Job done as Borris-Kilcotton defeat Westmeath’s Fr Daltons in Leinster Club Hurling Championship

Borris-Kilcotton have got off to the perfect start in this year’s AIB Leinster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship after a comfortable victory over Westmeath’s Fr Daltons in Rochfortbridge on Saturday afternoon.

Noah Quinlan was outstanding for Borris-Kilcotton as he scored 1-3 from defence. The Laois champions ended both halves strongly as they scored 1-3 unanswered.

Borris-Kilcotton 2-16

Fr Daltons (Westmeath) 0-10

Paudie Bourke’s side played the better hurling for the first 10 minutes and had four points on the scoreboard as well as preventing Fr Daltons from getting any scores of their own.

Aaron Dunphy raised the first white flag of this quarter-final after Dean Carey found him with a pass. Laois Premier Intermediate Player of the Year PJ Scully then showed his class as he popped over a sideline just inside the 65’.

Noah Quinlan made it three points to nil before the Borris-Kilcotton half-back Noah Quinlan was hit late after pucking the ball which meant that PJ Scully was given an easy task of splitting the posts from where the ball landed to see them four points to no score ahead after 11 minutes.

Owen McCabe got the first score of the game for the Westmeath side but the Laois champions just kept adding scores with Quinlan getting a second point after Scully had played a free across the field. Scully would add another white flag to his name from a 65’ as Neil Foyle forced Fr Dalton’s goalkeeper Eoin Moran into a save. Enda Kincaid tapped over two frees in two minutes to cut Borris-Kilcotton’s lead to three.

Borris-Kilcotton ended the half with 1-3 unanswered as Niall Coss replied down the other end with Jer Quinlan fouled for Scully to point a free. Then came the game’s first goal as Scully teed up Noah Quinlan to fire the ball low and hard past Moran. Scully pointed the final score of the half with another free as Borris-Kilcotton led 1-9 to 0-3 at the break and were in total control of the game.

The second-half began with the sides trading scores as Owen McCabe pointed a free while Conor Kilbane pointed from play. Fr Daltons then hit three scores on the trot courtesy of Jack Duncan, Owen McCabe (free) and Brian McCabe with Borris-Kilcotton leading by six points with 18 minutes to go.

PJ Scully added another point to his tally this time from a long-range free on his own 65’. Jer Quinlan popped up with his only score of the game as they looked to have enough on the scoreboard to secure a semi-final place. Owen McCabe scored a free and a 65’ with the 65’ coming after Robert English’s shot had been saved by Eoin Fleming.

Niall Coss and another McCane free left six in it once more but the Laois champions finished strong and just like they had done in the first-half, they ended the second period with 1-3 without reply.

Aaron Dunphy took over the free-taking duties after Scully’s substitute while Jim Fitzpatrick and Noah Quinlan raised white flags. The game’s final score came courtesy of Aaron Dunphy as he rattled the back of the Fr Daltons net to put a gloss on the scoreboard.

Borris-Kilcotton will play Kilkenny’s Lisdowney in next weekend’s semi-final.