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Brendan Maher celebrates (file pic). James Crombie/INPHO

Borris-Ileigh leave it extra late to battle past Eoin Kelly-inspired Mullinahone in thriller

Last season’s All-Ireland finalists squeezed into the Premier County semis after extra time despite the best efforts of a Tipperary hurling icon.

Borris-Ileigh 1-24

CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 2-19 (AET)

ALL-IRELAND CLUB finalists Borris-Ileigh rattled off a late, late flurry of extra-time scores to squeeze past Mullinahone in tonight’s Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final at Semple Stadium.

After Borris raced into an early 0-8 to 0-4 advantage before the first water break, Tipp hurling great Eoin Kelly, 39, rattled over five unanswered scores to nudge Mullinahone into a half-time lead by a single point.

Read: ‘Still going strong, still influential’ – The Tipperary icons nearing 40 and playing key roles

A Martin Kehoe goal after the break extended Mullinahone’s advantage, and they led by four — 1-15 to 0-14 — on 52 minutes when Borris’ Kevin Maher was red-carded.

However, losing a man appeared to light a rocket under Borris and they hit an incredible 1-5 without reply to flip the scoreboard on its head.

In a barnburning finale, however, Jack Shelly netted for Mullinahone on 62 minutes, and the great Kelly sent it to extra time with a last-gasp free, 2-16 to 1-19.

Borris were back to 15 men for the extras and with two Eddie Ryan points to Shelly’s one, they had retaken the lead by the turnaround.

Mullinahone overtook them again in the second half of extra time through a couple of scores by Michael Dunne and Kelly respectively but it was Borris-Ileagh who had the last laugh, with Ryan again pointing on the double and Thomas Fahey rubber-stamping their spot in the Tipp semis.

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