GAA Christmas Crackers 2013 - Quotes of the Year

“1948 is a long time ago. Sean T O’Kelly was the president, John A Costello was the Taoiseach, he took over from Eamonn De Valera, Noel Browne was the Minister for Health and it’s all over! Waterford are All Ireland champions for a third time, the first time since 1948. Waterford hurling is back on the big stage!”
A short history lesson from WLR FM commentator Kieran O’Connor before the final whistle sounds in the All Ireland minor final.

“Domhnall O’Donovan is the left corner back, he hits it, it’s over the bar! Oh Holy Moses what a match! I have never experienced anything like it.”
Marty Morrissey explodes with excitement as the Clare number two equalises in the last act from a drawn All Ireland of biblical proportions.

“When we were getting food I got brought aside and I didn’t know before that. Davy brought me aside and just said I was starting. I didn’t know before that. I thought it was brilliant, I always wanted to start. But I was a bit surprised alright.”
Shane O’Donnell on his short notice call-up for All Ireland final Saturday which was followed swiftly by 3-3, Liam McCarthy and man of the match glitz.

“My doctor Tom Higgins will be delighted because I came through a tough game without getting a heart attack!”
Peter Power survives another eventful afternoon on the sideline as Dungarvan CBS capture the Croke Cup in Semple Stadium.

“First question from me. Did any of ye get a prediction right?”
Michael Ryan turns the tables after a last gasp Jake Dillon free allows Waterford escape from Ennis with one point to spare.

“There was a big wind with us and it was a bit of a hit and hope. It was lucky enough I suppose but we’ll take it.”
Kevin Moran plays down his epic clincher against Tipperary that completed a six point turnaround.

“This game of Gaelic football has been infiltrated by a load of spoofers and bluffers, people with no experience in some cases of Gaelic football. Fellas with earpieces stuck in their ear, psychologists, statisticians and dieticians and we have forgotten the basic principles of the game.”
Pat Spillane hit a familiar stride during half time of Cavan versus Fermanagh.

“It’s pure constipated hurling. They’re so inhibited in everything they do. Look at Conal Keaney, remember that display two years ago in the league final against Kilkenny. The zip they had in them that day, that’s totally gone out of them.”
Ger Loughnane describes Dublin’s frustrating display, much to the amusement of Michael Lyster and Eddie Brennan, after the drawn Leinster quarter final with Wexford.

“What I witnessed last night made me very angry, particularly from the Wexford players. Nobody has a right to go out on the hurling field and pull across another guy’s head and I saw several examples of it last night. I thought it was absolutely disgraceful.”
Michael Duignan criticises the approach of the Model county to the replay in Parnell Park.

“If Waterford lose to Offaly in Saturday's All-Ireland qualifier, it will be a disaster.”
John Mullane lays it on the line in his Irish Independent column.

“I want nothing to do with that. It’s an absolute disgrace. I see Mickey Harte smiling and jumping up and down at the end like they achieved. I’ll tell you what, they achieved something absolutely rotten. I can’t believe somebody gave Sean Cavanagh a man-of-the-match award… it’s not within the rules, you’re not allowed rugby tackle a player to the ground. He’s a brilliant footballer but you can forget about Sean Cavanagh as a man.”
Joe Brolly’s outburst in the Sunday Game studios after Tyrone’s quarter final win over Monaghan.

“I remember going down the street and buying the Mi Wadi orange and biscuits and all that and having them on the table when they came in.”
Davy Fitzgerald created a homely atmosphere as the Clare players piled into his living room after losing to Cork in the Munster semi final.

“If I was there with a big grumpy head people would say that he doesn’t care. I show a bit of emotion and I get a slagging for it.”
Kieran O’Gorman absorbed plenty of stick for his animated expression in a photo of the minor management team following the All Ireland semi final.

“I’m shaking like a leaf in spring.”
Liam Aherne of Live 95 FM is swept up as Limerick shake up the Munster championship by taking out Tipperary.

“You only have to look around, there’s nothing but people in red tops with tears in their eyes.”
Merely moments after pulling the rug under Ballygunner with 2-4 in the space of seven minutes, Passage manager Peter Queally absorbed the enormity of their maiden county title.

“It’s a small area but what a heart. I will always say that Ballysaggart is the greatest place on earth. If there’s anyone around that wants to go anywhere be in Ballysaggart tonight because it’s going to be rocking.”
Ballysaggart boss Adrian Meagher in buoyant form after the blue and navy became the first Waterford club to attain Munster junior honours.

Giant of the big ball leaves lasting legacy

 

The sole motivating factor behind Gary Hurney’s growth into a marked man on the inter county and provincial scene was always the betterment of Waterford football.

 “When I was there, I gave it my all and I enjoyed every minute of it. I had a good relationship with all the players and I have seen three or four managers come and go. They all had the same ambition I had and that was to progress Waterford football and try to win something. We didn’t win any silverware but we certainly promoted Waterford football.”

Square one signalled a bleak beginning. Aged 18 and still in St Augustine’s, he commenced his championship quest against Cork in May of 1999. The hosts were murdered in Fraher Field (3-23 to 0-4), with the newcomer managing Waterford’s solitary second half score from a free two minutes from time. His long running crusade consisted of lifting performance levels, improving results and altering attitudes towards the team both inside and outside the county.

