Oulart-The-Ballagh 1-11 Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-10:Henry Shefflin went off injured with what is believed to be a serious ankle injury as Ballyhale Shamrocks of Kilkenny came unstuck against Oulart-The-Ballagh at Wexford Park this afternoon. Without their talisman, Ballyhale could only muster a single score in the second half as the Wexford champions advanced to the final.
Ballyhale had two goals disallowed as they lost out by a point, the crucial score coming in injury time through Eoin Moore.
It was the first and only time the home side had led, Ballyhale having notched 1-3 before Oulart troubled the scorers and with Shefflin and James Cha Fitzpatrick pulling the strings the visitors were 1-9 to 1-6 to the good at half-time. Shefflin had already departed by that stage – manager Tommy Shefflin said afterwards the former hurler of the year may have broken a bone – and Oulart kept in touch in a scrappy second half.
And their doggedness finally paid dividends in the closing stages as Nicky Kirwan levelled matters with a unerring 65 before but struck the killer blow in the 63rd minute.
