'We survived, that’s the important thing' - Kilworth come through bruising relegation playoff

Survival was the name of the game in Glantane on Sunday in this Cork Premier IHC playoff replay and it was the Avondhu men who had all the answers, seeing off Aghabullogue in a real bruiser that had referee Brian Murphy on his toes throughout.

Both sides went at it real hard, plenty of yellow cards, some could well have been red, but Kilworth stepped up to the plate in a titanic second half that had nine minutes of injury time.

Kilworth boss Pat O’Brien was a relieved but happy boss afterwards. “A great game of hurling in such tough conditions but I’m delighted for the lads that they got over the line.

“This is Cork championship hurling at it’s best, real cut throat. We watched Watergrasshill last night and we only lost to them by a point. Small margins.

“It was a tough game for the referee today, real hard hurling, It was also a tough week back in the village Tom Howard, our groundsman passed away as did Alan Kearney who played with us for many years.

“The win today was for them, we are still up and I think deservedly so. It has been a tough campaign. We were beaten in the final last year and here we were now battling relegation, and waiting eight weeks since the drawn game. Yes it was tough today, but we survived, that’s the important thing.” 

The perfect start for Kilworth, a fine Michael Sheehan point, but they were rocked a minute later when a fine move involving Colm Gillespie and James Foley set up Luke Casey for a fine Aghabullogue goal and it set the tone for the rest of a cracking contest.

Points from Noel McNamara and Liam Whelan soon had the winners level but with John Corkery, Gillespie and Shane Tarrant on song Aghabullogue were well up for it as they led 1-3 to 0-3 after the opening quarter.

Eoin Carey, who had a super match, and Sheehan soon put Kilworth back in the groove but it was Aghabullogue, playing with the strong wind, who had all the firing power as points from Cian Furey, two from Bradley, and one from Danny Dinneen put them 1-7 to 0-5 clear at the break.

A cracking second half, no holds barred, as points from Liam Whelan and Carey got Kilworth back on track and it got better in the 39th minute when Eoin Carey’s delicious sideline cut was flicked to the net my Leo Coffey. Two more points from Sheehan and Will Condon had Kilworth 1-9 to 1-8 ahead entering the final quarter.

And what a final quarter it was, point for point, referee really on his toes now, and then a vital and telling second Kilworth goal, Sheehan setting up Coffey for his second and Aghabullogue looked shattered.

Far from it though as a 61st minute Dineen goal had the sides level again only for Will Condon, almost from the puckouts, to steer home Kilworth’s third and their passage to safety after a real bruiser.

Scorers for Kilworth: L. Coffey 2-0, M. Sheehan 0-6 (0-5 frees), W. Condon 1-1, E. Carey 0-4, L. Whelan 0-2, N. McNamara 0-1 

Aghabullogue scorers: M. Bradley 0-7 (0-6 frees), D. Dineen 1-2, L. Casey 1-0, S. Furey, S. Tarrant, C. Furey 0-1 each.

KILWORTH: K. Heggeveit; P. Riordan, K. Lane, A. O’Hara; L. Carey, D. Twomey, M. Gowen; B. Sheehan, J. Siach; N. McNamara, E. Carey, L. Coffey; M. Sheehan, W. Condon, L. Whelan.

Subs: N. Byrne for Carey (55m), S. Keane for Coffey (57m), B. Tobin for McNamara (67m).

AGHABULLOGUE: F. Foley; T. Long, C. Timmons, B. O’Sullivan; C. Gillespie, D. Thompson, M. Dennehy; J. Corkery, C. Furey; D. Dineen, S. Furey, L. Casey; M. Bradley, S. Tarrant, J. Foley.

Sub: B. Dineen for O’Sullivan (48m).

Referee: Brian Murphy (Carrigtwohill).