At a towering 6 foot and 4 inches, he boasted size and strength but also subtlety and a lethal left boot. He alternated between midfield and full forward; excelling in both positions. Only three championship wins arrived out of 24 appearances. He faced Cork four times and Kerry on three occasions. They ran the Kingdom close at Fitzgerald Stadium in 2006 (0-16 to 0-8). He still settled for 6-37 in championship football. After fifteen seasons of campaigning, the Déise are now stretching upwards rather than staring blankly into the abyss.

 The wear and tear ultimately turned his mind towards retirement. Restricted by back and neck injuries, the Ballinacourty veteran took a brutally honest assessment when the shutters cascaded on the season. “Every player knows himself when it is time. Even during the year itself, I had picked up a lot of knocks and a lot of niggles. To be honest about it, there is no better feeling that going back in January to give another hard slog and compete in the championship. I just felt that the body wasn’t there. As a player, you have to make that decision yourself. Every time you go out, you have to do your best. And you feel that if you can’t go out and do your upmost best for the team and you’re not able because of injury, it’s not fair on everyone else. For me, injury was going to be a problem this year. It was last year. I reckon without the injuries or if I was a small bit better maybe we could have changed the result down in Galway.”

He also contemplated the long term damage of continuing on. “There is a life after GAA as well that I had to look at. I’m very active and I have been very active from a young age. I want to be able to do something after it and I think that if I stayed on for another year, I could have jeopardised that.”
2010 ushered deliverance. Six wins and two draws yielded overdue promotion. In their final day win over Clare (0-20 to 2-5) at Fraher Field, Hurney kicked seven points. It teed up a bonus trip to Croke Park against Limerick but silverware eluded them by two (1-16 to 1-14). He scored 2-6 in the subsequent championship. “2010 was obviously our best year,” the 33 year old says unequivocally. “It probably took me eleven years to get to that. I dreamt of the day of playing in Croke Park for the Waterford footballers. I don’t think on the day that we let ourselves down, we played very well and we were unlucky. Over the years, we have been very unlucky with certain decisions. That would have been one of my major highlights.”

Other rare days in the sun come flooding back. They spoiled the promotion party for 1/50 favourites Cavan at Breffini Park in the last round of the 2006 league. Man of the match Hurney notched two points. “That sums up John Kiely and what he has done for Waterford. If it is one thing that the man has, he tries to get the best thirty lads to play football in Waterford. That’s his first goal and his second goal is to make everyone enjoy it. He made us all feel ten foot tall and made us believe in our own ability. John read out the programme before the game and he had nothing else to say really. It just shows that the ability is there.”

Erratic results irritated however and held the team back from building a head of steam. “Our major problem over the years was consistency and getting back to back results. We kind of struggled with that. Around 2008, 2009 and 2010 we really got consistency in our performances. We were going for promotion in all of those years. In 2010, we got it. Everyone knows what happened in Division 3. We were very unlucky, it came down to the last game and we lost out.”

He represented Munster in six Railway Cups (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013). “Any chance you get to put on the royal blue jersey, you take it. It’s great for the Waterford lads to see a guy out there representing the county. It’s not just myself but there’s been five or six others that have been there and won medals. It’s a massive honour.”

 As Abbeyside’s stock rose in the local hurling market, Hurney dabbled in the inter county game and made six championship appearances (four starts and two substitute outings). In 2008, he scored a point in Justin McCarthy’s last game in charge versus Clare and a goal in Davy Fitzgerald’s debut scalping of Antrim. Hurney also sampled a slither of action in the historic All Ireland semi final that year. The number eighteen replaced Jamie Nagle on 69 minutes. “It was a big choice at the time because I was senior football captain and Justin had asked me in. I quickly made up my mind. In fairness to Justin, he let me plug away with the two and it was probably difficult to do it. Getting to the All Ireland final in 2008 was a massive boost to the county. I’ll never forget the feeling after winning the semi final against Tipperary regardless on or off the pitch. The whole county was buzzing. Unfortunately, the day itself and the All Ireland didn’t go our way but I still won’t forget the feeling after the semi final.”

After almost sending tremors through the championship from Salthill last summer, Hurney believes that Division 3 status is attainable in 2014. And in Paul Whyte, provider of eight points on that sodden July afternoon, the team appear to possess a natural successor to steer the attack. “Paul is a young guy and a fantastic footballer but I hope that he doesn’t have to take the whole load on his shoulders. I see that JJ Hutchinson is back on the panel and Brian Wall is staying on for another year and he will show great leadership to the young players. For the team to progress and perform, you need your stars but you certainly need all of the team rowing in. If that’s happening and the work is being done at the back, Paul and the others will find their scores a lot easier. I have no doubt this year that their goal is to get out of Division 4 and Niall and the lads will leave no stone unturned.”

Jackson frequently publicised Gary’s gifts and he offered the following reference in 2008. “Gary Hurney - where in Ireland would you get a fella 6’4" and 15-and-a-half stone, absolutely fearless, great pair of hands, impossible to dispossess, solos as if the ball was part of his anatomy and kick passes the ball brilliantly?” The giant of the big ball in white and blue was one of a kind.

