Cuddy snatches draw for Mountrath CS and they remain in semi-final hunt

Leinster PPS Senior Hurling ‘B’ 

 Mountrath CS 2-16 

Castlecomer CS 1-19 

MOUNTRATH CS and Castlecomer of Kilkenny shared the spoils on Thursday playing out a superb game in Mountrath Community School on Thursday morning.

For large parts of the game Castlecomer looked like they were going to run out winners. At one stage in the first half they were eight points to the good, but Kyron Cuddy led the fightback converting a last minute free to level the game as both teams had to settle for a draw.

The draw is Mountrath's second draw of the campaign, but they know what they have to do in their final game against Cistercian Roscrea - a win will secure a spot in a semi-final.

The Kilkenny side opened the scoring from Luke Connery but was quickly cancelled out by Jack Rice.

Castlecomer then hit for the first goal of the game as a long ball in caused havoc and eventually ended up with Conor Buggy who just about got the ball over the line to register the green flag.

Kyron Cuddy replied with a free for the home side, but then Castlecomer took over the game winning every dual and it looked like they took the game away from Mountrath CS.

It was Eoghan Brennan who caused the trouble, he punished every free Mountrath CS gave up and would hit the five frees and a 65 from all different angles and it looked bleak for the home side, as they were eight points in arrears 1-7 to 0-2 with 19 minutes on the clock.

Cuddy added a welcome free, but again Castlecomer responded impressively with three in another three points through Buggie and two more 65's after two efforts were saved brilliantly by Alex Phelan in the goals.

Cuddy and Tadhg Lowry added two points for Mountrath CS as they started to battle back just before half time.

Brennan would add another to his tally, but Mountrath were thrown a lifeline as Kyron Cuddy would score a goal for his side which proved crucial in the fightback.

Both teams would trade points through frees from Cuddy and Brennan, but the goal sent Mountrath CS feeling good about themselves with the score at 1-12 to 1-6.

They then got off to a quick start with a huge point from Donnachadh Carroll while Dan Whelan also added a score and the momentum shifted to the home side.

Luke Connery and Brennan responded once again, but it was the home side winning every ball.

Cuddy and Carroll reduced the gap again, through a free from Cuddy and a classy sideline ball from Carroll. Then Cormac Keegan hit an inspirational score and now there was only three points in it with 15 minutes remaining 1-14 to 1-11 to Castlecomer.

Eoghan Brennan and Donnachadh Carroll traded points once again, the point seemed to settle the away side and registered two more frees from Brennan.

To the home sides credit, they kept battling and got their reward, first Bobby O'Connor landed a brilliant point and then Mountrath CS would strike for their second goal.

In an almighty goal mouth scramble, it appeared that LJ Cuddy somehow got the last touch of the ball to find the net to leave a single point in the game as it entered into the final stages.

Donnachadh Carroll got the equaliser, and it looked like they might just push on for the win. Both sides then traded points yet again through Brennan and Kyron Cuddy as the game went into injury time.

The Kilkenny team went search for the winner and they thought they had got the winner after a final free from Eoghan Brennan, but it wasn't to be, Mountrath CS still had time for one final attack which ended with a free and Kyron Cuddy showed nerves of steel to draw the game as the final whistle went soon after.

Scorers:

Mountrath CS: Kyron Cuddy 1-7 (0-6fs), Donnachadh Carroll 0-4 (0-2fs, 0-1 sideline), LJ Cuddy 1-0, Jack Rice, Tadhg Lowry, Dan Whelan, Cormac Keegan and Bobby O'Connor 0-1 each.

Castlecomer: Eoghan Brennan 0-16 (0-10fs, 0-3 65s), Conor Buggy 1-1, Luke Connery 0-2.

MOUNTRATH CS: Alex Phelan (Mountrath); Conor Ryan (Castletown), Donnachadh Carroll (Mountrath), Jack O'Connor (Trumera); Cormac Keegan (Portlaoise), Dan Whelan (Castletown), Ben Meade (Mountrath); Luke Hynes (Camross), Jack Mulhall (Trumera); Bobby O'Connor (Trumera), Paddy Farrell (Colt-Shanahoe), LJ Cuddy (Camross); Jack Rice (Mountrath), Kyron Cuddy (Castletown), Tadhg Lowry (Camross).

CASTLECOMER: Sam Coogan; Tadhg Hennessey, Thomas Hure, Darragh Horgan; Tristan Daly, Alex Keher, Daniel Lalor; Jeff Dooley, Jack Buggy; Luke Connery, Evan Dalton, Eoghan Brennan; Kevin Buggy, Conor Buggy, Rian Dwyer.