Hurling All-Ireland club championship semi-finals: Rarely does the toss of a coin have such a devastating effect on the chances of a team. Although O'Donovan Rossa's were slim to begin with in this wind-sabotaged All-Ireland hurling semi-final at Parnell Park yesterday.
The Antrim champions' day of woe began when they lost the choice of ends and were forced to play into a strong wind and any hopes they had of pulling off a surprise victory had virtually evaporated by half-time when they trailed by 0-14 to no score.
The Ulster men worked tirelessly but opted for a three-man midfield in the first half, dropping Paul Close back in an attempt to crowd the area and make matters difficult for Jackie Tyrrell and Brian McEvoy.
That gambit backfired on them as it afforded Kilkenny defenders like Donnacha Cody, Phil Larkin and Peter Barry more room to display their talents.
Larkin put a veritable padlock on the centre of James Stephens' cover while Tyrrell and McEvoy were dominant in the middle for a Kilkenny side that found its cruising speed early on.
The McCormack brothers, Eoin and David, were a constant threat in the corners of the Kilkenny attack and the Rossa defence was forced into conceding a number of frees which were converted by Eoin Larkin.
O'Donovan Rossa manager Liam McCauley confirmed that his side were sufficiently upbeat going out in the second half to make a game of it. They had been a little unlucky not to have scored two first-half goals when Chris McDonnell and Joe O'Neill went close.
O'Neill was particularly dangerous under the high ball on the edge of the square, plucking a number of deliveries from over the head of Martin Phelan.
James Stephens manager Adrian Finan said: "They made it tough for us in the second half."
A flicker of hope for O'Donovan Rossa came in the second minute of the second half when a free by Paul Graham was dropped short and McDonnell whipped to the net to finally get McCauley's team off the mark.
The losers responded well but an additional three points for James Stephens in the second half proved sufficient.
JAMES STEPHENS: F Cantwell; D Cody, M Phelan, D Grogan; P O'Brien, P Larkin, P Barry; J Tyrrell (0-2), B McEvoy (0-1); J Murphy, E Larkin (0-6, five frees and 65), G Whelan (0-2); E McCormack (0-3), R Hayes, D McCormack (0-3). Subs: J Murray for Murphy (54 mins), M Ruth for E McCormack (60 mins).
O'DONOVAN ROSSA: M Devine; A McCormack, J Close, J McCaffrey; M Kettle, G Bell, S Shannon (0-1, free); J Boyle, J Connolly (0-1); P Close, C Hamill (0-1), P Graham (0-1); C McDonnell (1-1), J O'Neill (0-1), V Carabine. Subs: K McDonnell for McCaffrey (40 mins), M McCullagh for Carabine (52 mins), D White for McDonnell (58 mins)
Referee: J Sexton (Limerick).
