game with the last puck of the match, but his ’65 drifted wide and the referee indicated that the game would go to extra time.

James Hickey opened the scoring for Carlow in the first period of extra-time before Evan Sweeney levelled the game again after great work by Gary O’Brien.

The sides traded points in the second ten-minute period of extra-time but a brilliant defensive display from the Kingdom when their backs were to the wall ensured the game went to a replay.

Rock solid Brick earns battling Kingdom another shot at Carlow

Carlow 1-15 Kerry 2-12

By Daragh O Conchúir

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rock-solid-brick-earns-battling-kingdom-another-shot-at-carlow-93573.html

Monday, June 08, 2009

KERRY produced a gutsy performance to bring this Christy Ring Cup semi-final to a replay, after 80 minutes of wholehearted endeavour against champions Carlow at Dr Cullen Park.

The hosts opened up four-point leads early in both halves, and edged ahead in extra time, but on every occasion Kerry dug deep to claw themselves back into contention. Shane Brick’s point a minute from the end of extra time was the score that earned Mossie Carroll’s side a deserved second bit of the cherry.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Carroll. “We are here in the home of the All-Ireland champions on a dreadful day; we gave them 1-1 of a start and came back through pure heart and determination to draw level after 70 minutes. We had to go out for another 20 and we stepped up to the mark again to get an impressive draw.

“Our hurling is a lot better than we showed today. This was a pure exercise in guts, heart and determination.”

Carlow boss Kevin Ryan was nowhere near as upbeat about his side’s efforts.
“We were disappointed not to win it in normal time but in extra time nobody deserved to lose it. We created a lot of chances in the first half but shot simple wides and the work rate wasn’t as it should have been in the half-forward line.

“You talk about plans and patterns and everything else in hurling but when you get into an extra time situation it’s just a bit of guts and a bit of character – and we know we have that.”

Carlow had the perfect start with a goal from Paudie Kehoe after Kerry goalkeeper John Healy denied Craig Doyle. Brick hit back with a clinical penalty finish, after the hugely influential John McCarthy had been hauled down by Des Shaw, to give the visitors a 1-5 to 1-4 interval lead.

Carlow moved up a gear after the resumption and held a three-point lead with time running out. Their forward line was not functioning with its normal fluidity however and they had good reason to be thankful for Kehoe’s accuracy from frees, full-back Shane Kavanagh’s two converted 65s and midfielder James Hickey’s eye for a score.

Aidan Healy and Tom Murnane were magnificent in the Kerry defence though, keeping their side in the mix.

It looked like their brilliant efforts would be in vain but when Brick’s driven 30m free was blocked on the line in the dying seconds of normal time, John Mike Dooley swooping to knock the rebound to the net to make it 1-13 to 2-10.

Extra time proved a dogfight in atrocious weather that caused numerous handling errors but a endless supply of courage was in evidence from both teams. Hickey shot his fourth point from play to put Carlow ahead but former Tipperary attacker Evan Sweeney levelled once again. Substitute Robbie Foley restored the home side’s advantage in the 83rd minute but Brick profited from strong work by Gary O’Brien to bring the tie to a replay with less than two minutes remaining.

CARLOW: F Foley; W Hickey, S Kavanagh 0-2(65s), D Shaw; E Coady, J Rodgers, R Coady; J Hickey 0-4(1 sideline), D Roberts; A Gaule, C Doyle, M Brennan 0-1; R Dunbar, C Hughes, Paudie Kehoe 1-6(0-6fs).

Subs: R Foley 0-2 for Dunbar (ht); D Byrne for Gaule, blood (44-46); E Byrne for Hughes (62); Byrne for Gaule (62); Paul Kehoe for Shaw blood (79-80); Dunbar for Roberts (84)

KERRY: J Healy; P O’Grady, A Healy, C Harris; J Casey, T Murnane, J Godley; E Sheehy, J Griffin; E Sweeney 0-2, S Brick 1-5(1-0 pen, 0-3fs), B Brick 0-1; S Young, J McCarthy, JM Dooley 1-3.

Sub: G O’Brien 0-1 for Young (55); M Hannifin for Harris (85) inj; J Fitzgerald for Sheehy (85)

Referee: T Carroll (Offaly)

Kerry Team to play Carlow on Saturday 6th June in The Christy Ring Cup Semi Finals is as follows:

1.John Healy Ballyheigue 2. Padraig O’Grady Ballyduff 3.Aidan Healy O’Dorney 4.Colin Harris Kilmoyley 5. Jason Casey Ballyheigue 6 Tom Murnane Kilmoyley(Capt) 7.James Godley Kilmoyley 8.Eoin Sheehy Kilmoyley 9.John Griffin,Lixnaw 10.Evan Sweeney Loughmore Castleiney 11.Shane Brick Kilmoyley 12. Billy Brick Kilmoyley 13.Sean Young Kilmoyley 14.James McCarthy Kilmoyley 15.John Mike Dooley Causeway
Subs: 16. Shane Nolan Crotta O’Neills 17. John Fitzgerald Causeway 18. Mike Hanifin O’Dorney 19. Eamon Fitzgerald Causeway 20. Gary O’Brien Ballyduff 21.Padraig Maunson Causeway 22. Adrain Ryle Kilmoyley 23. Brian O’Leary O’Dorney 24.Sean Maunsell Kilmoyley 25. Paudie Moriarty Ballyheigue