Waterford Under 21 hurling finals 2002-2012

Abbeyside's 2004 winners

2012
Ballygunner 1-13 St Carthages 0-15

2011
Ballygunner 4-23 Cappoquin 0-10

2010
Ballygunner 2-18 Dungarvan 1-11

2009
Ballygunner 1-7 Dungarvan 1-6

2008
De La Salle 2-12 Cappoquin 1-7

2007
Abbeyside 1-18 De La Salle 1-17 (AET)

2006
Abbeyside 2-9 Ballygunner 1-11

2005
Ballygunner 1-14 Ballyduff Upper 0-8

2004 Replay
Abbeyside 1-13 Ballygunner 1-6

2004
Abbeyside 1-14 Ballygunner 1-14

2003
Tallow 3-7 Mount Sion 2-8

2002
Tallow 1-18 Mount Sion 2-8

O’Keeffe proposes tweak to Waterford SFC group games

After a run of low turnouts in 2013, county secretary Timmy O’Keeffe believes that the round robin stages of the senior football championship should be held on a home and away basis over a two year trial period.

The end of year returns revealed the current lack of appeal in the group games. Gaultier v Ardmore recorded the lowest figure of €110 on the gate. Ballinacourty v Ballinameela (€153) and Clashmore v Gaultier (€180) only fared marginally better. Four other games failed to break three hundred euro.

“It is very noticeable that interest in the league section games of the senior football championship is at an all time low,” O'Keeffe noted in his report to convention. “ As can be seen in the analysis of the senior football championship gate receipts further on in this booklet, of the 23 games shown at 8 different venues, 19 of them recorded a gate receipt of €520 or less. These games, played at neutral venues, not alone are not attracting the neutral supporter, they are not even attracting supporters from either club! Perhaps it would be worth considering that these league section games could be played on a home or away basis on a trial period for two years. The idea would be that the groups drawn for 2014 would be for a two year period, 2014 and 2015. Each team would then be guaranteed five home games and five away games over a two year period.”

He feels that this measure will revive interest in the early rounds of the championship. “In addition to improving gate receipts, playing the games on a home or away basis would bring the game back to the people of the parish and in so doing would give the senior football championship a much needed boost."

He believes that every club ground should be able to cope with hosting these games. “Of course, each club pitch would have to be of a minimum standard and issues like stewarding, collecting gates, scoreboards, parking, etc. would have to be worked out but most club grounds are now of a high standard and with goodwill and hard work these issues could be resolved. “

 

Déise record small shortfall in 2013 accounts

Waterford GAA secretary Timmy O’Keeffe was upbeat about the county’s financial situation after the board incurred a small loss of €2,798 in their 2013 accounts. In 2012, the Déise coffers took a hit of €212,271 and the deficit stood at €120,430 in 2011. These latest figures are contained in the report for convention which will take place on December 16 in Dungarvan.

O’Keeffe wrote positively in his report about the progress made over the last twelve months. “I am pleased to report that the finances of the Board are in a much healthier state in 2013 as compared to 2012 and 2011. The accounts show a turnaround from a loss of over two hundred thousand euro (€212,271) in 2012 to more or less a break even situation in 2013.” He thanked the efforts of county treasurer Joe Cleary in this regard. “Full credit must go to the County Treasurer and the executive for this turnaround. Strict cost control, better fundraising and improved gate receipts all contributed.”

Despite these inroads, O’Keeffe still estimates that the board owes in the region of €540,000. “As of October 31, the net indebtedness of the Board was approximately €540,000, down from approximately €600,000 at the same time in 2012. This shows that we are going in the right direction but there is still a long way to go.”

 The Clashmore club man warned that this only marks the beginning of a long road to recovery. “Much more work needs to be done,” he stated firmly. “Strict cost controls will have to be maintained and fundraising efforts will have to be redoubled. The major fundraising effort for 2014 will be centred around the Punchestown Races on May 3 but the Golf Classic, the WLR FM Pub Quiz and the Night at the Dogs will need to be successful too.”

Income for the year settled at €1,248,099 which marked a significant increase on the 2012 figure of €1,087,395. They made gains of €73,701 from fundraising activities. Gate receipts swelled by €32,189.

Expenditure fell slightly from €1,299,666 to €1,250,897. Spending on inter county teams dropped from €534,715 in 2012 to €498,356 in the year gone by. The senior hurlers cost €196,821 while the footballers set the board back €115,438. The All Ireland minor hurling champions spent €52,899.

He also acknowledged the part that the clubs played in easing the strain. “The contribution of the clubs through the Club Levy is a vital part in paying down this debt and while I understand the difficult times that each club find themselves in at the moment, it is vital that every club contributes their share.”

Elsewhere in the report, O’Keeffe applauded the efforts of Seán Power’s September winners. “On the playing fields, 2013 will be remembered as the year that Waterford underage hurling really took off. In a wonderful atmosphere, Waterford and Galway served up a fantastic game of hurling. The game had everything; thrills, spills, great scores and most of all, the right result for Waterford. It’s a day that all Waterford supporters will savour for a long time to come. The home coming on Monday night in Waterford and Dungarvan were very special occasions.”

