AIB Munster GAA Hurling Intermediate Club Championship Quarter-Final – Ballinhassig (Cork) 1-17 Ballybrown (Limerick) 0-20

No separating Ballinhassig and Ballybrown

By Therese O’Callaghan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Ballinhassig (Cork) 1-17 Ballybrown (Limerick) 0-20 (AET)

Ballinhassig had to play the entire second half with 14 players in this rip-roaring AIB Munster club IHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday, the 810 fans getting full value for their money in a game that had numerous twists and turns. In a bruising encounter, it was level at half time, level at full time and level again after extra-time and now Ballinhassig must travel to Limerick on Saturday for the replay. Clem Smith felt his Ballybrown charges gave it their all. “After winning the county final last weekend we came down with the pressure off of us,’’ he said. “So, we just went out and asked the lads to hurl as best they could. To be fair they gave it everything.’’

The game opened with a trademark Martin Coleman goal from a close range free. Ballybrown chipped away at the lead with points from James Hall, Alan O’Connor, Michael Kiely and Kyle Loftus and they reached the break on level terms courtesy of excellent points from Shane Kenny and O’Connor (1-6 to 0-9). However, before the interval Ballinhassig’s Declan O’Sullivan was red-carded after an altercation with a player near the touchline. The sides were still locked at the three-quarter mark but Ballybrown looked to have done enough with star scorer Alan O’Connor in scintillating form, returning an outstanding 12 points. Not to be outdone, Darren Dineen, although he missed a couple of frees, spearheaded the Ballinhassig fight-back although it was Paul Coomey who proved the hero with the equalising point in stoppage time.

Ballinhassig started extra-time with 15 players. And at the end of the first period, the visitors held a one-point advantage with a Dineen free sandwiched in between points from O’Connor and Shane Kenny. The drama intensified in the second period of extra-time and when the referee blew for a Ballinhassig close-in free Martin Coleman was already on his way upfield. A point behind, the netminder went for goal but his effort was brilliantly saved. However, referee Fergal Horgan awarded a penalty for another foul and again the Limerick champions cleared their lines. The suspense was tangible as a Darren Dineen free levelled the game two minutes from time. Coleman stood over another placed ball for the win, but it was from distance, and tailed wide.

Ballinhassig selector Peter Brennan admitted this was a hard-fought game. “It was a right tough championship game for this time of the year,’’ he said. “There isn’t a puck of the ball between us. Maybe we will get a bit more out of some of our big name players the next day.”

Scorers for Ballinhassig: D Dineen 0-10 (0-9 frees), M Coleman 1-0 (free), S Dineen and F O’Leary 0-2 each, M Sheehan, S McCarthy and P Coomey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ballybrown: A O’Connor 0-12 (0-7 frees, 0-3 65s), S Kenny 0-4, J Hall 0-2, K Loftus and M Kiely 0-1 each.

BALLINHASSIG: M Coleman; S McCarthy, E Finn, M Desmond; M Sheehan, M Aherne, B Lombard; B Coleman, S McCarthy; D Dineen (Capt), P Coomey, S Dineen; P O’Sullivan, F O’Leary, M Collins.

Subs: B O’Sullivan for S McCarthy (15 inj), D O’Sullivan for M Collins (20 inj), D O’Donovan for P O’Sullivan (56).

BALLYBROWN: D Lyons; R Burke Jnr, J Kennedy, S O’Reilly; I Burke, R Kenny, D Kenny (Capt); S Foster, J Hall; K Loftus, B Griffin, S Kenny; M Kiely, A O’Connor, D Hall.

Subs: P Hartigan for S Foster (40), A Roberts for I Burke (42), P McCarthy for M Kiely, E Loftus for D Hall (both 46), B Quinn for K Loftus (59), A Cliffe for B Quinn, K Loftus for P Hartigan (both 76).

Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary)

Replay date – Saturday November 3^rd at a Limerick venue

Admission Prices

Adults – €10
Student/OAP – €5
All Under 16s free

Contact Munster GAA PRO Ed Donnelly at pro.munster@gaa.ie for more information

For the Record

Munster GAA HURLING Club Intermediate Championship 2012

Quarter-Finals (Extra time)

Sunday October 28^th (Replay date – Saturday November 3rd)

@ Sixmilebridge                               Ruan (Clare) v Silvermines (Tipperary) 1:00pm

Monday October 29^th (Replay date – Saturday November 3rd)

@ Pairc Ui Rinn        Ballinhassig (Cork) v Ballybrown (Limerick) 2:00pm

Semi-Finals (Extra time)
Sunday November 4th (Replay date – Saturday November 10th)

@ Tipperary or Waterford venue     An Rinn (Waterford) v Ruan (Clare) v Silvermines (Tipperary) 2:00pm

@ Limerick or Kerry venue Ballyduff (Kerry) v Ballinhassig (Cork) or Ballybrown (Limerick) 2:00pm

Final (Extra time)

Sunday November 18th (Replay date – Saturday November 24th)

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

Since the competition began in 2003, Cork clubs have won 4 of the 9 Munster titles on offer. Clare are the only other county with a winning record in this competition, winning 2 Munster titles.

Cork have only lost their opening match in this competition on 3 occasions, in 2004, 2007 and 2011.

In the 3 seasons, 2006 to 2008 in this competition, the only 2 Counties who recorded victories were Cork and Clare. Limerick, Waterford, Kerry and Tipperary proceeded to lose 8 matches between them in this period.

Munster GAA Club HURLING Intermediate Championship Roll Of Honour

Cork (4) – 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010

Clare (2) – 2006, 2007

Tipperary (1) – 2004

Limerick (2) – 2009, 2011

Munster GAA Club HURLING Intermediate Championship

List of Winning Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began 1888 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/ihclub_teams/

All Ireland GAA Club HURLING Intermediate Championship

In the Club Intermediate Hurling All Ireland Roll of Honour, Cork have secured 2 titles courtesy of Blarney