An injury time point from Cork star Ben O'Connor saw Newtownshandrum earn a 1-16 to 0-19 draw with Kilkenny's O'Loughlin Gaels in the AIB All-Ireland Club Hurling Championship semi-final at Semple Stadium this afternoon.
Having been three points in front at the break, 1-09 to 0-09, the Munster champions conceded ten second half scores, including a glut for Gaels forward Nigel Skehan, who ended the game with an impressive 0-11 tally, one more than O'Connor. However, the Cork side finished strongly and O'Connor earned them a replay in Thurles next Saturday when he pointed a 40-yard placed ball after 73 minutes, into the Tipperary sunshine, to draw the game.
O'Loughlin's blew hot and cold throughout, cutting their teeth early on with a 0-06 to 0-02 lead after 16 minutes. Two frees from Skehan and efforts from Brian Dowling and centre forward Maurice Nolan were included in that haul, with the O'Connor brothers, Ben and Jerry, replying for Newtown.
Newtown's James Bowles wasted a good goal chance midway through the half, firing over the crossbar following a strong run forward. However, the Cork men did celebrate a goal on 21 minutes when Dan O'Riordan found the net to give them a 1-07 to 0-07 lead.
Skehan struck over the final point of the half thirty seconds before the whistle, adding to Martin Comerford's 23rd minute point and cancelling out a sideline score from Ben O'Connor and a point from play from Pat Mulcahy.
Skehan was again to the fore in the second period, firing over consecutive scores with his sixth point on 48 minutes, putting just a goal between the sides at 0-14 to 1-14 before edging them in front.
But the right-handed O'Connor struck seven minutes from the end and punished a Comerford infringement at the death to ensure Newtownshandrum live to fight another day.
Filed by Shane Murray