He also expressed his concern about the results of the under 21 and minor footballers at provincial level. “I wrote in last year’s report that an alarming gap has opened up between Waterford and the other five counties in Munster at underage football level and the situation has not improved much in the past year.”

Ballysaggart’s eleven game tour to Mallow

Western Championship Round 1
Ballysaggart 5-30 Kilgobnet 1-9

Western Championship Round 2
Ballysaggart 3-13 Colligan 1-17

Western Championship Round 3
Modeligo 2-18 Ballysaggart 1-15

Western Championship Round 4
Ballysaggart 0-16 Geraldines 0-14

Western Championship Round 5
Ballysaggart 1-14 St Mary’s 1-9

Western Championship Semi Final
Ballysaggart 1-15 Modeligo 3-9

Western Championship Semi Final Replay
Ballysaggart 2-17 Modeligo 1-17

Western Championship Final
Ballysaggart 3-13 Colligan 0-12

County Final
Ballysaggart 1-18 Tramore 1-9

Munster Quarter Final
Ballysaggart 1-12 Grenagh 1-9

Munster Semi Final
Ballysaggart 1-12 Knockshegowna 1-5

Saggart fight fire with ice cool collective response

The next tour date for the Ballysaggart show is Mallow on December 8 after steady performances from all cast members rather than another Stephen Bennett solo effort. Knockshegowna rattled into them but Saggart managed to spread the play and verify their 1/6 favouritism beforehand.

Stephen Bennett managed 1-5, including the hammer blow on 38 minutes, but five other players also threw in an offering. Wing back Barry Murphy walloped over two screamers from distance inside ten minutes. Kieran and Shane Bennett ran themselves to a standstill and scored three between them. Darren Meagher and Ronan Walsh shovelled a mountain of ball in the half forward line. Their defence held the North Tipperary side to a single score from play, a consolation goal from Declan Costello on the stroke of full time.

In a similar manner to the quarter final, they gained a jump start. Two apiece from Stephen Bennett and Barry Murphy gave the impression of a comfortable afternoon ahead. Their rugid opponents preferred the confrontation at close quarters and for a spell they dragged the blue and navy into a dogfight. A pair of frees from 41 year old Declan Costello perked their interest. Crucially Kieran Bennett answered the second of those almost immediately. It was Saggart’s first score in fifteen minutes. Darren Meagher then started a sweet team move as barrelled down the centre before offloading to Tom Bennett. He combined with Michael Kearney who slotted between the uprights (0-6 to 0-2 at half time).

Saggart always threatened to cut loose and eight minutes into the second period, Bennett pounced. A nice piece of vision from Ronan Walsh spotted the number fourteen and he dashed away before skimming a shot along the floor and under the hurley of goalkeeper Richard King. Knockshegowna continued to agitate and Costello plugged away with the frees. Limerick official Declan O’Driscoll flashed yellows to four players for one particularly messy situation and showed a total of seven. Saggart started to stretch them however as Stephen, Kieran and Shane Bennett lengthen their lead to double figures. Costello’s late corker only put a slightly better complexion on the scoreboard.

Adrian Meagher, Pat Bennett and the rest of the management team will toss and turn over a few miscues. 11 wides (four in the first half and seven in the second half ) will provide the first port of call. Secondly, several players lost possession by turning needlessly into traffic. They also tend to fall asleep for periods when at the wheel.

Their eagerness to burst from the traps is most encouraging for the final against Feenagh/Kilmeady from Limerick. Ballysaggart are just the second Waterford club to reach a Munster junior hurling final. Tramore fell to Ballygarvan from Cork in 2004. The small community, that all flocked onto the Fraher Field after Sunday’s game, are enjoying this adventure and they are well equipped at both ends of the field to improve on this steely semi final showing.

Cratloe pass stamina test - Cratloe 1-10 Ballinacourty 0-11

“We probably didn’t hit the heights, like we did against Stradbally in the county final, in any two of our Munster club games.” The frank thoughts that Ballinacourty selector Neil Moore gave to WLR FM after their dreams of making a second provincial final disappeared.

They couldn’t crack Cratloe despite their best efforts to slip away. A thin line separated them throughout and that always kept the Blues in with a sniff. The green and white led by 0-6 to 0-5 at half time. Even after Conor McGrath sank his second half putt , only Courty’s fourth concession all season long, they got their noses back in front (0-9 to 1-5) on 35 minutes.

The newly crowned Clare champions outgunned them by five points to two for the remainder however. They didn’t score for an eighteen minute period. Gary Hurney did manage to level the match for an eighth occasion but again Cratloe came back for more and kicked for home. Liam Markham and Conor McGrath signed off a weekend of history making.

