Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship Quarter-Final
Abbeydorney 0-25
Brickey Rangers 0-24 (AET)
Kerry senior champions Abbeydorney have marched on to the Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship semi-finals after defeating Brickey Rangers of Waterford by one point after extra time in a thriller at Fraher Field.
Oisin Maunsell's late point which was the last puck after 83 minutes proved the difference as the sides looked almost certain to settle it on penalties.
The Brickeys racked up some incredible scores on their way to the Waterford Premier Intermediate Championship title, firing in 5-25 and 5-30 en route - but faced an Abbeydorney arsenal with more than enough firepower of their own, given they were good enough to catapult the club to a first Kerry Senior Hurling Championship crown since 1974.
Sean Lennon opened the scoring for the home side with a well-taken effort before Michael O'Leary split the posts for the visitors. Brickeys goalkeeper Jamie Kiely then made a superb stop from close range to deny Michael Slattery.
The Brickeys responded positively to that potential setback with three successive scores courtesy of Tom O'Connell, Peter Cummins and Cormac O'Grady.
Oisin Maunsell then provided the score of the game for the Kerry side riding off multiple challenges before splitting the posts - before O'Connell restored the three point cushion for the Deise side.
The Brickeys then hit a purple patch - scores from Cormac Deevy, Sean Lennon and Sean Ronayne either side of responses from Slattery and O'Leary had the Waterford Premier Intermediate champions 0-8 to 0-4 to the good.
Half-time in truth probably came at the wrong time for Abbeydorney however, as the Kerry men hit 7 of the next 9 before the break.
Niall O'Mahoney fired over a monster effort from midfield before O'Leary was on target from a free and David Egan opened his account following terrific tenacity by Maunsell.
Jack Sheehan then dispossessed Conor Phelan for another inspirational score, before Deevy notched his second to settle the Brickeys nerves.
Sheehan was on hand to knock over another, and O'Leary's fourth of the opening half left the teams locked at ten points apiece.
The back-and-forth nature continued for the second period, three points in a row from Michael Slattery, Oisin Maunsell and Jack Sheehan moving Abbeydorney two ahead, before Peter Cummins (2); Tom O'Connell and Sean Lennon responded with four for the Bushy Park men.
That brought the sides level for a fourth time on 44 minutes - and as Deevy and Maunsell traded super solo scores, the game was finely poised at 0-18 apiece moments later with little left on the clock.
Mark Cummins hit another late leveller for the Brickeys as extra-time approached, before it appeared as if Jamie Kiely dragged down Maunsell when bearing down on goal. Referee Shane Scanlon thought differently, and as O'Leary and O'Connell traded dead balls - the sides couldn't be separated at 0-20 apiece.
The legs began to feel a lot heavier as the extra period commenced, Lennon's fourth of the afternoon moving the Brickeys in front before Maunsell's fourth cancelled it out. Substitute Brendan Cullinan hit a fantastic score to move the Waterford men back ahead, but O'Leary's ninth of the afternoon had it 0-22 to 0-22 at half-time in extra-time.
Peter Cummins was excellent throughout and knocked over his fourth on the resumption - but Abbeydorney and their incredible travelling support weren't to be denied. Jack Hannon hit a wonderscore from the left flank before O'Connell moved the Brickeys back in front. O'Leary's tenth levelled the scores as penalties loomed but up stepped Maunsell with three Brickeys men bearing down on him - and he opened out his shoulders to find the radar.
Jubiliation for Abbeydorney, heartbreak for Brickey Rangers - the Kerry men march on in Munster with the last puck of 83 minutes of enthralling action.
Brickey Rangers: Jamie Kiely; Conor Phelan, Oran Keevers, Conor Browne; Niall Browne, Philly Walsh, Mark Cummins; Cormac O'Grady, Sean Lennon; Conor Whelan, Tom O'Connell, Sean Ronayne; Cillian Ryan, Cormac Deevy, Peter Cummins.
Scorers: Tom O'Connell (0-8; 0-6f); Peter Cummins and Sean Lennon (0-4 each); Cormac Deevy (0-3); Cormac O'Grady, Mark Cummins, Conor Whelan, Sean Ronayne, Brendan Cullinan (0-1 each)
Abbeydorney: Jason Fealy; Michael Slattery, Stephen Egan, Jedd Maunsell; James O'Connor, Ronan O'Donovan, Mikey Clifford; Niall O'Mahoney, Kian Sheehan; Daniel O'Leary, Michael O'Leary, Jack Sheehan; David Egan, Oisin Maunsell, Calum O'Sullivan
Scorers: Michael O'Leary (0-10; 0-5f); Oisin Maunsell (0-5); Jack Sheehan (0-3); Michael Slattery (0-2); David Egan, Daniel O'Leary, Calum O'Sullivan, Niall O'Mahoney, Jack Hannon (0-1 each)
Referee: Shane Scanlon (Cork)
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