Kinnitty snatch deserved draw with last gasp goal as Shinrone pay price for unconvincing display

KINNITTY snatched a dramatic draw with almost the last puck of the game in a Senior Hurling Championship tie that only sprang to life in the second half and even then, only in fits and starts, at Birr on Saturday evening.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 2

Kinnitty 1-15

Shinrone 1-15

Centre back Paddy Delaney was their hero as he pulled hard and true on a Odhran Kealey free six minutes into injury time, two over the announced four, as the 2023 champions failed to close it out in their first outing.

It was a great result for Kinnitty after shocking Belmont in the first round and they deserved it for the heart and battling qualities they showed. Shinrone contributed to their own problems as they failed to put their opponents away when they were on the ropes, hitting a couple of injury time wides, the second a good chance for sub Adam Landy, that would have sealed it and left Delaney's late strike immaterial.

Shinrone will wonder at the extra two minutes played but there had been a stoppage in the injury time as Kinnitty fought for their lives. It has been a great start to the year by Kinnitty and no one could have predicted that they would have three points on the board after two of their toughest games in the most competitive of the two groups.

Shinrone played a lot of hurling not to win but it was a disjointed, less than convincing display by them and they certainly looked ring rusty.

It was a fairly pedestrian game for long periods and Shinrone struggled to find top gear with the wind on their backs in the first half. They led by 0-4 to 0-2 and 0-5 to 0-3 after 12 and 19 minutes but Kinnitty made life so difficult for them as they fought tigerishly for everything.

Points from Conor Hardiman and an Odhran Kealey free got Kinnitty onto terms by the 23^rd minute but Shinrone struck for 1-2 without reply in the next three minutes. The goal was a great finish by Declan Cleary as they went 1-7 to 0-5 ahead. Kinnitty did well to steady the ship from here and a 1-8 to 0-8 half time deficit left them very much in the hunt with the wind to come in the second half.

Three quick fire points put Shinrone 1-11 to 0-8 ahead after six minutes of the second half but again, they failed to build on it, falling asleep and allowing Kinnitty to hang in there. It was 1-12 to 0-9 after 42 minutes and Kinnitty found their best form in the next fifteen minutes.

Battling for everything, they played their best hurling and five points without reply brought it back to a point, 0-14 to 1-12 with three minutes left. Aodhan Kealey, Conor Hardiman and James Hardiman got points from play in this spell and they almost got in for a goal with a stunning tackle from Darren Crean denying Odhran Kealey in the 52^nd minute.

A Donal Morkan free settled Shinrone and DJ McLoughlin added his third point to restore a three point lead. Odhran Kealey (free) and Paul Cleary exchanged points to leave three in it as it went into injury time before Delaney rescued Kinnitty with that last gasp goal after Kealey lobbed in the free.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Conor Hardiman (Kinnitty): There were a lot of players who performed at a similar level and Conor Hardiman gets the nod for a very productive hour in the Kinnitty attack. Three points was a good return from a no nonsense Shinrone defence and he won good ball, assisting in other scores. James Hardiman and Paddy Delaney impressed in defence for a refreshingly honest Kinnitty side while Danny Flanagan did a lot of very good things.

Darren Crean, Dara Maher, Luke Watkins, DJ McLoughlin and Paul Cleary caught the eye for Shinrone on a day in which they may have played just about well enough to have won but didn't truly click and have no complaints at the result. And while Shinrone may have been fractionally the better side, Kinnitty would have looked back on it as a missed opportunity had they lost and a draw was a fair outcome.

THE SCORERS

Shinrone: Paul Cleary 0-4, Declan Cleary 1-0, DJ McLoughlin 0-3, Sean Cleary, Killian Sampson (1 '65') and Eoin Bailey-O'Brien 0-2 each, Eamonn Cleary (f) and Donal Morkan (f) 0-1 each.

Kinnitty: Odhran Kealey 0-5 (5f), James Hardiman 0-4 (3f), Paddy Delaney 1-0, Conor Hardiman 0-3, Danny Flanagan, Aodhan Kealey and Shane Kinsella (sideline) 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

SHINRONE: Eamonn Cleary; Peter Cleary, Michael Cleary, Darren Crean; Darragh Landy, Dara Maher, Jason Sampson; Luke Watkins, Joe Cleary; Killian Sampson, DJ McLoughlin, Declan Cleary; Paul Cleary, Sean Cleary, Eoin Bailey-O'Brien. Subs – Donal Morkan for Declam Cleary (41m), Adam Landy for Bailey-O'Brien (43m), Declan Cleary for Killian Samspon (53m), Eoin Bailey-O'Brien for Morkan (65m).

KINNITTY: Niall Corrigan; Willie Molloy, Paddy Rigney, Patrick Dooley; James Hardiman, Paddy Delaney, Brian Coughlan; Danny Flanagan, Shane Ryan; Conor Meaney, Peadar Robionson, Aodhan Kealey; Shane Kinsella, Conor Hardiman, Odhran Kealey. Subs – James Dempsey for Meaney (38m), Eoghan Callaghan for Peadar Robinson (38m), Cathal Robinson for Ryan (38m).

Referee – Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan is one of the best hurling referees in the county and he refereed it fairly. He didn't seem to be fully on his game here but did most things well and wasn't the reason either side won or lost – there was additional time to be played over the four minutes injury time, though two minutes may have been pushing it a small bit.

Kinnitty's very steady corner back Patrick Dooley got treatment late in the first half while in the second half their goalie Niall Corrigan got treatment for an incident that saw both Eoin Bailey-O'Brien and Jason Sampson yellow carded. Under the new rules, a player is okay to stay on if treated for a serious injury, as deemed by the referee, but must go to the sideline until the next break in play otherwise. It is hard to judge the seriousness of injuries from the stand and the referee is the man on the spot but you could argue that Dooley should have went off briefly while Corrigan received a decent slap and was definitely hurt – the Killeigh man was dealing with something on the sideline while Dooley received treatment and it was not clear if he summoned on the physio.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Paddy Delaney's equalising goal was the big moment here.

VENUE WATCH

The Birr pitch held up well for this, the second fixture in a double bill, and the game was well hosted. After a brief miss for the first round clash between St Rynagh's and Coolderry, Birr once again made team announcements and changes.

WHAT'S NEXT

Shinrone face Ballinamere in round 3 while Kinnitty have a bye.

STATISTICS

Wides: Shinrone – 11 (7 in first half); Kinnitty - 9 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Shinrone – 3 (Jason Sampson, Eoin Bailey-O'Brien, Michael Cleary); Kinnitty – 1 (James Dempsey).

Red cards: 0.