The 24 hour angle was overstated perhaps and a superiority in stamina level didn’t kick in for the visitors. Cratloe boss Colm Collins explained to the Irish Examiner how they dealt with the situation after defeating Doonbeg. “On Saturday night we finished the game went to the cryotherapy and then the pool. We had our meal and we all went home. We came up against Ballinacourty today and showed great fighting spirit. It was a tremendous occasion. I was never prouder of a team in my life. It was a massive display. In 48 hours, we are in a Munster final. Joe O’Connor needs to be thanked also. He is the strength and conditioning coach with the Clare hurlers. The fitness has stood to them and even though we played yesterday, I thought we finished the stronger team which is great credit to Joe. The lads don’t slack. They watch what they eat. They don’t mess around. Thankfully they have got their reward. “

As hard as it may seem right now, Courty can take heart in the manner that they devoured the county championship. They motored through the group stages and knock out rounds (scoring 15 goals) and ripped the heart out of Stradbally in the final. The material is there to build a body of work. It’s well within their grasp.

The next target to aim for is back to back county titles. This is a height that the club have only reached once in their history (1978 and 1979). The last team to achieve that feat, other than Stradbally, was Rathgormack when they doubled up in 1995 and 1996. Courty’s must hit 2014 harder.

Saggart’s winter of possibility – Ballysaggart 1-12 Grenagh 1-9

 Stephen Bennett is wintering well. 3-6 in the Western final, 1-12 in the county final and 1-11 in a Munster quarter final. This latest solo mission matched his stratospheric standards. Grenagh were powerless to stop him.

With the scores tied at 1-9 each, he sorted out a sticky patch for Saggart. A scooped point off the hurley, a routine free and an incredible overhead effort dodged a Cork comeback. That final high wire act will be hard to replicate. With his back to goal and surrounded by defenders, he flipped the sliotar up in the air and over the bar in an audacious piece of improvisation that brought the house down.

They had sailed close to the wind after clutching a six point lead at one point. Selector Pat Bennett was out of breath but not out of words to express the pride he felt afterwards. "Our side have come back from the dead all this year. That Grenagh side have never been led in Cork, no team ever led at any stage of this championship all year. We led from the word go. When they came back our lads showed their mettle and showed their hurling. I’m so proud of those guys because not alone did they show their hurling and their skill, they showed their work rate and commitment and that’s what you want."

As Pat Bennett describes, Saggart led right from the first blast. Stephen Bennett thieved a goal in the fifth minute. Shane Bennett’s point attempt was collected by goalkeeper Mark Kenny but Stephen blocked him down and wasted no time in belting the sliotar home. They departed to the dressing rooms four in front (1-5 to 0-4) after Grenagh clocked up 12 stray shots. That soon swelled to six as Bennett piled on three more points. The last of those came out on the far side of the ground where he cheekily flicked over the head of the full back and retrieved to score.

The eight minute delay to treat Grenagh midfielder Niall Doherty (who was stretchered off with a serious knee injury) appeared to unsettle the Waterford champions. On 47 minutes, Seamus Coleman snuck in a daisy cutter after Ballysaggart initially dealt with the danger. Points through Ultan Duggan, Tom Kenny (free), Martin Barry and DD Dorgan tied them on 65 minutes. A ground shot also rattled the side netting in the middle of that. The boisterous away following started to believe in the comeback effort. Stephen Bennett also backed himself to go for goal from a 21 metre free and saw his stinger saved. In the almost never ending injury time (fourteen minutes in all), Bennett had three more tricks up his sleeve. Grenagh raided at the death but Matty Meagher rose highest and they were through.

The Cork side will reflect on 15 wides and the first half dozen that cost them dearly. Saggart’s brave defending also played a part. Barry Murphy’s block led to a point for Shane Bennett while Daniel Devine and Caileain O’Gorman starred down the right flank. Tom Kenny was held scoreless from play by Eugene O’Brien. Matty Meagher stopped from point blank range when Sean Bourke was favourite to score.

It's the first win for a Déise team over the Cork winners at this grade and a first win of any description for six years. They will need that bravery and more Bennett magic next Sunday as Another Fraher Field tie against Knockshegowna from Tipperary is the obstacle in the way of Waterford’s second appearance in a junior final. Pat Bennett doesn't want this adventure to end. "It’s brilliant for Waterford to get another home one. We got savage support in Dungarvan and we will be hoping for more again next Sunday. It’s a Munster semi final and it’s a huge chapter in our club. Today must have been the greatest day for our club. If you are going to get to a Munster final you have to beat Cork and Tipperary and that’s no mean feat. "

Waterford's record in Munster club JHC 2004-2012

Ballysaggart will seek to banish a seven year losing streak for Waterford clubs in the Munster junior championship when they meet Cork champions Grenagh on Sunday. Tramore made the final of this competition in 2004 but were defeated by Ballygarvan. Fenor were the last Deise representatives to register a win in 2006. Cork lead the roll of honour with seven titles.

2012 Semi Final
Kildorrery 4-19 Butlerstown 0-11

2011 Semi Final
Cappamore 3-10 Ballinameela 2-6

2010 Semi Final
St Patricks 3-13 Ballydurn 2-13 (AET)

2009 Quarter Final
Aherlow 3-20 Tourin 2-15

2008 Quarter Final
Dripsey 3-17 Modeligo 0-12

2007 Semi Final
Ballyroe 2-13 Ballysaggart 2-7

2006 Semi Final
Kilworth 4-19 Fenor 0-6

2006 Quarter Final
Fenor 2-13 Meelick 0-8

2005 Semi Final
Knockshegowna 0-12 Brickey Rangers 0-7

2004 Final
Ballygarvan 0-16 Tramore 1-5

2004 Semi Final
Tramore 1-4 Ennistymon 0-3

Courty on the road to somewhere - Ballinacourty v ? preview

The Villagers are Banner bound from around eight o’clock on Sunday morning with a second Munster club final within their grasp based on the evidence of the nine games to hand. The cloudy fixture situation is far from ideal in terms of pre-match planning but if they shift that to one side, there is an inviting path to the December 1 showpiece.

