‘A sickening blow’ as crestfallen Kilbrittain hurlers pay the penalty in shoot-out

Kilbrittain 0-24                                    

Glen Rovers 1-21

(Glen Rovers win 3-0 on pens aet)

JOHN MURPHY REPORTS

‘A SICKENING blow’ – that is how Kilbrittain boss Jamie Wall described their cruel exit from the Co-op Superstores Premier Junior Hurling Championship.

After an incredible quarter-final tussle with Glen Rovers in Ovens, which included extra-time, it all boiled down to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Less than 24 hours after the Glen lost their senior hurling status, a record that stretched back 97 years, their second string delivered the goods to knock Kilbrittain out.

Kilbrittain's Philip Wall offloads the ball under pressure from Glen Rovers' Adam Lordan.
(Photos: Paddy Feen)

If they ever erect another statue in Blackpool, shot-stopper Ben Heffernan will surely be in line for the honour. Not only did he save three blockbusters from Ross Cashman, Mark Hickey and Aaron Holland, he sealed his side’s win with a third goal after Colin Dorris and Evan Murphy had billowed the net with the first two penalties.

But spare a thought for Kilbrittain, making their fourth consecutive penultimate stage appearance, but coming up short.

‘It is a sickening blow,’ Wall admitted, ‘but if you don’t win the game in normal or extra-time this is what can happen. We can have no complaints, but that goal the Glen got was crucial.’

Glen Rovers' Fiachra O'Driscoll and Kilbrittain's Bertie Butler tussle over the ball.

The action was frenetic from first to last with the incredible dead-ball marksmanship of Mark Hickey and Conor Dorris marked features. The points flowed like confetti from early on, as Lee Quilligan, Shane Busteed, Conor Dorris and Conor Ustianowski traded scores for fun. A searing solo dash by Seán Sexton saw Declan Harrington win a free, and Hickey obliged. The latter, Butler and Josh O’Donovan had three on the bounce, but by the interval the uncanny accuracy of Dorris had reeled Kilbrittain in, all square at the break, 0-7 to 0-7.

It was tit for tat for much of the third quarter, Ross Cashman converting a mammoth free from distance as a purple patch by Kilbrittain saw Philip Wall hit two stunning long-range points. The Black and Amber were still to the good, 0-17 to 0-15, by the 57th minute. Then the defining moment arrived. An astute delivery by Dorris saw Shane Busteed force the ball home in a crowded goalmouth. In fairness to the Seasiders, they hung in and a fabulous Maurice Sexton white flag augmented by another Hickey free saw it all tied up at the end of normal time, 1-16 to 0-19.

Dorris and Hickey continued to play leading roles, and at the end of extra-time it looked like Kilbrittain had shot their bolt, but substitute Conor Moloney and Conor Ustianowski saved the day with two superb points, 1-21 to 0-24. Then came the heroics in the shootout by Ben Heffernan that knocked Kilbrittain out.

Scorers

Glen Rovers: C Dorris 0-13 (13f); S Busteed 1-2; R Dunne, L Quilligan 0-2 each; C O’Sullivan, B Heffernan 0-1 (f) each.

Kilbrittain: M Hickey 0-11 (10f, 1 65); C Ustianowski, P Wall, M Sexton (1f) 0-3 each; B Butler, J O’Donovan, C Moloney, R Cashman (f) 0-1 each.

Glen Rovers: B Heffernan; G Marshall, B Murphy, E Varian; J Mulcahy, F O’Driscoll, C O’Sullivan; G Kennefick, D Coughlan; D Murphy, R Dunne, A Lordan; S Busteed, C Dorris, L Quilligan.

Subs: E Murphy for A Lordan (ht), D Gulcahy for D Murphy (43), C Martin for J Mulcahy (52), O O’Neill for G Kennefick (52).

Kilbrittain: A Holland; C Sheehan, N O’Donovan, J Hurley; R Cashman, T Harrington, M Sexton; S Sexton, T Sheehan; B Butler, D Harrington, J O’Donovan; P Wall, C Ustianowski, M Hickey.

Subs: C Moloney for C Sheehan (44), S Shorten for B Butler (46), C Hogan for D Harrington (et), D Harrington for S Shorten (et), B Butler for S Sexton (et).

Referee: A O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers).