This one went to the wire.
2024 Talbot Hotel Carlow IFC Semi Final
Kildavin/Clonegal 1-13, St Patrick’s 1-12
By Stephen Bambrick
The old cliché of “it’s a pity there had to be a loser” was probably never more apt than in this 2nd IFC Semi-Final. Half-time substitute Joe Roberts showed nerves of steel to convert a 65th-minute winning free, sending Kildavin Clonegal into the final where they will meet Fenagh.
It was Liam Roberts who opened the scoring for K/C in the 1st minute, not long before Jacko Kennedy had the sides level. A purple patch of three unanswered points from Jack O’Neill, Cathal Healy, and a Brian Byrne 45 had the Tullow men 0-4 to 0-1 ahead in the 8th minute. Byrne’s punched point in the 11th minute came either side of Alex Callaghan and Niall Hickey’s booming long-range score.
It was 0-5 to 0-3 when Gerry McGill saved Jake Nolan’s goal attempt in the 13th minute, though Dan Murphy tagged on a beautiful score from distance immediately after.
O’Neill got his second with the work all his own, running from halfway, but the tit-for-tat scoring continued. Jake Nolan’s brace (one a free) came either side of Kennedy’s second, leaving St. Patrick’s leading 0-7 to 0-6 in a game where play was going end to end continuously.
The game’s first potential suggestion of there being a clear winner came in the 24th minute when the inrushing Cian Doran gratefully palmed Ronan Byrne’s pass into the K/C net, making it 1-7 to 0-6. However, if you thought that might be the outcome, you were made to think again, as Daryl and Liam Roberts, along with Niall Hickey, all raised flags in minutes 28, 29, and 30, with the half-time score being 1-7 to 0-9.
Pauric Hickey completed the comeback with the equaliser in the 31st minute before brilliant link-up play between Byrne and Kennedy saw the latter blast off the crossbar. Some compensation was the pointed free from Jacko when play was called back, making it 1-8 to 0-10.
Only for bad luck at this stage, St. Patrick’s would have had no luck. O’Neill struck the angle of crossbar and post, while Padraig Murphy also found an upright. Kennedy twice kept the scoreboard ticking over with a brace, while Jake Nolan’s free (after Murphy was fouled) found the sides at 1-10 to 0-11 on 43 minutes.
Joe Roberts found namesake Daryl for his second, bringing the margin down to the minimum once again. Always good for a score, Craig Staunton replied, and the flying O’Neill had St. Patrick’s a full goal up on 51 minutes; a big lead in the context of the game. But that lead was extinguished when Alex Callaghan blasted past McGill, leveling it at 1-12 to 1-12 on 52 minutes.
Then, in the 57th minute, K/C were reduced to 14 with a black card for Jake Nolan out near midfield. The next play saw Ricky Byrne keep K/C in it, saving point-blank from Will Doran, who had been put clear by Dylan Hanley.
A draw looked more likely at this point, but one last chance fell for the Kildavin/Clonegal men. Daryl Roberts was fouled 35 metres out, and with free taker Jake Nolan still in the sin bin, the responsibility fell to Joe Roberts. His kick was straight and true, making it 1-13 to 1-12.
The joys of sport were illustrated here, with Willie Hickey’s side on the right side of the result, while his brother James (involved with Rower Inistioge Intermediate Hurlers) suffered penalty shootout heartbreak at the same time in Thomastown.
Kildavin/Clonegal – Ricky Byrne, Lorcan Kinsella, Niall Murphy, Gavin Byrne, Barry Hickey, Donal Hickey, Liam Roberts (0-2), Niall Hickey (0-2), Pauric Hickey (0-1), Daniel Murphy (0-1), Ciaran Scott, Alex Callaghan (1-1), Daryl Roberts (0-2), Jake Nolan (0-3, 0-2f), John Kirwan .
Subs – Paul Kelly for D Hickey (24 mins), Joe Roberts (0-1f) for Niall Murphy (half time), Philip Byrne for Kinsella (54 mins), Daniel Cronin for Daniel Murphy (60 mins)
St Patrick’s – Gerry McGill, Niall Gahan, Niall Sherry, Cian Doran (1-0), Lee Kavanagh, Ronan Byrne, Cathal Healy (0-1), Craig Staunton (0-1), Eoghan Cleary, Dylan Hanley, Jacko Kennedy (0-5, 0-2f ), Jack O’Neill (0-3), Will Doran, Brian Byrne (0-2, 0-1 45m), Padraig Murphy
Subs – Eoghan Cunnane for Byrne (49 mins), Shane Rohan for Murphy (56 mins), Jamie Ansbro for Cleary (60 mins)
Referee – Paud O’Dwyer (Palatine)
