AIB Leinster Club SHC: Shamrocks Ballyhale overcome spirited Clough-Ballacolla
Shamrocks Ballyhale's Niall Shortall celebrates after scoring a goal. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
AIB Leinster Club SHC Semi-Final
Shamrocks Ballyhale 1-18 Clough-Ballacolla 1-15
Shamrocks Ballyhale, 12 times AIB Leinster Club SHC winners, had to survive a huge test from Clough-Ballacolla before securing their place in next month’s provincial decider at Croke Park.
The Ballyhale side came into the game as huge favourites, but with Paddy and Adrian Mullen absent, the Laois side had the winners on the backfoot for long periods.
With just three minutes remaining on the clock, there was nothing to seperate the teams, but Shamrocks found their second wind with Darragh Corcoran, TJ Reid and Eoin Cody getting the last three points of the game as their experience told in the windup.
All looked to be on track for the Kilkenny outfit when they led 0-4 to 0-1 inside the opening 10 minutes, but Ballacolla fought for every loose ball and that tigerish attitude served them well when Lochlainn Conway found the net to give the Laois team the lead for the first time.
Stephen Bergin then added on a pair of frees to leave Willie Hyland’s team ahead on a 1-4 to 0-5 scoreline, but like they tend to do, the Shamrocks are able to get goals at vital times and when Niall Shortall netted in the 17th minute, it sparked a purple patch that saw Ronan Corcoran and TJ Reid convert two points apiece.
Points in response from Cillian Dunne and Willie Dunphy kept Ballacolla competitive though Shamrocks still remained in control with Reid and Eoin Kenneally on target before the end of the half.
The second half was a slow-burner with only four points in the opening 20 minutes as Shamrocks struggled to make their mark on the opposition with a TJ Reid free their only score in that period.
Points from Stephen Bergin and Aidan Corby kept the visitors ticking away and even though TJ and Eoin Cody extended their tallies, there was still only a puck of the ball between the teams going down the stretch.
Clough Ballacolla put in extra effort at this point and when successive scores from Willie Dunphy with two brilliant efforts and Aidan Corby levelled up matters.
Shamrocks showed their class in attack as they did enough to book their place in the final on Saturday week.
Scorers for Shamrocks Ballyhale- TJ Reid 0-10 (9fs and 1 '65), Niall Shortall 1-0, Eoin Cody, Ronan Corcoran 0-2 each, Darragh Corcoran, Brian Cody, Evan Shefflin, Eoin Kenneally 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clough Ballacolla- Stephen Bergin 0-6 (6fs), Willie Dunphy 0-4, Lochlainn Conway 1-0, Aidan Corby, Killian Dunne 0-2 each, Lee Cleere 0-1.
Shamrocks Ballyhale- Dean Mason; Killian Corcoran, Joey Holden, Brian Burtler; Eoin Kenneally, Richie Reid, Darragh Corcoran; Evan Shefflin, Ronan Corcoran; John Fitzpatrick, Eoin Cody, TJ Reid; Liam Barron, Brian Cody, Niall Shortall.
Subs: Dara Mason for Butler (HT), Finnian Shefflin for Fitzpatrick (42), Conor Phelan for Barron (63).
Clough Ballacolla- Cathal Dunne; Joseph Pearson, Darren Maher, Diarmaid Conway; Lochlainn Conway, Lee Cleere, Cormac Hogan; Aidan Corby, Kevin Mulhall; Mark Hennessy, Jordan Walshe, Robbie Phelan; Cillian Dunne, Willie Dunphy. Stephen Bergin.
Subs: Stephen Maher for L.Conway (49), Joe Corby for Mulhall (54), Padraig Brennan for Phelan (56).
Referee- Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)
