Conroy brothers lead the way as Slieve Bloom seal IHC semi-final spot

Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship q/f 

Slieve Bloom 3-19 

Borris/Kilcotton 0-15 

SLIEVE Bloom produced a powerful second half display to get the better of Borris/Kilcotton in Mountrath on Saturday evening and secure their place in the Laois Shopping Centre IHC semi-finals.

Damien Keenan’s side were made to work hard for their victory during an entertaining opening half, but they finished with a flourish to run out 13-point winners. Ben Conroy was the star of the show with 2-4, while his brother Ciaran added seven points as Slieve Bloom eventually pulled clear.

Slieve Bloom made the ideal start and quickly took advantage of the strong breeze at their backs. Ciaran Conroy was particularly influential in the opening stages, hitting five points inside the first seven minutes, including two 65s and three from play.

Josh O’Brien-Holmes also got on the scoresheet as Slieve Bloom established a 0-6 to 0-3 lead. Borris/Kilcotton had opened the scoring with three points from Daire Quinlan, but he was then forced to leave the field with a leg injury, which was a significant blow to their hopes.

By the 18th minute, Slieve Bloom had extended their advantage to six points. Kelvin Burke added to the scoreboard, Ciaran Conroy converted a free and Ben Conroy produced an excellent score from play.

Borris/Kilcotton responded immediately through Ciaran Coss, but Slieve Bloom then struck for the first goal of the game. Conroy created the opportunity and, after his initial effort, he made no mistake at the second attempt as he fired past Michael Grehan.

The goal could have opened the floodgates, but Borris/Kilcotton responded well. Daire Fogarty converted two frees and Evan Gray added a score from play before Fergal Burke stemmed the flow with a point for Slieve Bloom.

Ciaran Coss then added a free for Borris/Kilcotton before David Scott produced a fine point from play. Slieve Bloom finished the half strongly, though, with O’Brien-Holmes and Ben Conroy finding the target from play.

Fogarty converted another free for Borris/Kilcotton to leave five points between the sides at half-time, with Slieve Bloom leading 1-12 to 0-10.

Borris/Kilcotton knew they needed a positive start to the second half and Coss was brought forward from wing-back to take a 21-yard free. He went for goal, but the effort was deflected over the bar, reducing the gap to four.

However, any hopes of building momentum were quickly extinguished. From the next attack, Ben Conroy showed his pace before unleashing a brilliant strike into the roof of the net.

It was Conroy’s second goal of the evening and it put Slieve Bloom firmly in control. He added a free almost immediately, before Conor Madden followed with two points from play. Within seven minutes of the restart, Slieve Bloom had opened up a 10-point lead and the outcome was beginning to look inevitable.

Ciaran Conroy and Fogarty, from a 65, exchanged points before Slieve Bloom struck for a third goal. O’Brien-Holmes saw his effort saved, but Martin Delaney was first to the rebound and made no mistake from close range.

Coss added two more points for Borris/Kilcotton, but Slieve Bloom continued to dictate matters. Burke and O’Brien-Holmes got on the scoresheet before Conroy converted another free.

There was still time for Slieve Bloom to add to their tally as they comfortably closed out the game and secured their place in the semi-finals. Their reward is a last-four meeting with either Abbeyleix or Mountrath in a fortnight.

SCORERS:

Slieve Bloom: Ben Conroy 2-4 (0-2fs), Ciaran Conroy 0-7 (0-1f, 0-2 65s), Josh O’Brien-Holmes 0-3, Martin Delaney 1-0, Kelvin Burke and Conor Madden 0-2 each, Fergal Burke 0-1.

Borris/Kilcotton: Ciaran Coss (0-3fs) and Daire Fogarty (0-3fs, 0-1 65) 0-5 each, Daire Quinlan 0-3 (fs), David Scott and Evan Gray 0-1 each.

SLIEVE BLOOM: Gavin Conroy; Rory Power, Sean Nolan, Gearoid Lowry; Shane Farrell, Evan Power, Darragh Delaney; Ciaran Conroy, Fergal Burke; Kelvin Burke, Martin Delaney, Ben Conroy; Jake Collins, Conor Madden, Josh O’Brien-Holmes.

Subs: Enda Conroy for Collins (24m), Dylan Collins for M Delaney (50m), Tom Delaney for Lowry (53m) BORRIS/KILCOTTON: Michael Grehan; Eoin Daly, Keilan Kelly, Cillian O’Riordan; William Campion, Jim Fitzpatrick, Ciaran Coss; Evan Carey, Frank McGovern; Daire Quinlan, Noel Delaney, David Scott; Evan Gray, David Ryan, Daire Fogarty.

Subs: Timmy Guidera for D Quinlan (15m, inj), Conor Kirby for Fitzpatrick (ht, inj), Seamus Costigan for Daly (45m, inj), Ben Quinlan for Ryan (55m), Ryan Fitzgerald for Carey (58m).

Referee: Patrick Phelan (Castletown)