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Winning Drom-Inch coach James Woodlock would have preferred another overtime period than a penalty shoot-out in last night’s dramatic Tipperary SHC quarterfinals.
Brendan Maher’s Eoin Collins stop knocked out champion Borris-Ileigh from the championship, while Drom-Inch faces Kiladangan in a semi-final on Sunday.
Woodlock admits it was “an absolutely horrible way” to end a game and that his former Tipperary teammate Maher and Borris-Ileigh withdrew from the competition. He would have liked a third and possibly a fourth overtime to separate the teams.
“Yeah, it would have to be fair and if they gave me the offer with Borris, I would have given it to him all day. Absolutely, I would have. I think it’s a fair way to end a game. Look, it is.
“We didn’t have him ready to shoot penalties. But we have quality shooters anyway and I was very happy with the guys. I called them into a group there and said, ‘Guys, look, I need five penalty shooters and I need five leaders.
“And the five leaders stood up, the boys who were waiting to be led. There were two or three more at the time and they had a little discussion, and five stood up to take penalties and I was very happy.
In a dramatic weekend at Premier County, Tipperary coach Darragh Egan saved a penalty and then converted one in a relegation semi-final to confirm Kiladangan’s Ó Riain Cup status.
In addition to saving Brendan Maher on penalties, Drom Collins’ goalkeeper also denied him a penalty goal in extra time. Woodlock praised his goalkeeper and suggested he might have caught the attention of Liam Sheedy: “Eoin has an Ireland U-20 (medal) in his back pocket. You don’t have that for no reason. He is first class, he is a huge figure in the goal when you look at him, he has a presence there.
“I am very happy with Eoin as a goalkeeper, to be honest with you. I think he’s there or there to look for Tipp. He is young and is learning all day. But look at Damien Young with me too, he played in goal for many years, first class coach, he is working very hard all the time.
Woodlock sympathized with his teammate, 2010 All-Ireland winner Maher, who scored 12 points, 11 from free practice.
“Brendan Maher is a top player, he owes nothing to Borris-Ileigh or Tipperary. Brendan Maher. Look, it hit free after free, great game. We tried to curb his influence as much as we could, obviously, and Dan McCormack when he fell deeply. I’m happy with our guys, I thought they made a really good change. “
As they now aim to reach the first SHC final in eight years, Woodlock couldn’t have more respect for the Borris-Ileigh team that gave up their possession of the Dan Breen Cup.
“You are playing a team coming back from a loss in an all-Ireland club final, that’s how good they are.
“Look, I’ll be honest about it, I was very proud of Borris-Ileigh last year and to see them all year long and their performances. I thought their heart and courage, their determination is incredible and I think they have quality players.
“I am friends with most of them, I have thrown with most of them. They are a first class outfit, I did not expect anything more.”
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