JAHC R1 – Kilworth 2-19 Dromina 2-21 (AET)

In a pulsating contest on Saturday evening, that could have easily gone either way, it was Dromina who came out on top by two points after 20 minutes of extra-time had to be played to separate these two sides who have a long running history for tight, exciting games. At full time, the sides were deadlocked at 2-15 a-piece and extra-time was sounded. Although Dromina dominated the opening half, Kilworth had a three point lead heading into second half injury time. However, a three point lead is always a dangerous one and all Dromina needed was one score to level the game and that’s exactly what they got in the 31^st minute when they got inside the Kilworth defence to drill the ball home past goalkeeper Aidan O’Brien. The score line read 2-15 a-piece but there would still be some late drama in this one as two minutes later Dromina were reduced to 14 men for an off the ball incident on corner-forward Cormac Donnellan. Kilworth were awarded a free to win the game but it was a pressure free and unfortunately it went right of the post and wide. Dromina took a quick puck out and were fast to move the ball up the pitch where they also had a chance to win the game but the ball dropped into the hands of Aidan O’Brien and we were bound for extra-time.

Kilworth made a poor start to this game conceding a goal in the early stages and after just seven minutes of play we were 1-2 to 0-0 down. We trailed for all of the opening half but we got a lucky break just before half time to reduce the gap to four at the break as we scored a much needed goal through corner-forward Sean Beecher. At half time the score line read 1-9 to 1-5 and despite Dromina’s dominance this was still only a two score game. We knew we would need a good start to the second half and that’s exactly what we got after four minutes when Sean Beecher got in to score his second goal of the night following a great pass from Tom Twomey and now just two points separated the sides. Cormac Donnellan reduced the gap to one a minute later when he landed a 65 straight over the bar. This led for an exciting final 15 minutes. The opposition pulled the lead back out to three points but Kilworth never gave up and they worked hard to level this game through points from Cormac Donellan and Sean Beecher and then stepped up Brian Tobin who put us ahead for the first time in the game in the 50^th minute to leave the score line reading 1-13 to 2-11. Cormac tapped on another two points, one from a free and one from play to put us three points clear. We dominated the closing stages of this game and it looked like the win would be ours but we know from past experience that the game isn’t over until the final whistle blows and injury time in this game proved to be crucial as Dromina levelled the game and sent it to extra-time where they were back to 15 players once again following the late sending off.

Extra-time began and similar to the first half of normal time, it was Dromina who dominated the first ten minutes, outscoring Kilworth 0-3 to 0-1 and so at half-time of extra time, we trailed by two, 2-18 to 2-16. Our lads came back fighting in the second half and we levelled the game when Tom Twomey popped over his first point of the game following earlier points from Cormac Donnellan to leave the score board reading 2-19 a-piece. We had chances to go ahead and win out this game but it was Dromina who dug deep to win it by two points in the end, 2-21 to 2-19. We wish them the best of luck in the next round.

This was a disappointing result as we had our chances to win it but no player could be faulted for the great effort the put in. They fought hard and played some great hurling over the 80 minutes and to score 2-19 and still lose says a lot about the game. We used a total of 20 players on the night and it’s great to have that many players available for our second team. Training with the intermediates is standing to them and there is no doubt the boys will learn from this and they will be back again. Kilworth now await the losers of Newtownshandrum and Ballygiblin and that game is likely to be played between July 1^st and July 8^th.

Team & Scorers: Aidan O’Brien, Shane Keane, John Horgan, Brien Roche, Chris Kenny, Will Twomey, Damien McNamara, Dion Cahill (0-1), Jason Twomey, Ciaran Gowen, Brian Tobin (0-2), Jason McCarthy, Tom Twomey (0-1), Sean Beecher (2-2), Cormac Donnellan (0-11). Subs Used: Michael O’Callaghan, Justin Aherne (0-2), Jamie Kenneally, James Moakley and Daniel O’Regan.