Extra time goal ensures Ringtown bow out of Leinster

AIB Leinster Club junior hurling championship quarter-final: Black and Whites (Kilkenny) 2-20, Ringtown 0-17

It took the guts of eighty minutes before Ringtown irreparably lost their way in this hum-dinger of a Leinster Club JHC quarter-final against Kilkenny’s Blacks and Whites at TEG Cusack Park on Saturday (yesterday).

Having played out a thrilling draw against the Marble County junior champions, the Westmeath intermediate kingpins were four points down but still in with a shout at the start of the second period of extra time.

Then, Blacks and Whites forward Jamie Byrne struck for the Milltown side’s all-important second goal, and this finally killed off the game as a contest.

This tie was always expected to be close; after their competitive preliminary round against Longford’s Clonguish Gaels, Ringtown had an extra game under their belts against a side who hadn’t played since their county final three weeks ago.

Blacks and Whites looked sharper after the first half, leading 1-9 to 0-7 at half-time following an early goal from Sam Byrne.

The tie was closer than the scoreline suggested however, with Ringtown well up for the challenge and missing a couple of goal chances.

In the second half, the pendulum swung the way of the Whitehall men, who went on a 0-8 to 0-2 scoring run to put them a point ahead as late as the 59th minute.

However, the Kilkenny outfit equalised and took the lead, before Mark Cunningham – who finished the game with 0-8 for Ringtown – conjured a last-gasp equaliser.

Blacks and Whites emerged for extra time a sharper and more determined side, and outclassed Ringtown in extra time (1-7 to 0-2), with Byrne’s goal the killer blow.

Scorers – Blacks and Whites: R Murphy 0-13 (8f, 1 ’65’), Jamie Byrne 1-2, S Byrne 1-1, P Murphy, S Doyle, Jason Byrne and A Foley 0-1 each. Ringtown: M Cunningham 0-8 (3f, 2 ’65s’), J Moran (frees) and E Corrigan 0-3 each, C Moran 0-2, L Moore 0-1.

Blacks and Whites: Keelin O’Grady; Joe Kelly, Michael ‘Crow’ Moloney, Tommy Joyce; Ian Foley, Aidan O’Dowd, Niall Kennedy; Paul Murphy, Martin Kelly; Emmet Foley, John ‘Nipper’ Lennon, Jamie Byrne; Sam Byrne, Ryan Murphy, Seanán Doyle. Subs used: Aaron Foley for E Foley (43), Daire Murphy for T Joyce (46), Edward Murphy for Lennon (50), Jason Byrne for M Kelly (56), Killian Phelan for S Byrne (15, e-t), Michael ‘Mo’ Moloney for I Foley (16, e-t), Padraig Joyce for J Kelly (17, e-t).

Ringtown: Pat Burke; Niall Moran, Shane Murtagh, Tommy Daniels; Charles Flynn, Darren Kilcoyne, Ryan Moore; Mark Cunningham, Ciaran Moran; Ryan McAuley, Emmet Corrigan, James Boylan; Johnny Hardman, Luke Moore, Sean Boylan. Subs used: Jason Moran for S Boylan (h-t), Jack McMahon for Flynn (inj., 41), Feidhlim Burke for J Boylan (49), Conor O’Grady for McAuley (6, e-t), S Boylan for J Moran (9, e-t).

Ref: Derek Ryan (Meath).

Footnote: Prior to the throw-in, a minute’s silence was observed for the late Fr Colm Murtagh, retired parish priest of Kildalkey, Co. Meath, who had strong connections to the Ringtown club.