Coill Dubh produce comeback for the ages to reach SHC semi-final

UPMC SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTÉR-FINAL 

COILL DUBH 3-19 CELBRIDGE 3-17 

Gritty Coill Dubh brought all of their experience to bear as they battled back from a ten-point deficit to edge out Celbridge at the death in a thrilling UPMC Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final at Manguard Park.

With the wind at their backs a Celbridge side with Niall Ó Muineacháin sweeping superbly, Oisín Lynam and Alan Goss dominant at midfield and Gerry Keegan accurate as ever up front, seemed to have put enough between the sides when reaching half-time nine points ahead (3-11 to 1-8).

They stretched that advantage to ten points four minutes into the second half but only managed four more points as Coill Dubh, with veterans Mark Delaney, Éanna O’Neill, Declan Flaherty and Johnny Byrne showing the way, battled back bravely.

With Delaney finding his range with a clutch of long-range points, O’Neill brought them right back into it with a 43rd minute goal to leave only four between them and with seven minutes left Conor Carew’s fourth point further reduced the gap to two.

Keegan responded with a ’65 but Celbridge lost their composure somewhat, albeit under intense pressure, and substitute David Daly saw red three minutes from the end for a high challenge on Delaney.

Delaney picked himself up and drove the resultant free into the Celbridge goalmouth and with goalkeeper Fiachra Ó Muineacháin only able to bat it back out from under his crossbar, Flaherty was on hand to finish to the net.

That made it 3-17 apiece with only two minutes remaining, the sides level for the first time since the Andrew McNiffe had opened Celbridge’s account in the opening minute.

Extra-time looked a distinct possibility, but Delaney fired over a 60th minute ’65 to send Coill Dubh ahead and after Celbridge went down to 13 men with Neil Ó Muineacháin becoming their second play sent to the line for an off-the-ball incident, the winners punished them further with Byrne rounding off the scoring three minutes into injury time.

It was an outcome that few would have predicted as a voracious Celbridge dominated the opening half. They raced into a 1-7 to 0-2 lead within ten minutes with Ben Elliott firing to the net for the first of his two goals.

Coill Dubh hit back with a superb Byrne goal from an acute angle on 18 minutes but Elliott’s second green flag four minutes later, followed by their third on the stroke of half-time from McNiffe, seemed to put the North-East border side firmly in the driving seat.

That didn’t take account of the spirit and know-how of their experienced opponents, though, and Coill Dubh used all of those traits to fashion a remarkable win and earn a place in the semi-finals where they face the daunting challenge of seven-in-a-row chasing Naas.

COILL DUBH: Oisín Corboy; Jamie Kenna, Dylan Brereton, Conor Gordon; John Dee, Mark Grace, Fionn Moran; Enda Keane, Mark Delaney 0-9 (2fs,1’65); Éanna O’Neill 1-2, Declan Flaherty 1-1, Seán Dunne; Colm Gordon 0-1, Johnny Byrne 1-2, Conor Carew 0-4 (1f). Subs: Sean McLoughlin for Dunne 60+3.

CELBRIDGE: Fiachra Ó Muineacháin; Jack O’Brien, Niall Ó Muineacháin, Odhran Conaty; Seán Mimnagh, Colman O’Donovan, Michael Owens; Oisín Lynam 0-3, Alan Goss; Cian Degrieck, Ben Elliott 2-0, Seán Gleeson; James Dolan 0-2, Gerry Keegan 0-9 (3fs,1’65), Andrew McNiffe 1-2. Subs: Kevin Murphy 0-1 for Degrieck 25, Cian McGrath for McNiffe 51, David Daly for Dolan 55.

REFEREE: Killian Jones.