Coláiste Bhaile  Chláir 1-21

Kilkenny CBS 0-20

By Niall McIntyre in Banagher

A late Ronan Duggan goal sparked jubilant scenes among the Coláiste Bhaile Chláir contingent in Banagher last Friday as they came from behind to stun Kilkenny CBS in a rip-roaring Croke Cup quarter final.

Coláiste Bhaile Chláir showed bags of determination and no shortage of skill to come back from five points down on the stroke of half-time to deservedly book their place in the All-Ireland semi-final against Thurles CBS.

Throw-in was delayed an hour due to the heavy morning rainfall in Banagher but the game was worth waiting for, delivering in spades on a pitch that held up well in the circumstances.

There were brilliant catches and eye-catching scores, a disputed point and even a change of goalkeepers in a game that had everything, but Coláiste Bhaile Chláir were ultimately deserving winners.

Matthew and Eoin Collins, and Gearoid King were inspirational for them as they outfought and out thought their much vaunted opponents, who only lost to St Kieran’s College on penalties in the Leinster final.

Kilkenny CBS raced into an early lead but they faded badly in a second half where they failed to score from play, with Coláiste Bhaile Chláir completely taking over the game.

Claregalway got the first score of the day with Eoin Collins converting a free won by Ben Morley from the throw-in. But Kilkenny CBS hit the next five points in a row, with Niall Drennan and the lively Ollie O’Donovan to the fore.

The Kilkenny CBS ‘ultras’ tried to put Eoin Collins off but he held his nerve to slot a ninth minute free. But a stunner from the rampaging Patrick Lacey moved the Kilkenny side 0-7 0-2 in front by the tenth minute, with things looking daunting for Claregalway who were under pressure at the back.

But they fought their way admirably out of this bind with Cormac Feeney and Jack Kelly scoring from play before Eoin Collins nailed another free, having caught his second puck-out of the day in the action of winning it.

Kilkenny minor Ollie O’Donovan continued to cause problems for the Claregalway school, scoring this time from an acute angle before corner forward Cormac Feeney sniped two of his own in quickfire fashion in response.

Pictured: Jack Kelly of Colaiste Bhaile Chláir is about to secure possession against Kilkenny CBS’s Oisin Henderson during Friday’s All-Ireland PPS Senior A hurling quarter-final in Banagher. Photos: Joe O’Shaughnessy.