AIB All-Ireland club SHC semi-final

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS (KILKENNY) 1-17 CUSHENDALL (ANTRIM) 1-16

By Paul Keane at Pairc Tailteann, Navan

Another day, another dramatic AIB All-Ireland club SHC semi-final encounter, Leinster champions O’Loughlin Gaels this time emerging the right side of an epic to secure their place in next month’s Croke Park decider.

That Brian Hogan’s side did it the hard way and advanced courtesy of a one-point win should have surprised nobody given that they did the very same in their county and provincial finals.

Paddy Deegan hit the winner against Ballyhale Shamrocks in the Kilkenny decider, Mark Bergin did the damage against Na Fianna in the Leinster final and this time it was half-back David Fogarty who nailed the long-range score that separated the sides in a terrific Pairc Tailteann encounter.

O’Loughlin Gaels will return to Croke Park on January 20 or 21 to play St Thomas’ of Galway, a tie that will bring back memories of their 2011 final defeat to Clarinbridge, another Galway side.

Free-taker Mark Bergin, who played in that 2011 final, top scored for the three-times Leinster champions with 0-9 here while Sean Bolger registered their only goal. There were huge second-half performances from Paddy Deegan and Fogarty too as the Kilkenny city side moved within an hour of emulating Ballyhale’s early 2023 win.

Cushendall, chasing just a second semi-final win ever despite being 12-times Ulster champions, will kick themselves for letting this one slip away.

They led by three points at half-time and had enough possession in the second-half to finish it out but struck seven wides in that period and dropped several more score attempts short.

Even at that, Neil McManus, who hit 0-9 for the Antrim side, had a late, late attempt for an equaliser to force extra-time but his pot shot flew just wide.

Perhaps the Ruairi Og men didn’t get the pre-match memo that they were underdogs because they burst out of the blocks initially and had 1-4 on the board inside the opening six minutes.

Veteran McManus, freshly retired from the inter-county game with Antrim, wore number 11 but immediately moved to the edge of the square and was picked up by All-Star full-back Huw Lawlor. Kilkenny’s other current All-Star defender, Mikey Butler, tracked teenage sensation Joseph McLaughlin.

But it was McManus and McLaughlin that got the better of the early exchanges, McManus scoring the opening point and setting up another and McLaughlin surging through for a fifth minute goal.

Butler cursed the concession as he’d initially been turned over on the right wing, allowing McLaughlin to skip clear and plant a lot shot beyond goalkeeper Stephen Murphy.

Placed ball expert Bergin pulled back a score but Cushendall responded with two more themselves. Approaching the quarter hour mark, the Ulster champions led 1-6 to 0-1 and it was clear we had a game on our hands.

The stiff wind was a definite advantage to Brian Delargy’s side and centre-back Eoghan Campbell boomed over two long-range scores. Fellow defender Paddy Burke did the same.

O’Loughlin Gaels finished the half strongly though and a series of points from county panellist Conor Heary and Bergin preceded Bolger’s 26th minute goal.

All eyes were on the individual head to head between Martin Burke and speedy Gaels attacker Owen Wall but the real intrigue turned out to be around the battle between Paddy Burke and full-forward Luke Hogan. Hogan beat his man to a high ball before blasting a shot that was only partially saved, allowing Bolger to tap in from close range.

Cushendall still hit the interval with a 1-10 to 1-7 lead but O’Loughlin Gaels, who also went close with first-half goal chances from Hogan and Bolger, were now right back in it and, crucially, had the wind in the second-half.

Cushendall, who hit the woodwork twice in the first-half, including a 21st minute Ed McQuillan goal chance that cracked off an upright, must have wondered if they’d made enough of the elements.

O’Loughlin Gaels certainly restarted with intent, reeling off three points from Bergin and Eoin O’Shea to tie it up at 1-10 apiece.

The five-times Kilkenny champions finally took the lead in the 51st minute when Bergin punished a turnover in the Cushendall defence. Jack Nolan stretched the Gaels lead to two points, 1-16 to 1-14, as Cushendall started to rack up the wides at the other end.

It was a thrill-a-minute ride, much like last night’s first semi-final between victors St Thomas’ and Ballygunner which went to penalties in Portlaoise.

Cushendall, typically, got it back to level again at 1-16 apiece but when the need was greatest, Fogarty stood up with the winner for an O’Loughlin Gaels side that breathed a huge sigh of relief at the final whistle.

O’Loughlin Gaels scorers: Mark Bergin 0-9 (0-5f), Sean Bolger 1-1, David Fogarty 0-2, Conor Heary 0-2, Eoin O’Shea 0-1, Paddy Deegan 0-1, Jack Nolan 0-1.

Cushendall scorers: Neil McManus 0-9 (0-7f), Joseph McLaughlin 1-1, Eoghan Campbell 0-2, Ronan McAteer 0-1, Ryan McCambridge 0-1, Ed McQuillan 0-1, Paddy Burke 0-1.

O’Loughlin Gaels: Stephen Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tony Forristal; David Fogarty, Paddy Deegan, Jordan Molloy; Jack Nolan, Cian Loy; Conor Heary, Mark Bergin, Eoin O’Shea; Owen Wall, Luke Hogan, Sean Bolger.

Subs: Conor Kelly for Bolger 44, Jamie Ryan for Nolan 55, Paddy Butler for O’Shea 57.

Cushendall: Conor McAlister; Liam Gillan, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Ruairi McCollam; Francis McCurry, Ryan McCambridge; Ed McQuillan, Niall McCormack, Ronan McAteer; Fergus McCambridge, Neil McManus, Joseph McLaughlin.

Subs: Sean McAfee for McAteer 23, Alex Delargy for McCormack h/t, Aidan McNaughton for Gillan h/t, Stephen Walsh for McCollam 48-f/t blood, Christy McNaughton for McCurry 59.

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).