Late kiltale goal seals leinster final ticket
Jack Regan's sensational goal in added time earned Kiltale their first Leinster Club IHC final place when they sent Ballinakill (Laois) tumbling out of the competition in front of a good-sized crowd at O'Moore Park, Portlaose this afternoon.
Peter Durnin centred from under the stand from about 60 metres - Jack Regan got a touch, the net bulged, there was a delayed reaction from the Kiltale supporters, but it was worth waiting for.
Kiltale won by 1-13 to 1-10 with another smash and grab raid that totally eclipsed the way they overhauled Kidalkey in the A HL Div 1 final at Trim a few weeks ago.
And it started badly for Kiltale who were a goal down inside three minutes, but they were on level terms at half-time (0-7 to 1-4) and matched Ballinakill score-for-score and wide-for-wide in the second-half.
The conditions were difficult on a soft pitch that was drenched by rain in the hours before the game while Kilkenny referee Peter Burke also contributed to the spectacle as he didn't award frees lightly - but he was very consistent.
The teams were level five times in the second-half and the top scorers on each side managed 1-8 apiece - Jack Regan for Kilatle and Charles Dwyer for Ballinakill.
Regan got a vital touch to Peter Durnin's centre in added time at a stage when the game looked as if it was going away from them as they trailed by a point 0-12 to 1-10 on 60 minutes.
But it's never advisable to write-off Kiltale - the prize now is a final ticket at home (in Navan 23rd November) against either Coill Dubh (managed by Paddy Kelly) or the Kilkenny champions - Kilkenny final tomorrow.