BALLINAMERE 2-8
LISDOWNEY 0-13

Ballinamere created history when becoming the first Offaly club to get their hands on the Leinster Club JHC silverware with a narrow one-point win over Lisdowney of Kilkenny in Tullamore.

Two early goals boosted the Faithful County side into an eight point lead but they had to withstand a strong second half showing from the visitors.

The game was only two minutes old when Paddy Murphy pounced for the first goal and Stephen Weir added a second three minutes later.

The Offaly intermediate champions enjoyed a 2-5 to 0-3 lead after 22 minutes as Lisdowney were held scoreless during the opening 19 minutes.

But Lisdowney soon found their groove and enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the run-up to the break and went in trailing by 0-6 to 2-5 at the halfway stage.

Five points without reply brought the visitors level with 12 minutes to go but two points from Weir put some daylight between the sides.

Rory Hickey pulled a point back for Lisdowney but time ran out for them and Ballinamere held on for a famous victory.

Ballinamere - K McLoughlin; K Molloy, E Buggy, D Spollen; D Magner, G Spollen, P McDermott; K Mealiffe, J McKeogh (0-1); P Murphy (1-3), M Murphy, M Og Buggy; D Wyer, S Weir (1-4), N Minnock. Subs: K McEvoy for M Murphy, A Scully for Minnock, J Leonard for Og Buggy.

Lisdowney - N Grogan; N O'Hara, M Phelan, N Mackey; R Fitzpatrick, S Phelan, P Bergin (0-1); P Carroll, K Sweeney (0-1); L Carroll (0-2), E Hickey, A Fogarty (0-2); R Hickey (0-6), P Bowden, E Kenny (0-1). Subs: M Kenny for Bowden, C O'Carroll for Kenny, V Fitzpatrick for E Hickey, E Delahunty for Fogarty.

Referee: D Hughes (Carlow) Tweet

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