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kilkennyobserver.ie
The Kilkenny Observer Friday 28 January 2022
Hurling matters
Sport
Joey’s Ball - Joey Holden takes possession
BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Semi-Final Shamrocks Ballyhale 2-15 St Thomas’ (Galway) 0-20 Semple Stadium, Thurles, Sunday 23rd January 2022
WE’LL come back to the start later. Extra time loomed. The sides were deadlocked. We were now in 3 minutes of additional time. The Clare referee awarded yet another free to the Connacht champions. Conor Cooney slotted it over, as he had done for most of the preceding 60 minutes. One minute later, another free. This time Cooney rifled it over from his own half. St Thomas’ now 2 points up going into the last minute of the signaled three. Ballyhale launched the ball into the danger zone. Adrian Mullen tried to gain possession; the ball broke to TJ who was wrestled to the ground by the opposition full-back, Fintan Burke. 62.47 on the clock. TJ picked himself up and went into his ‘free-taking mode’. The referee indicated that there were about 30 seconds remaining to the Kilkenny legend. Roughly 22 metres out, on the angle to the right of the St Thomas’ goal, TJ struck a fierce shot that rocketed to the back of the net past a plethora of bodies. Game over. Shamrocks Ballyhale through to the AIB AllIreland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final. Let’s rewind about 60-odd minutes. Shamrocks took to the Semple stadium turf minus star midfielder Ronan Corcoran, missing out through injury. It was a midfield pairing of Paddy Mullen and Conor Phelan that lined up in the engine room for James O’Connor’s side as they began their quest to reach a third club final in a row. Ballyhale also welcomed back Joe Cuddihy following his recent suspension. From the throw-in, Shamrocks attacked. Richie Reid pumped a long searching ball into the opposition full-back line where Eoin Cody took possession and headed for goal, before his effort was smothered away by a scrambling St Thomas’ defence. From the puck-out, the ball made its way to young wing forward Eanna Burke who fired over a nice point from out on the right for the games first score. The same player doubled his account on 4 minutes, when he took a nice pass before popping over the ball over the bar. Following a sloppy restart, Brendan Farrell took full advantage and split the posts to give his side a 3-point lead. St Thomas’ were playing with great hunger and desire as they hunted down their more illustrious opponents with steely determination. The dangerous Eanna Burke then won a free which Conor Cooney popped over with ease to extend the Galway sides lead. It would be the eighth minute before the Leinster champions opened their account, courtesy of a point from TJ Reid after a nice catch and turn. The Connacht champions responded immediately when Paddy Mullen was adjudged to have fouled his man. Cooney slotted the placed ball to restore his teams 4-point lead. This appeared to stir Shamrocks into action, as the Kilkenny side hit four on the bounce. First up was Eoin Cody. The Young Hurler of the Year, two years running, picked up the ball out on the left wing and swung over a lovely point. Moments later, the same player took a sideline cut and found TJ with an excellent delivery. TJ laid his pass off to the on-running Joe Cuddihy who fired over an excellent point. From the next passage of play, TJ again picked out Cuddihy on the right and the No. 21 duly obliged by slotting his effort over the bar. Seconds later, Eoin Cody emerged from a scrimmage and showed unbelievable skill and poise before registering the equalising score and undoubtably the best point of the game to date with 13 minutes gone. Kenneth Burke’s side hit back with a well worked score from CONTINUED >>>
Colin Fennelly grits his teeth
The Late Late Show! TJ strikes at the death to send Shamrocks to Croker
