ALL-IRELAND CLUB IHC FINAL Ballymartle 3-15 Dicksboro 1-20:AN INJURY-TIME goal from a 45-metre free by Darren McCarthy saw Cork's Ballymartle wrestle the intermediate club hurling crown from Dicksboro's grasp at Croke Park yesterday.
Helped by the accurate Barry Dwyer, Ballymartle took just six minutes to open a six-point lead.
Martin Gaffney hit two frees for Dicksboro but, with Edmonds and Jamie Dwyer replying for Ballymartle, the Cork men led 0-8 to 0-2 after the first quarter.
However, two Gaffney frees, coupled with points from Adrian Stapleton and Paul O’Flynn saw Dicksboro reduce the deficit to just a point (0-10 to 0-9) at the break.
Jamie Dwyer scored a goal for Ballymartle but Dicksboro looked to have struck a vital blow when Stapleton’s goal put them 1-17 to 1-13 in front with 14 minutes to go.
But soon Barry Dwyer’s 60 -metre free went all the way to the ’Boro net. In a frenetic finish it looked like Dicksboro were on their way to a second All-Ireland title when Gaffney swung over a point with time almost up, but McCarthy had the last word.
BALLYMARTLE: D McCarthy; D Coleman, M Tobin, Declan Dwyer; J Kelly (0-1), P Dwyer, N Sheehan; S Corry, G Webb; B Dwyer (1-7, 1-3 frees, 0-2 65s), R Dwyer, D Edmonds (0-2), D McCarthy (1-2, 1-0 free), Daniel Dwyer (0-1), J Dwyer (1-2). Subs: C Coleman for Declan Dwyer (inj 28 mins), M O'Mahony for Webb (36 mins), B Coleman for Sheehan (47 mins), S O'Mahony for Edmonds (56 mins), P Coughlan for J Dwyer (57 mins).
DICKSBORO: S Morrissey; D Glynn, K Cuddihy, P Hogan; M Fagan, D Kenny, E Malone; D O'Gorman, C O'Loughlin (0-1), P O'Flynn (0-4), M Gaffney (0-12, 0-8 frees), O Walsh; C Starr, S Maher (0-1), A Stapleton (1-2). Subs: K Nolan for O'Gorman (53 mins), T Manning for Starr (57 mins).
Referee: A Kelly(Galway).