Joe Hayes Cleanline West U19A Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Cashel King Cormacs 2-20 (26)
Cappawhite Gaels 2-13 (19)
Michael McCarthy at Cappawhite
It was the classic game of two halves in Golden on Wednesday evening where Cashel overcame the Cappawhite Gaels combo following a storming 2nd half. Cappa Gaels captain Cian O’Carroll won the toss and elected to play with the aid of the breeze in the 1st half. They got off to a flying start and led by three points to no score after five minutes through Conor Martin & two quickfire points from Darragh O’Hora. Ronan Connolly then opened the Cashel account with a long range free as they settled into the game. The impressive Sam Carmody had two points either side of a wonderfully pointed sideline cut from the equally impressive Cashel full forward David McGrath. After the first quarter the combo led by six points to three.
David McGrath & Ronan Connolly reduced the deficit to the minimum before Conor Martin stormed into the game scoring 1-1 in the space of thirty seconds. A long delivery into the goalmouth was let bounce on the astro turf straight up in the air and Conor was able to tap into the goals before intercepting the short puck out and pointing. With confidence sky high Cappa Gaels extended their lead to seven points through Sam Carmody & Stephen Dee. Anthony Walsh was keeping Cashel alive with two pointed frees before Conor Martin struck again for his second goal, rounding his man and kicking to the net. Brian Buckley followed up with another Cappa Gaels point. Cashel were in a lot of trouble at this point and with Ronan Connolly playing as sweeper in front of Conor Martin they weren’t getting any traction up front. Cashel needed a bit of luck and got it through Oisin O’Donoghue, his long delivery into the square deceived the Cappa Gaels keeper and it ended up in the net and Cashel received the bit of hope they needed. Cian O’Carroll and Sam Carmody rounded out the first half with points to leave eight in it at the break 2-13 to 1-08.
The second half started at pace with Cappa Gaels winning the throw in and Sam Carmody taking on the defence only to see his shot for a point drift wide. The quick puckout from the Cashel keeper was well worked up the field and David McGrath was on hand to finish to the net and within the first minute the lead was reduced to 5. Cashel would own the next 15 minutes and outscored their opponents six point to one to tie level on 17 minutes. The Gaels held tough though and a Conor Martin free had them back in front on 20 mins, however this would be their last score. Ronan Connolly, now operating at midfield, scored a point under the stand from about 70 yards that was worth the entrance fee alone Cashel led for the first time. He followed it up a minute later with a free following an incident which saw the combo reduced to 14 men. Oisin O’Donoghue, Anthony Walsh and substitute Callum Byrnes rounded out the scoring to see Cashel advance to the final to meet Golden/Kilfeacle in a repeat of the U17 West final pairing from 2021.
Cappa Gaels battled hard all through but ultimately the lack of scoring power in the 2nd half was their undoing. Tommy Costello & Conor Gantley battled gamely in defence while Sam Carmody & Cian O’Carroll had their moments in midfield especially in the 1st half. Conor Martin was a threat upfront all the time while Brian Buckley & the youngest player on the field, Sean Hayes, battled to the finish.
Cashel had all the play in the 2nd half and made their opponents pay, the two goals either side of half time being the catalyst for the comeback. Ronan Connolly had an excellent game and was ably assisted by Andrew Irwin in defence. Oisin O’Donoghue was the standout performer in midfield and the County minor helped himself to 1-3 from play. Upfront Anthony Walsh and David McGrath were thorns in the opposition sides throughout the game.
It has the makings of another excellent U19 showpiece in West Tipperary and that fixture should be known in the coming week.
Teams:
Cashel KC: Eoghan Dunne, Conall Moloney, Oisin Dwan, Colin Ryan, Brian Manton, Ronan Connolly(0-7, 0-4 frees), Andrew Irwin, Oisin O’Donoghue(1-3), Kieran O’Dwyer, Cian McGrath, Fabian Ryan, Conor O’Dwyer, Anthony Walsh(0-5, 0-3 frees, David McGrath(1-4, 0-1 sideline) & Briain O’Donoghue
Sub – Callum Byrnes(0-1) for Brian Manton.
Cappawhite Gaels: Sean O’Shea, Patrick Horan, Tommy Costello, Michael English, Faolán Doyle, Stephen Dee(0-1), Conor Gantley, Sam Carmody(0-5, 0-2 frees) & Cian O’Carroll(0-1), Darragh O’Hora(0-2), James Quinlan(0-1), Brian Buckley(0-1), Sean Hayes, Conor Martin(2-4, 1pt free) & Tristan Stokes
Sub – Kyle Walshe for Patrick Horan
Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
Ronan Connolly & David McGrath, Referee John McCormack & Cian O’Carroll. Photo: Michael McCarthy.
