Williams and co edge into U19 decider
U19 Division 1 hurling championship semi-final: Na Piarsaigh 2-13, Clonkill 2-11
Super sub Callum Burns batted home the decisive goal as Na Piarsaigh upstaged Clonkill to win this U19 Division 1 Hurling Championship semi-final at Clonkill last Saturday.
Burns’ strike five minutes into added time gave the Lough Lene Gaels/Turin combination a narrow victory in what was a keenly contested semi-final as they recovered impressively from being five points adrift in the first half.
Na Piarsaigh led by 1-5 to 1-4 at the break and their resilience was well and truly tested when Clonkill scored 1-4 in a 10-minute second half blitz to take control; the home side were still a point ahead deep in injury-time before Burns scored a dramatic winning goal.
Na Piarsaigh will now face Raharney in the final, the latter defeating Castletown Geoghegan in Saturday’s other semi-final.
There was no shortage of intensity in this semi-final clash as Na Piarsaigh took the lead through a David Williams free in the second minute. The unerring Williams was hugely influential with nine precious points on the day. Clonkill equalised when Ciaran Nooney converted a free and a fine point from Senan O’Driscoll, who cut infield and fired over, had the home side ahead for the first time on 10 minutes.
After Williams (free) shot over, O’Driscoll showed good strength to fend off the tackles and find the net for the first goal of this semi-final – Craig Neville’s partial save not enough to keep the ball out. Nooney added a brace of frees to make it 1-4 to 0-2 in Clonkill’s favour after 24 minutes.
Na Piarsaigh, who were without the injured Sean Leech, finished the first half in dominant form and an unanswered 1-3 gave them control at the break. Williams started this productive period with a point from play, while Conor Leech then shot over; a Williams free was followed by a well-taken Daniel Buckley goal on the half hour mark, his crisp strike from 10 metres giving Scott Murray no chance.
The visitors extended their lead with a Cian Reilly point a minute after the restart, but a Nooney free ensured Clonkill remained well in contention. Na Piarsaigh hit a brace of crucial points at this stage, with Williams converting a free and midfielder Dara Smith shooting a terrific score from play. They led by 1-9 to 1-5 when Leech scored a 42nd minute point, following Buckley's pass - the shot adjudged to be marginally inside the upright.
Clonkill were in need of a response and it duly arrived. Powerful centre forward Oisín Murray surged through the opposing defence and set up Robbie Cleary for a second Clonkill goal.
Williams, with a free from midfield, kept Na Piarsaigh two points in front at this stage, but Clonkill were relentless and Cleary’s free was followed by an Oisín Murray point. O’Driscoll’s searching ball across the danger area found Oisín Murray, who shot over again, while a Jack Murtagh minor put the home side two points ahead after 53 minutes.
Na Piarsaigh battled fiercely and Williams shot two vital points from frees to level matters (2-9 to 1-12) by the 56th minute. Goalkeeper Scott Murray, with a superb strike from a long-range free, and Williams (free) then traded points as this gripping semi-final remained in the balance. Clonkill looked to have edged it when Nooney’s free gave them the lead three minutes into added time, but Na Piarsaigh had other ideas.
Midfielder Dara Smith sent an inviting ball across the face of goal and Callum Burns was lurking at the back post where he pounced to belt the ball to the Clonkill net for the winning goal.
Clonkill applied late pressure in search of a major, but Oisín Murray’s free, from a difficult position, was sent wide in the closing moments.
Na Piarsaigh will now take on Raharney in the U19 Division 1 hurling final.
Scorers – Na Piarsaigh: D Williams 0-9 (8f), D Buckley and C Burns 1-0 each, C Leech 0-2, C Reilly and D Smith 0-1 each. Clonkill: C Nooney 0-5f, S O’Driscoll and R Cleary (0-1f) 1-1 each, O Murray 0-2, Jack Murtagh and S Murray (free) 0-1 each.
Na Piarsaigh: Craig Neville; Alex Mills, Kevin Hogan, Declan McGrath; Daniel Hogan, Oisín Dolan, Oisín L’Estrange; Jack Geoghegan, Dara Smith; Cian Reilly, David Williams, Ciaran Kiernan; Conor Heffernan, Daniel Buckley, Conor Leech. Sub: Callum Burns for Heffernan (49).
Clonkill: Scott Murray; Karl McCormack, Josh Murtagh, Scott Murtagh; Riley Sheahan, Rian Holding, Ciaran Egerton; Oisín Loughlin, Brian Gaffney; Jack Murtagh, Oisín Murray, Ciaran Nooney; Robbie Cleary, Sean McKeon, Senan O’Driscoll. Sub: Nathan Sleator for McKeon (inj., 39).
Ref: Jimmy Greville (Castlepollard).