Kilskyre/Moylagh 2.14  Kildalkey 3.19 (After Extra Time)

With both Rathmolyon and Kilskyre pitches deemed unplayable following the heavy rain of the past week it was the impressive facilities in Ballinlough that played host to the final of the Billy Byrne Cup competition for Intermediate Hurling teams on Saturday last. 

The good crowd that turned out were treated to an enthralling encounter that went all the way to extra time. Kilskyre/Moylagh will surely feel that this is one that got away from them and particularly in normal time. They will argue about some refereeing decisions, 6 players starting their 2nd game in less than 24 hours but it was only scoring 5 times in the 2nd period of normal time and once in over 20 minutes of extra time, hit 14 wides in those same spells particularly 3 in the final minutes of normal time that were to prove costly. Kildalkey on the other hand fresh from their championship victories and boosted by some of their senior players were more economical with possession and while they too hit some wides their experienced and cuter team were able to dominate the extra time period and using all their guile and skill came out victors in the end.  

Tom Shine opened his and the Kilskyre/Moylagh account with a point in the 1st minute.  Kildalkey replied with a pointed free in the 5th minute. Shine then added 1.2 in a 3-minute spell, 1 point from a free and the goal after Kevin Foley intercepted a Kildalkey free to set up the goal chance.  Kildalkey then began to shake off any lethargy from their championship celebrations and hit 4 points without reply – 2 from frees - between the 9th and 15th minutes. Shine pointed from a free in the 18th minute but Kildalkey replied with a point of their own.  Shine pointed another free in the 22nd minute but Kildalkey hit 3 points in a row between the 23rd and 27th minutes to take a 1-point lead. The “home” side equalised on the 30th minute when Stephen Tierney pointed after a good Oisin McDermott pass. Shine added 2 points – 1 a free – and Ronan McGuinness added another to give Kilskyre/Moylagh a 3-point lead but another free from Kildalkey in the 34th minute left the score at 1.9 to 0.10 at the interval in favour of Kilskyre/Moylagh.

Kildalkey started the second half in determined fashion and pointed in the 1st minute after Charlie Usher brought off a fantastic save to deny what looked a certain goal. Tom Shine pointed a free in the 3rd minute to restore a 2-point lead. Kildalkey pointed from a 65 in the 4th minute after James Cooke had blocked another goal bound effort from Kildalkey.  In the 13th minute of the half Derek Doran used all his experience to engineer a penalty for Kildalkey and it was duly despatched to the net.  However, Kilskyre/Moylagh went downfield from the puckout and a James Cooke effort somehow deceived the Kildalkey goalkeeper and ended up in the net to restore a 1-point lead.  Kildalkey pointed from yet another free in the 15th minute to tie the match but 3 points from Tom Shine, Ronan McGuinness and Daire Shine between the 17th and 22nd minutes seemed to put Kilskyre/Moylagh in the driving seat.  Kildalkey then used all their experience to get 3 points in the 23rd, 27th and 28th minutes to level the match again.  Kilskyre/Moylagh had their chances in added time but some poor shooting was to let them down. They thought they had a final chance in the final minute of added time when Tom Shine appeared to be fouled as he headed for goal but no free was awarded and the match was destined for extra time.

With legs tiring on both sides, it was Kildalkey who struck first in extra time with a pointed free in the 2nd minute.They added a goal in the 4th minute to extend their lead.  Kilskyre/Moylagh appeared to be thrown a lifeline in the 9th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Tom Shine was hauled down in the square. Shine took the penalty himself but unfortunately it went narrowly wide.  Kildalkey then attacked from the puckout and netted again to extend their lead to 7 points at the break in extra time.  With both sides visibly tiring the intensity dropped in the final period of extra time. Kildalkey pointed yet another free, James Cooke replied for Kilskyre/Moylagh and in the 14th minute Kildalkey hit the final point of the game to seal an 8-point victory.

After the game Martin O’Halloran, Chair of the Meath Hurling Development Committee accompanied by Keith Byrne, son of the late Billy Byrne presented the Billy Byrne cup to the Kildalkey captain, Shane Reilly. Martin and Shane both paid tribute to Ballinlough for the excellent facilities and Martin congratulated Sean Geraghty on his selection on the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Team of the year for 2023.

Kilskyre/Moylagh: C Usher, J Connell, P Muldoon, J Boyle, L Maguire, D Shine (0.1), E Briody, J Cooke (1.1), S Geraghty, K Foley, S Tierney (0.1), O McDermott, R McGuinness (0.2), T Shine (1.9), K Og Lynch.

Subs: C Rennicks for E Briody, M Farrelly for Lynch, S Tunney for Foley, M Farrell for McDermott.

Subs in Extra Time: O McDermott for McGuinness, P Grall for Boyle, N Farrelly for M Farrelly, G Corrigan for S Tunney

Referee:  Eamon Barry

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