Buggy's drive helps Erin's Own capture title
Erin's Own 2-10 Danesfort 1-10 

HE MAY have more miles on the clock than most of his team-mates, but a vintage performance from
Davy Buggy helped Erin's Own win the race for intermediate hurling's spoils on Sunday.
The car salesman was just one part of a driving force as Castlecomer jumped back to the senior grade at Nowlan Park. It was a tight final, one where neither side was allowed to get too far in front, a Buggy point nudged Erin's Own into the narrowest of leads (1-9 to 1-8) with nine minutes left on the clock.  
Danesfort quickly replied with a great score from Richie Hogan, picked off while under pressure from his marker, leaving both sides still with everything to play for. As the game wore on it began to look more and more like a final where a second goal for either side would seal victory. While they both went looking for it, when the chance came it was Erin's Own who grabbed it with both hands. In the end, Martin Boran's 54th minute strike owed as much to the doggedness of the 'Comer forwards as it did the finishing touch. After a point attempt from Gordon Byrne broke down in front of the Country End posts Erin's Own piled forward, making it hard for Danesfort to clear their lines. 
The sliotar almost resembled a rugby ball, as the men in black and amber went into a rolling maul to get it out, but it didn't go far enough. Boran took possession and a step towards the posts then coolly picked his spot with an unstoppable shot. Danesfort were first off the mark thanks to a Richie Hogan free, but Buggy made his experience and alertness count with five minutes on the clock. The big move was started by Jimmy Byrne, who set off on a blistering run towards goal. As the Danesfort defence moved in a blanket fashion out to meet him, Byrne laid the sliotar off for Buggy, who was unmarked all on his own, to fire home from the left side of the square. Danefort's reply saw Paddy Hogan chip in two massive frees – the first from half-way, the second from his own 65m line – to level things by the 11th minute, but a Buggy point had 'Comer back in front again. 

See-saw game 
Given the see-saw nature of the game, which freely flowed from end to end, it was no surprise to see Danesfort come right back. Padraig Forristal got them going again, pointing after some good work by
Robbie Walsh, before Paraic Treacy profited from the hard grafting of Richie Hogan by pointing his side in front again at the end of the first quarter (0-5 to 1-1). 
The 'Fort had done well early on, but then fell out of the game as Erin's Own began to make their presence felt. With Conor Fogarty spurring them on from midfield, and Buggy leading the forward charge they began to take over the middle third of the field. That dominance led to some vital scores, the first of which saw
Eddie Brennan block down Pa Dillon's attempted clearance and turn it into a point. Martin Boran shot 'Comer into the lead again on 25 minutes – but Michael Moran was lucky to escape with a foul on Paddy Hogan – before Buggy (free) stretched the gap to two points. 

Missed chances 
Danesfort had rushed a number of their shots, resulting in some missed opportunities, but they shot their way back into the game with a late burst. Ironically, the comeback began with a 'Comer attack. Damien Fogarty's 30th minute free was quickly cleared to Padraig Forristal, who took off down the right sideline. Working the ball inside, Richie Hogan let fly with a stinging shot which goalkeeper Tom Brophy did well to stop.The netminder was also well placed to deny Frank Manogue from the rebound, but not so lucky a third time.
Aaron Dunne raced in, tucking the sliotar away just inside the right post. That score took the wind out of the Castlecomer sails. A following point from Robbie Walsh also did some damage, the corner-forward scoring from close to 60m out as Danesfort doubled their advantage with the last attack of the half (1-6 to 1-4). 
Just as in the opening half Danesfort were first off the mark after the break, Richie Hogan again pointing from a free, but they found scores much harder to come by this time. Working with just two in their full-forward line the leaders brought Paraic Treacy back closer to midfield, operating in a sweeper-style role in an attempt to break the Erin's Own stranglehold – but it didn't work. 

Little joy 
Erin's Own fared best in a crowded middle third, inching their way back into the game three hard-fought points by Martin Boran (2) and a long range Ronan Ryan effort. Another Hogan free had Danesfort back in front by the 40th minute, but for all their efforts they had little joy in front of the posts.
The 'Fort had plenty of possession, and equally as many attacks, but that final ball to their forwards let them down at the vital stage.  That came back to haunt them once Boran struck the all-important goal, but Danesfort nearly pulled a result out of the fire. Richie Hogan came within a whisker of giving Danesfort a shot in the arm when he got on the end of Padraig Forristal's cross field 58th minute ball, but the corner-forward's shot cracked off the frame of the goal and bounced out.Forristal did manage a point soon after, ensuring a lively end to the game, but Erin's Own held out long enough to book their place in the senior ranks for 2009. 

The scorers 
Erin's Own: Davy Buggy (1-4, 0-1 free); Martin Boran (1-3); Eddie Brennan, Ronan Ryan,
Michael Moran (0-1 each).
Danesfort:  Richie Hogan (0-4, 0-3 frees); Aaron Dunne (1-0); Paddy Hogan (0-2, frees);
Padraig Forristal (0-2);  Paraic Treacy, Robbie Walsh (0-1 each). 

The teams 
Erin's Own : T. Brophy, A. Moran, S. Meally, P. O'Donovan, D. Byrne, D. Fogarty, C. Dunne, R. Ryan,
C. Fogarty, E. Brennan, M. Moran, M. Owens, J. Byrne, D. Buggy, M. Boran.
Subs: M. Murphy for Owens, 36 mins; G. Byrne for J. Byrne, 51 mins.
Danesfort:  S. Hurley, P. Dillon, T. Mahoney, L. Forristal, T. Woodcock, P. Hogan, P. Murphy, P. Walsh,
P. Forristal, P. Treacy, D. Forristal, A. Dunne, R. Hogan, F. Manogue, R. Walsh.
Subs: O. Daly for Dunne, 43 mins; G. O'Keeffe for Walsh, 50 mins; T. Ryan for Manogue, 54 mins.

Referee:  Tommy  Duggan (Mullinavat).