Conceding three second half goals Leixlip's Leinster downfall

Carrig Riverstown 4-14

Leixlip 3-8

Kildare champions, Leixlip's provincial club voyage came to an end on Sunday when they crashed out of the AIB Leinster Club JHC semi-final at St Brendan's Park, Birr, to Offaly champions, Carrick and Riverstown by nine points on a final score line of 4-14 to 3-8.

Despite getting off to a good start and trailing by a single point at the break, with the added bonus of keeper, Keith O'Callaghan giving his side a major boost when saving a penalty just before the break, Leixlip were well beaten in the second half after conceding a total of four goals, three in the second half and all in a fifteen minute window.
Joe Hoctor had the home side ahead inside ninety seconds and a missed free on two was a chance to double the lead.

Leixlip settled in and after a missed free of his own Darragh Melville hit two in a row. On both occasions he used his pace to create the room to fire over.

Eleven minutes in and Leixlip got the game's opening goal.

A Conor Higgins clearance was won by Ben Travers and as he wiggled his way past two defenders he had time to get his pass across to an on-rushing Cormac Keegan and the corner forward batted to the net.

With the end of the opening quarter approaching Carrig and Riverstown answered the Leixlip goal in style.
Lee Hogan won an aerial duel before getting a pass away to Conor McDowall who shot low past O'Callaghan.

Goalkeeper Liam Hoare came forward to his own 65 to level it after eighteen. In fairness to Leixlip they were getting results from the quick ball strategy and when Jack Travers set up brother Ben he won a free that Melville dispatched with ease.
Leixlip would then go twelve minutes without a much needed score.

Carrig and Riverstown responded to the Kildare side going ahead as they hit four points in a row.

There greater pace was causing problems in the Leixlip full back line. David Egan, Joe Hoctor and Lee Hogan, with two, helped open a three point lead.

It could and should have been doubled. A long ball from Patrick Bergin was fumbled by Keith O'Callaghan and as David Egan got to the rebound first O'Callaghan was forced into a foul that lead to the penalty and a yellow for the Leixlip keeper.
O'Callaghan redeemed himself with a spectacular full lenght save to deny opposite keeper Liam Hoare.

Leixlip finished the half the stronger and two Darragh Melville points left the Offaly side 1-6 to 1-5 ahead at the break.
The game changed significantly for Leixlip inside seven minutes of the the restart.
Two Lee Hogan frees were quickly followed by Carrig and Riverstown's second and third goals.

Conor McDowall fired home his second on 36 after Daniel England had done the hard work to create the space. Sixty seconds later Leixlip were carved open again and despite another top class save from O'Callaghan midfielder Cathal King was on hand to tap in the rebound.

Even with 23 minutes left on the clock Leixlip already had too big a mountain to climb.
John Roche from a free and Ben Travers pointed either side of a fourth Carrig goal.

Patrick Bergin hit a long ball from midfield and a deft flick from Cathal King guided the ball to the Leixlip net.
Lee Hogan and Joe Hoctor added points as Leixlip couldn't get their hands on the sliotar.

A 20m free for a foul on substitute Alan Murphy saw John Roche chance his arm by going for goal. He was rewarded as the ball flew past six men in the Carrig and Riverstown goal.

Lee Hogan brought his personal tally to 0-8 with three late frees but to Leixlip's credit they played to the whistle and they got their third goal from substitute Alan Murphy to leave it 4-14 to 3-8 in favour of the Offaly champions who progress to the Leinster Final.

An excellent season for Leixlip, that saw them win the league title and also regain a position at Senior level in Kildare going unbeaten throughout the championship.

With a place in the Leinster Final at stake it was a game too far for Leixlip and the Offaly champions better scoring ability was enough to see them through.

LEIXLIP: Keith O'Callaghan; Jack McGonigle, Ryan Doyle, Dara Mooney; Conor Higgins, John Doran, Conor Burke; Sean O'Connor, John Roche 1-2 (3 frees); Ben Travers 0-1, Jack Travers, Tomas Seale; Darragh Melville 0-5 (1 free), Stephen Ryan, Cormac Keegan 1-0. Subs: Alan Murphy 1-0 for Stephen Ryan 41; Cillian Nicholson for Dara Mooney 44; James Canning for Sean O'Connor 56.

Carrig and Riverstown: Liam Hoare 0-1 (1 free); Thomas Hogan, Ross Connaughton, Dylan Hogan; Cathal Hanlon, Patrick Bergin, Michael Fitzgerald; Cathal King 2-1,Peter King; Joe Hoctor 0-3 (1 free), Brendan Hoctor, David Egan 0-1; Conor McDowell 2-0,Daniel England, Lee Hogan 0-8 (7 frees). Subs: Kian McDowell for Michael Fitzgerald 48; Conor Hanamy for David Egan 52; Andrrw Coakley for Daniel England 52; Kieran O'Brien for Cathal King 53; Mark Hogan for Conor McDowall 56.

REFEREE: Ciaran Goff.