All departments are functioning properly. The defensive record stands at six clean sheets and three goals conceded, the midfield are grabbing possession at key points and the attack is distributing the scoring load. After only experiencing brief periods of turbulence in the county championship, Drom Broadford pushed them close to the cliff edge. That test should make them aware of potential pitfalls. They must offload possession a lot quicker on this occasion and improve their shot selection. The concession of cheap frees clocked up a nice number in the quarter final (25) and foul trouble leads to card trouble down the line.

The uncertainty over their destination is an irritation. In the era of precise preparation, the green and white will have to wait for the close of business in Clare on Saturday to find out both their opponents and the venue. If Cratloe prevail, Cusack Park will host the semi final. If Doonbeg prevail, an extra 45 minutes will be added to the journey time in order to play at the home ground of the Magpies. The Waterford winners appear to be penalised here for Clare failing to complete their championship on schedule. Less than a day of notice for a Munster semi final venue is a most unsatisfactory situation. Cusack Park should have been engraved as the home ground no matter what result materialised on Saturday.

The newly crowned Clare champions will call the tune and Ballinacourty have to move on with that. They will arrive as the fresher team but they can’t rely on that completely. Two games in two days works out in different ways. Back in 1992, Ballygunner defeated Mount Sion in the county final at Fraher Field and travelled to Sixmilebridge the following day for the Munster semi final. They lost by sixteen points. A fornight ago, Whitegate ignored the 24 hour turnaround to draw with Youghal after extra time in the intermediate hurling championship.

Cratloe are chasing their first title backed by Podge Collins, Conor McGrath, Cathal McInerney and Brendan Bugler amongst others. David Tubridy’s Doonbeg have claimed eighteen titles and last lifted the trophy in 2010. The new arrivals enter as marginal 8/13 favourites. The verdict should be known by around 4 o’clock on Saturday. Ballinacourty must prey on the physical and mental vulnerability of their opponents the following day in whatever part of the Banner county they land in.

Waterford's recent Munster club football clashes with Clare

2004 final
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-9

2004 final replay
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-8

2009 semi final
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-6

2010 quarter final
Stradbally 0-7 Doonbeg 0-4

Tiny breaks and restricted supply halt Passage - Na Piarsaigh 0-20 Passage 3-9

Passage emptied everything. They hassled and hounded down another unlikely victory in a final quarter push that really rattled Na Piarsaigh. A bossy Sky Blue half back line led by David Breen, a couple of curious refereeing calls and the sustained excellence of Kevin Downes stopped them.

Their suffocating tactics up front and the hooking and blocking in defence showed that their hunger remained even after the four week break. Peter Queally told the Irish Examiner of how they hit their pre-match targets. “If you go into the dressing room, we have signs up, three things we covered – three subjects. We have Passage up on a sign, hunger up on a sign and pride up on a sign. We’re happy with how we did under those headings.” Five star goalkeeper Eddie Lynch kept them afloat and that show of defiance inspired a trademark late rally. “Peter has been telling us all year to believe and focus on the next ball. He has instilled that throughout the team and there was a great belief to go to the bitter end. We showed that there today as the lads kept plugging away with a few points and a few goals. It was nip and tuck until the last two or three minutes and Na Piarsaigh managed to pull away from us.”

These two teams defied the conditions to produce 32 scores in a clean and fair tussle driven by hard work but also economical use of possession. Conor Lane only blew his whistle for fourteen frees in an uncharacteristically expansive November match. Sean Stack’s side were frustrated by Lynch but still managed to establish a five point hold (0-15 to 2-4) entering the final quarter. Kevin Downes continued to enjoy the freedom of his centre forward role. Passage may wonder if Noel Connors might have inhibited that confidence. Although wearing number fourteen, Pat Gleeson wandered out to midfield to pillage three points. Adrian Breen also beamed brightly in the corner with another three. David Breen left the Passage forwards feeding off scraps. They were starved of a score for 23 minutes.

Passage didn’t buckle even after corner forward Kevin Ryan stopped Eoin Kelly’s second penalty. They continued to press Na Piarsaigh and John Whitty’s goal revived them after Thomas Connors made a dash that attracted five defenders. That made it 20 goals in championship 2013. 1-4 in the space of six minutes (the points provided by Owen Connors (2), Killian Fitzgerald and immediate impact sub Joseph McClean) turned a five point deficit into a one point advantage. Shane Dowling finally settled down after a patchy shooting display overall and Na Piarsaigh clutched a slender lead. Killian Fitzgerald’s sidestep and strike tied the scores for the seventh time (0-18 to 3-9).

