Coill Dubh send Leixlip down as SHC knockout stages are confirmed

COILL DUBH 2-15 LEIXLIP 0-16 

Second half goals by Mark Delaney and Jamie Kenna helped Coill Dubh come from behind and claim the win that preserves their Senior Hurling Championship status, while relegating Leixlip in the process.

Things didn’t look good Coill Dubh when they trailed a Darragh Melville inspired Leixlip 0-8 to 0-7 despite playing with the advantage of a strong wind but Paddy Kelly’s team upped the intensity all over the field after the half time break and duly got their reward.

Delaney fired home the first goal in the 37th minute and Kenna followed that three minutes later and the result was never really in doubt after that.

To have any chance of avoiding an immediate return to the Senior B grade after winning that title last year, Leixlip needed a goal and the closest they came to that when a 20 metre free from John Roche in injury time but the Coill Dubh defenders on the line made sure the ball stayed out ensure the 11-time senior champions remain in the top grade for 2025.

Elsewhere Maynooth beat Ardclough 4-14 to 0-14 to top Group B and reach the semi-final where they will play Éire Óg Corra Choill. Ardclough now play Confey in a quarter-final with the winners of that game progressing to play reigning champions Naas in the last four.

COILL DUBH: Owen Lenehan; Dean O’Regan, Mark Grace 0-1, Ross Carew, Declan Flaherty 0-4, Conor Gordon, Fionn Moran; Jamie Kenna 1-0, Mark Delaney 1-6 (4fs); Edna Keane, Dylan Brereton, Sean Dunne, Lorcan Behan 0-1, Johnny Byrne 0-2, Conor Carew. Subs: Eanna O’Neill 0-1 for C Carew, 28; Steven Ryan for Byrne, 60.

LEIXLIP: Keith O’Callaghan; Jack McGonigle, Ryan Doyle, Dara Mooney, Conor Higgins, John Roche 0-2fs, Kian Miles; Sean O’Connor, Conor Burke; Ben Travers 0-1, Jack Travers 0-2, James Canning 0-1, Darragh Melville 0-8 (6fs), Cormac Keegan 0-2, Stephen Ryan. Subs: Dylan Doherty for Ryan, 54.

REFEREE: Fergus Devereux.