Aghabullogue & Kilshannig in Final replay of McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC;

Preview by Denis Hurley (The Echo)

The 2022 Co-op SuperStores Premier IHC final went to a replay and last year’s senior A hurling decider did so too, while the 2020 premier senior hurling final – the first year of the new championship system – went to extra time.

In contrast, however, the first four years since the restructuring had not required a second day out in any of the top four (2020-22 inclusive) or five (2023 onwards) football grades – a total of 17 finals, with the Premier JFC and IAFC deciders last weekend producing winners before Aghabullogue and Kilshannig played out a draw.

With such a quick turnaround time, there will have been little for the two clubs to do this week beyond recovery and so a close game should surely be in prospect once more. Ideally, it would be of the same quality as the drawn match, where both sides approached the game positively, making for an entertaining hour of football.

As with any draw, each side will have a feeling that they should have won but, equally, they will surely know that it would not have taken a lot to have ended up on the losing side.

While the majority of the first half was even, points from John Corkery and Pádraic O’Sullivan sent Aghabullogue in at half-time with a 0-7 to 0-5 lead and the Coachford side then looked set to push on in the second half.

They had moved 0-10 to 0-7 in front by the time Corkery struck for a goal and a six-point lead, but Kilshannig were never going to allow their challenge to peter out, certainly not in a final.

Four points in a row, two each from Darragh O’Sullivan and Diarmuid O’Sullivan, were the immediate response to the setback and then Alan O’Connell’s goal had them in front before Éanna O’Hanlon’s point left two in it.

But Aghabullogue came again – David Thompson halved the lead and then Corkery levelled, 1-12 each, before Aaron O’Sullivan and Luke Casey had them in the driving seat as the clock moved into the red.

And yet, Kilshannig would not relent. Twice, Darragh O’Sullivan was called upon to kick pressure frees and twice he delivered, ensuring that the sides would have to do it all over again.

The winners – and one of the teams will be lifting the trophy this evening – will go straight into an AIB Munster Club IFC clash next weekend against the Limerick champions. Whichever it is should be well primed.

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