Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 0-21

Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-14

THEY HAVE A reputation for silk but Ballyhale Shamrocks displayed all their steel at Portlaoise to claim a historic AIB Leinster club hurling title success.

The star-studded Kilkenny champions, for whom Hurler of the Year nominee TJ Reid delivered 10 points, required extra-time to secure a record eighth provincial title.

It wasn’t the Kilkenny kingpins at their vintage best with just seven points and no goals delivered from open play in normal time.

But when the game was there to be won in the extra 20 minutes, their quality shone through.

They outscored 2012 winners Kilcormac-Killoughey by 0-7 to 0-3 in extra-time to return to Leinster’s summit and tee up an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with the Galway winners on 7 February.

But the three-in-a-row Offaly champions will kick themselves as they missed some great chances in the hour. Free-taker Ciaran Slevin was their top scorer with 0-7 but blasted some bad wides, particularly in the second-half of normal time.

Cillian Kiely gets a hook on Colin Fennelly in the final minutes of normal time. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Ballyhale led 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time but should have fell considerably behind in the second-half as Danny Owens’ Offaly men rallied and were buoyed by a Dan Currams goal.

But missed chances – six wides in the half – cost Kilcormac-Killoughey who should have been more than just one up with six minutes left.

They even ended up requiring an injury-time Slevin free to tie it up and force extra-time at 1-11 to 0-14.

Ballyhale were the dominant force in extra-time with Henry Shefflin showing his best form with two points to take his overall tally to 0-4.

Kilkenny fans will be hoping the win convinces Shefflin, 36 in January, to play on with Kilkenny after the club season concludes in spring.

Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 0-10 (7f, 1 65), Henry Shefflin 0-4, Mark Aylward, James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick 0-2 each, Conor Walsh, Eoin Reid, Ronan Corcoran 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilcormac-Killoughey: Ciaran Slevin 0-7 (5f), Dan Currams 1-1, Cillian Kiely (1f), James Gorman 0-2 each, Conor Mahon, Damien Kilmartin 0-1 each.

Ballyhale Shamrocks

1. Richie Reid

24. Keith Nolan
3. Joey Holden
4. Alan Cuddihy

5. Paul Shefflin
6. Michael Fennelly
7. Bob Aylward

8. David Hoyne
9. Conor Walsh

10. James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick
11. Colin Fennelly
12. TJ Reid

13. Eoin Reid
14. Henry Shefflin
15. Mark Aylward

18. Brian Cody for Hoyne (h/t)
20. Aidan Cummins for B Aylward (56)
19. Ronan Corcoran for Walsh (58)
21. Michael Dermody for P Shefflin (76)
25. Patrick Reid for M Aylward (78)
23. Kevin Mullen for C Fennelly (82)

Kilcormac-Killoughey

1. Conor Slevin

2. Con Mahon
3. Ger Healion
4. Alan McConville

5. Kevin Grogan
6. Peter Healion
7. Brian Leonard

8. Damien Kilmartin
9. Killian Leonard

10. Ciaran Slevin
11. Conor Mahon
12. Cillian Kiely

13. James Gorman
14. Dan Currams
15. Peter Geraghty

26. Thomas Geraghty for Kilmartin (46)
18. Dylan Murray for G Healion (e/t)
21. Shane Guinan for Gorman (h/t e/t)
19. Enda Grogan for Kiely (74)
22. John Grogan for McConville (80)

Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow).

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