Ballyhale Shamrocks are back in the hunt for the Kilkenny SHC after defeating James Stephen's in their relegation semi-final on Sunday.
The relegation semi-finals are de-facto championship first round games in Kilkenny and the Shamrocks kept their season alive with a 4-19 to 1-19 victory over the City side.
The old cliche goes that goals win games and that was the case today as Eoin Cody, Adrian Mullen and TJ Reid twice raised green flags to send Brian Cody's Village into the relegation final against Glenmore.
'I just can't wait for two weeks time now'
Labhair an Laoch na hImeartha Eoin Cody linn bua a foirne inniu.
BEO/LIVETG4 AR @TG4TV 📺 @KilkennyCLG #GAABeo pic.twitter.com/DBCFS7CY04
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) September 15, 2024
The Shamrocks endured another forgettable League campaign in Kilkenny but crucially they came right for the game that mattered the most.
Man-of-the-match Eoin Cody said it was great to 'have everyone back on the pitch' after a number of injuries in the early stages of the year.
"Six or seven lads hadn't played yet (before today), so you might have seen a bit of rustiness, but when things do come together, they really do go well, and it's just about driving on for two weeks time now."
One of the biggest boosts for Ballyhale was the return of Colin Fennelly who came on in the second half having flown home from Dubai. Shamrocks manager Jimmy Meagher revealed that Fennelly tore his cruciate back in March but worked his way back to full fitness.
"He's been rehabbing that and doing a huge amount of work over in Dubai. He tore his cruciate back in July."
"He flew in on Thursday night and it was fantastic to get him back into the group. He's a huge player for us and we'll get him motoring again now, he'll come home in another fortnight for the quarter final."
"We had Colin back today, we haven't seen Colin all year, he's been in Dubai, it just shows how good a space we're in now," added Eoin Cody on Fennelly's return.
Shamrocks have a date with Thomastown in the quarter final in two week's time, and Cody says they're eager to atone for last year's heartache having lost the final to O'Loughlin Gaels.
"We have two weeks now with full training, with the full squad. So after last year's heartache, it's about trying to get as close as we can and back to that stage, back to the Tom Walsh Cup.
"I had a few terrible wide that you'd have sleepless nights over. But the good thing about championship, you'll be training Tuesday night, you can practice those things to get it right again for two weeks time."
Full Kilkenny SHC quarter final draw:
Ballyhale Shamrocks v Thomastown
Bennettsbridge v Tullaroan
Mullinavat v Érins Own
O'Loughlin Gaels v Dicksboro