A Munster final spot rested on the last three and a bit minutes. The fine margins favoured the 2011 provincial winners. That extra layer of inter county class lowered their error count. Passage continued to rely on a drip, drip supply compared to their opponents. Na Piarsaigh generated 33 scoring chances as opposed to 17. Conor Lane handled the game sensibly but a pair of decisions towards the finish are up for debate. With less than three minutes left on the clock, Michael Casey was deemed to be fouled when Passage appeared to hold their discipline in surrounding the corner back. Peter Queally was livid along the line. They survived the initial delivery from the free but Na Piarsaigh quickly earned a turnover and Shane Dowling spotted wing back Alan Dempsey who delivered from distance. Shortly afterwards, Lane blew up Thomas Connors for overcarrying when no clear offence was committed. Passage also lost possession over the sideline in the short spell leading up to that decisive Downes point. There will be a few nagging doubts in the away ranks but that still can’t take away from how the number eleven crowned his six point showing. With two Passage players exerting pressure and hassled towards the sideline, Downes somehow shaped and shot over his shoulder straight between the sticks for the insurance single.

The newly crowned Waterford champions were out and yet had no reason to get down over it. A two point defeat couldn’t spoil the time of their lives. The noise and colour of the red and white fans even outdid the home following among the 1,350 on Sunday. They exceeded all expectations in climbing from a mid table 25/1 team to county champions after an unexpected endgame never witnessed before and unlikely to see again. The 2013 journey will be revisited over and over during the shortest of winters down Passage way.

The goalkeepers' union - Aisling O'Brien and Eddie Lynch

Courtesy of Munster Camogie

 

Courtesy of Sportsfile

 

Two awards for Waterford goalkeepers on the one weekend is a rare and wonderful feat. On Saturday, Lismore camogie keeper Aisling O'Brien held out against Newmarket in a low scoring Munster Intermediate final replay at Lattin-Cullen. Second half saves from Jenny Kelly and Niki Kaiser kept them on track for a third provincial crown in four years. Passage stopper Eddie Lynch performed five fantastic saves to capture the TG4 award in an unsuccessful Munster semi final trip to the Gaelic Grounds. This included two spectacular diving saves to deny David Dempsey and Kieran Kennedy. The 22 year old has acted as first choice for the seniors since 2010. He kept his third clean sheet of a fairytale nine game season on Sunday.

Waterford v Limerick Munster club hurling rivalry

 

2011 Semi Final

Na Piarsaigh 3-9 Ballygunner 0-12

Ballygunner appeared to be in control of their own destiny at Walsh Park until three costly concessions allowed newcomers Na Piarsaigh into the Munster final. Pauric Mahony ‘s prolific return from placed balls pushed them 0-10 to 0-4 ahead at half time. A couple of defensive mishaps  in the final quarter unravelled that enterprise.  A Shane Dowling double in the space of three minutes started the surprise recovery for the Sky Blues. A third goal courtesy of David Breen rammed home the win.

2008 Final

De La Salle 1-9 Adare 0-10

A tale of two halves as captain John Mullane led by example to cap Salle’s breakthrough season. They were held scoreless at half time but only trailed by five as Adare struck eight wides. Although Brian Phelan got Salle on the board, they fell further behind (0-9 to 0-2) on 38 minutes. John Mullane’s goal on 41 minutes finally fired them into life and a flood of points followed to stun Ger O’Loughlin’ s side.

2005 Quarter Final

Ballygunner 2-12 Garryspillane 1-11

2-4 from Paul Flynn (1-2 in play and 1-2 in frees) got the Gunners past a sticky test in the Gaelic Grounds. Tony Considine’s side,  boosted by a Frankie Carroll goal, made the early running (1-3 to 0-1 after eight minutes). Two Flynn blasts in a four minute burst twisted the game towards the visitors and sent them 2-4 to 1-5 at the break. They kept one step ahead thereafter.

2004 Quarter Final

Mount Sion 4-8 Ahane 2-11

Sean Ryan scored four goals, including an injury time winner, to sway this tie in Sion’s favour. After a change of venue from Walsh Park to Fraher Fied, the Limerick champions took advantage of the strong breeze to depart seven points in front (1-10 to 1-3). Padraig Ryan grabbed the goal with James Moran supplying four points. A Ryan double and Ken McGrath’s point taking turned the tables in the second half. Padraig Ryan’s second major looked to have levelled for Ahane before Sean Ryan intervened with a scrappy clinching strike.

2003 Semi Final

Patrickswell 0-16 Mount Sion 1-11

Sion, playing for the third week in succession, stacked up 15 wides as Paul O'Grady powered a Patrickswell comeback at the Gaelic Grounds. The sides couldn't be seperated at half time (1-4 to 0-7) with Barry Browne delivering the goods. The Waterford winners moved four clear in the second half but O'Grady (scorer of nine points in total) edged the Well in the right direction.

2002 Quarter Final

Mount Sion 2-13 Adare 1-13

In front of 3,500 fans at Walsh Park, nine points from Ken McGrath and two Sean Ryan goals sneaked Sion through by three. Adare seized the initiative with a Mark Foley  penalty on 11 minutes but Sean Ryan quickly replied. Ryan added his second shortly after the interval and they held off an away revival to reach the last four.

