Clonkill exact revenge on Plunkett's to claim final spot

Clonkill 2-12 St Oliver Plunkett's 0-13

Clonkill marched on to the final in a cold, breezy and drizzly Robinstown last Saturday afternoon as the visitors, who scraped by Na Piarsaigh in the quarter-final, tasted sweet revenge over St Oliver Plunkett’s. The latter prevailed in the opening round of the Division 1 minor hurling championship in July, but had to give second best here.

Plunkett’s, who trailed by five points at the interval, began the better of the two teams. Rory O’Brien found Ben McNamee, who pointed from a tight angle along the side-line from range after two minutes, while Padraig Casey slotted over a free three minutes later. Kian Loughlin’s free got Clonkill up and running to cut the deficit in the ninth minute, when moments later Hugo Corroon’s stampeding run was rewarded with a point off the stick, and Ben McNamee turned in the centre of the field to score a super point four minutes later. Clonkill’s Jake Muldoon and Plunkett’s Sean Hayes traded points, while Kian Loughlin found Jamie Kelleghan to point for Clonkill in the 17th minute. A minute later, after Ryan McNamee’s attempt to clear was foiled by Darragh Egerton, Jake Muldoon took full advantage and tapped home, while Kian Loughlin’s long-range free found the target a minute later to push Clonkill two ahead.

The second goal came for the visitors in the 23rd minute, when Padraig Monaghan showed brilliant individual strength to beat his man and fire the sliotar with conviction, power and accuracy into the net. Clonkill's lead was six by the 30th minute; William Scahill and Ben McNamee were on target for Plunkett’s, while Darragh Kenny, Luke Meyler and Kian Loughlin scored for the visitors. Padraig Casey’s ’65 in added time left Plunkett’s 2-7 to 0-8 behind at half-time.

Momentum shifted to Plunkett’s side for the opening 11 minutes of the second half. Rory O’Brien pointed twice from turnovers, while teammates Padraig Casey and Ted Aherne also scored, but Kian Loughlin’s monster free from the side-line kept Clonkill two in front. Three minutes after Plunkett’s purple patch, Clonkill tore loose: after Martin Joseph Long’s super run and point in the 44th minute, the Plunkett’s net bulged once more four minutes later when Luke Meyler turned over possession to find Darragh Kenny, who sent the sliotar flying into the far corner of the net.

Kian Loughlin registered a free a minute after that, and then collected the loose sliotar to point in the 50th minute, and in the 57th minute, Carl McCormack assisted Martin Joseph Long, who pushed Clonkill nine in front. Two minutes into added time, Ben McNamee fired over his free, yet the Clonkill defence refused to yield. The visitors have earned themselves a final against Raharney, while St Oliver Plunkett’s promising run came up just short at the penultimate stage.

Scorers - St Oliver Plunkett’s: Ben McNamee 0-4 (0-1free), Padraig Casey 0-3 (0-2frees, 0-1’65), Rory O’Brien 0-2, William Scahill, Sean Hayes, Ted Aherne and Hugo Corroon 0-1 each.

Clonkill: Kian Loughlin 0-6 (0-4frees), Darragh Kenny and Jake Muldoon 1-1 each, Padraig Monaghan 1-0, Martin Joseph Long 0-2, Jamie Kelleghan and Luke Meyler 0-1 each.

St Oliver Plunkett’s: Ryan McNamee; Charlie Foy, Mike Weir, Cillian Traynor; William Scahill, Sean Hayes, Seán Byrne; Donnacha Maguire, Ben McNamee; Padraig Casey, Rory O’Brien, Ted Aherne; Adam Buckley, Eoin Meehan, Hugo Corroon. Substitutes: Seán Daly for Adam Buckley (half-time), Hugo Sleator for Charlie Foy (54), Conor Caffrey for Hugo Corroon and Robert Hogg for Cillian Traynor (58).

Clonkill: Niall Brady; Finn Raeside, Ross Murray, Peter Conneely; Jamie Kelleghan, Jack Murtagh, Aaron Connaire; Conor Daly, Darragh Kenny; Jake Muldoon, Carl McCormack, Luke Meyler; Kian Loughlin, Darragh Egerton, Padraig Monaghan. Substitutes: Liam DeClár for Darragh Egerton (36), Martin Joseph Long for Jake Muldoon (37), Adam Kenny for Darragh Kenny (61), Beau Greene for Peter Conneely (63).

Referee: James McGrath (Turin).