Our hurling analyst, Mike O’Halloran, on the AIB Munster Club Intermediate Championship Semi-Final in Austin Stack Park yesterday…
Lixnaw 2-10 Bruff 2-13
Lixnaw had to line out without the mercurial young forward, John Buckley, who injured his hand in a game with Causeway Comprehensive School, added to that, the loss of Paul Galvin and John Griffin, only just back from injury, the odds were stacked against them.
Lixnaw were 1-1 behind after four minutes and the signs looked ominous, before Ricky Heffernan opened their account with a pointed free. Mike Conway, Ricky, Brendan Brosnan and Tweek had points for Lixnaw before half time. Lixnaw went at the break only one point behind 0-7 points to 1-5.
Lixnaw owned the game for the last eight minutes of the first half and carried on where they left off at the resumption when Ricky Heffernan pointed to draw them level.
David Sills in the Lixnaw goal brought off two massive saves from Sean Finn who was beginning to cause Lixnaw some problems, Finn was to end the game with 1-4 to his name.
Six minutes into the second period James Flaherty collected a peach of a knock down from Mike Conway and goaled for Lixnaw to put them two points ahead 1-8 to 1-6.
Chris Brown drew Bruff level on thirteen minutes, five minutes later Bruff were two points up before Ricky pointed and Mike Conway goaled on twenty minutes 2-9 to 1-10.
Straight from the puck out, Bruff attacked and Finn bundled the sliotar to the net to give Bruff the lead, a lead they kept to the final whistle adding three more points to one for Lixnaw.
Paul Galvin came on at about the twelve minute mark and tried hard to turn the tide, but with poor underfoot conditions, a stiff wind in their faces and a few questionable decisions the task was just too much for gallant Lixnaw.
The Munster adventure ended for Lixnaw today but – given the talent they have at underage – they will be contesting in Munster again fairly soon.
