Clough Ballacolla through to Croke Park Leinster final after heroic display

Clough-Ballacolla are through to the Leinster club senior hurling final after an almighty win over Kilmacud Crokes in Portlaoise on Saturday evening. They will take on either Ballyhale or St Rynagh's next Sunday in the mecca that is Croke Park.

In front of the RTE cameras, Declan Laffan's men produced a stunning display of skill, heart, fearless aggression and an un-human will to win. They were the better team throughout as the Dublin champions couldn't live with their intensity.

CLOUGH BALLACOLLA 1-16

KILMACUD CROKES 1-13

LEINSTER CLUB SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI FINAL

The game started off at a lightening pace. Ronan Hayes opened the scoring with a free for Kilmacud but Clough-Ballacolla answered straight back with two scores in the space of 20 seconds. Aidan Corby fired over from distance before Stephen Bergin intercepted the resulting puckout and fired over to put them into the lead.

Caolan Conway levelled up proceedings but with five minutes on the clock, the Laois men struck for goal. Robbie Phelan played in a super ball to Picky Maher and after rising neatly, beat his man and fired to the net to put them 1-2 to 0-3 ahead after five minutes.

Fergal Whitely responded instantly for the Dublin men but Clough Ballacolla had their tails up, were hunting in packs and up for the battle.

Picky Maher, buoyed from that goal, fired over three frees on the spin, the first from almost inside his own half as they led 1-5 to 0-3 after 15 minutes. Maher landed another free and although Kilmacud replied just before the water break, Clough Ballacolla went in with a healthy five point lead at the first water break.

Kilmacud had the better of the opening stages after the water break but hit three wides while on top. Oisin O'Rourke finally pucked one over for them but once again the Loais men had the answer with Stephen Bergin firing over.

Clough Ballacolla then went six ahead with Jordan Walshe and Picky Maher firing over and it looked like they would go in with a serious lead. However, Kilmacud battled back and had the better of the closing stages in the half with points from their danger men Ronan Hayes and Fergal Whitely narrowing the gap and sending the Laois men in with a four point lead.

They would have been disappointed to go in four up when they led by six with three minutes to go in the half but a four point lead was the least they deserved.

Kilmacud narrowed the gap to three points five minutes into the second half through Caolan Conway but crucially, Clough Ballacolla answered back with their first score of the half as Picky nailed another free.

It was a serious battle at this stage. Willie Dunphy was coming more into the game but Kilmacud were more up for the battle than they were in the opening half.

Brian Corby landed a massive score from 60 yards to rally the troops and they had a four point lead. The on 44 minutes, disaster struck. Kilmacud midfielder Oisin O'Rourke gathered a loose ball, beat a defender and fired to the net from close range to bring it back to a one point game - 1-11 to 1-10.

Clough Ballacolla responded well though and hit the next score through that man Picky Maher. Kilmacud sub Mark Howard fired over a super effort to make sure the large crowd in O'Moore Park knew that Kilmacud were not going away.

Clough Ballacolla went in 1-13 to 1-11 ahead at the water break thanks to another Picky Maher free and the game was going right own to the wire.

Stephen Bergin fired over an outstanding point to put three between them but the Dublin men brought it back to two instantly.

Willie Dunphy hadn't scored in the game but on the 58th minute he said over a massive score from out near the sideline to once again stretch their lead.

Deep injury time Picky Maher landed one from a tight angle to make it 1-16 to 1-13 and although Kilmacud did have a few late chances, they mighty men from Clough Ballacolla held out and are through to a Leinster final.

CLOUGH BALLACOLLA

Scorers: Stephen Maher 1-8 (0-6 frees), Stephen Bergin 0-3, Jordan Walshe 0-2, Brian Corby, Aidan Corby, Willie Dunphy 0-1 each.

Team: Cathal Dunne; Diarmaid Conway, Darren Maher, Lee Cleere; Brian Corby, Mick McEvoy, Eoin Doyle; Aidan Corby, Willie Hyland; Robbie Phelan, Jordan Walshe, Mark Hennessy; Stephen Bergin, Willie Dunphy, Stephen Maher. Subs: Cillian Dunne for Aidan Corby (51),  Ronan Broderick for Michael McEvoy, Tom Delaney for Willie Hyland, Sean Corby for Eoin Doyle.

KILMACUD CROKES

Scorers: Oisin O'Rourke 1-1, Ronan Hayes 0-5 (0-3 frees), Fergal Whitely 0-3, Caolan Conway 0-2, Cian Cassidy and Mark Howard 0-1 each

Team: Eddie Gibbons; Davy Crowe, Bill O'Carroll, Jamie Clinton; Cian O Cathasaigh, Mark Grogan, Brian Sheehy; Oisin O'Rourke, Dillon Mulligan; Dara Phelan, Fergal Whitely, Caolan Conway; Lorcan McMullan, Ronan Hayes, Alex Considine.  

Referee: David Hughes (Kilkenny)

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