St Finbarr's come from six down to draw with Killeagh in minor hurling final
Killeagh’s Jay Geary scores his side's goal in their Cork ETB Premier 2 MHC clash with St Finbarr's at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Chani Anderson
It ended all square between Killeagh and St Finbarr’s in their Cork ETB Premier 2 MHC final clash at Páirc Ui Rinn on Monday night.
The Barrs can thank their Cork minor Liam O’Regan who scored an injury-time goal from a free before Alex O’Herlihy got the equalising point to send it to a replay. They trailed 1-13 to 0-10 coming down the stretch but finished with a flourish.
Both sides missed chances to take the lead before CJ Barrett scored from a free for the Barrs after six minutes. Andrew Brenner replied for Killeagh from the restart to make it 0-1 each. Three minutes later, Killeagh went in front when Ben Geary was on target.
He scored again a minute later to make it 0-3 to 0-1 in Killeagh’s favour. The Barrs were guilty of a few wides you expect them to score from, as well as dropping the ball short on several occasions.
Cormac Deane extended Killeagh’s lead before Harry McTernan got the Barrs second point after 12 minutes. Geary replied from a free for Killeagh to make it 0-6 to 0-2.
Barrett got his second, as did Brenner for Killeagh to keep three between them, before Charlie Kelleher scored for the Barrs to make it a two-point game.
Two from Cormac Delaney stretched Killeagh’s lead, with Barrett again scoring from a 65 to keep his side in contention.
Cathal Brennan scored a magnificent point from distance out near the sideline for Killeagh, with Barrett again replying, to make it 0-9 to 0-6 after 25 minutes.
Geary pointed a 65 for Killeagh with Killian McCabe replying for the Barrs to see the former lead by 0-10 to 0-7 at half time.
Barrett got the first score after the restart, from a free, to put two between the sides.
The first real goal chance came after 37 minutes when Deane and Brenner combined to play John Farquhar in, but David Clarke O’Mahony saved superbly to deny him. A minute later, and Clarke O’Mahony made another top-class save, this time denying Geary a green flag, as it remained 0-11 to 0-8.
Another free from Barrett reduced the deficit with 10 minutes remaining before Killeagh struck a killer blow.
A long ball in was collected by Ben Geary, and his pass found his brother Jay to make it 1-12 to 0-10.
Jay Geary added a point, but the Barrs hit back, with Kelleher scoring to make it 1-13 to 0-12 with five minutes to go.
Credit to the Barrs they kept going, and in the third minute of injury-time O’Regan goaled from a free to put only one between them. With the last shot of the tie O’Herlihy pointed to see it end level as they have to meet again at the weekend in the replay.
CJ Barrett 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), L O'Regan 1-0 f, C Kelleher, J Martin 0-2 each, H McTernan, K McCabe, A O’Herlihy 0-1 each.
B Geary 0-6 (0-5 f, 0-1 65), J Geary 1-1, A Brenner, C Delaney 0-2 each, C Deane, C Brennan.
D Clarke-O’Mahony; C Garvey, R Dunne, S Gabriel; L O’Regan, D McGuirk, E Burke; K McCabe, C Kelleher; H McTernan, C Herlihy, J Martin; E Naughton, CJ Barretta, A O’Herlihy.
E Murphy McKeown for E Naughton (45), S Fleming Byrne for S Gabriel (60).
E Deane; P Dineen, R O’Connor, A Howey; D McCarthy, C Deane, C Brennan; B Guerin, A Brenner; C Delaney, A Fogarty, John Farquhar; Jack Farquhar, B Geary, J Geary.
R O’Riordan for B Guerin (ht), C Lawton for J Farquhar (55).
Shane Scanlon, Newcestown.
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