 

Courty continue the learning process – Ballinacourty 2-7 Drom Broadford 0-11

Ballinacourty are in a good spot after picking up only their second win in the Munster championship. They survived their most searching test of the season last Sunday yet have a couple of troubling numbers tugging away.

The wides count rested at ten by full time (five in each half). Mid way through the second half, they created chance after chance to dispose of Drom Broadford but failed to do so. Several players were also guilty of running into traffic and taking too much out of the ball, particularly in the opening period. 19 minutes of the second half zipped by before Gary Hurney and Michael O’Halloran removed the uncertainty with the clinching points. “For some reason today we tended to slow down the ball around the middle of the field whereas all year we were more direct,” said selector Neil Moore. “Dromcollogher were flooding back with bodies and made it hard for us. We are delighted with the win but certainly a lot of improvement to do before we travel to Clare in two weeks’ time.”

Cork referee Conor Lane penalised Courty repeatedly during the second half as they started to concede territory and allowed Broadford to rebuild. 44 frees were squashed into the 60 minutes. Some were puzzling including a call against Gary Hurney for overcarrying when the game was in the fire. The concession of 25 frees (18 in the second half) left Moore frustrated. “When Dromcollogher flood the middle of the field, you are going to have that type of a game. There was very few players within the 45s on both teams so it seemed to be condensed in the middle third. That makes for a lot more physical contact which gives a lot more frees. I thought that we came out the wrong end of a few calls there when the game was in the melting pot.” The most pleasing part was how they dug out the scores while playing below their best. Jason O’Brien and Mark Ferncombe gambled around the goalmouth and they stuck away two predatory three pointers when they appeared to be running out of ideas. “I thought in the first half we played quite poorly,” admitted Richie Foley. “Only for those goals, it would have been a different first half. We kind of woke up half way through with those goals.” They took a hold of midfield through Gary and Patrick Hurney in those tense moments when Broadford closed to within a single point. Their defence remains robust despite leaking four from play to Derry McCarthy. In fact, Broadford eased the pressure by bizarrely withdrawing the dangerous number ten. The half backs like to attack at will but Courty are still a mean unit. Brian Looby and David Collins are holding their positions in unfussy fashion to aid Sean O’Hare in the last line. Stephen Enright has only seen three goals fly by him. Overall, Ballinacourty’s willingness to work and persevere is driving them deep into the winter months. No one is spared from mucking in. Mark Ferncombe has scored freely in this run yet it was noticeable in the first half how he tracked back into the half back line to retrieve possession.

The fog hanging over the Clare championship is starting to clear. Cratloe qualified for the final last weekend with a 2-8 to 0-9 win over Eire Og Ennis. Doonbeg and Lisseycasey clash in the second semi final this weekend. In the overall Munster picture, Dr Crokes are cast iron certainties to win with the bookies at 1/20. With nine wins from nine, the 14/1 long shots are moving up quietly on the rails and with some fine tuning, they may end up as the final provincial hurdle for Gooch and company to jump over on the first of December.

Opportunity knocks for Courty - Munster quarter final preview

 

Despite making three Munster final appearances in the last decade (2004, 2006 and 2007), it’s hardly been a rich return for Déise sides in this company. Since the turn of the millennium, Waterford clubs have won five, drawn two and lost eleven out of eighteen provincial ties. Stradbally were the last team to record a win back in 2010 (0-7 to 0-4 over Doonbeg). Taxing and physically exhausting county finals haven’t helped their cause. In 2003 and 2008, the championship didn’t finish on schedule to meet the Munster deadlines. Ballinacourty are better placed to boost that record.

With a fortnight to retune the dial, Courty should arrive with a fresh appetite to kick on for the rest of the winter. Eight wins out of eight in the county by an average margin of eleven points breathes confidence. The forwards have reached the dizzy digits of around 19 points per game and the backs are letting through less than nine on average. A wholesome team performance knocked Stradbally over by seven. Eight different players split the uprights and they only conceded two points in 54 minutes of football. The bite was back in their play and that really showed in how they scoffed the breaks and surrounded the Red shirts in numbers. John Hurney’s suspension is the only minus mark ahead of the weekend.

Drom Broadford have collected seven out of twelve on Shannonside (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013) and lifted the Munster cup in 2008. In their latest triumph over Monaleen, they emerged as two point victors but bossed the game for the majority. New recruit Killian Phair from Cavan, was responsible for 1-3. He previously won county crowns in his native county and in London. Man of the match Gareth Noonan and Seanie Buckley are their only two current county representatives. Jason Stokes and evergreen attacker Michael Reidy soldiered under Liam Kearns when Limerick narrowly lost back to back Munster finals against Kerry in 2003 and 2004. They will start without full back Tom McLoughlin on Sunday.

This quarter final will be settled around the centre. Seanie Buckley resides there for the visitors and his creative influence will need to be curbed. Courty clearly studied Stradbally’s kick outs and they used Gary Hurney’s height to gain a leg up. They are unlikely to exert a similar vice like grip on this occasion and their hunger for dirty ball will have to be as high as two weeks ago. With Dr Crokes and Castlehaven on the opposite side of the draw and the Clare championship in disarray, a Munster final appearance is within the grasp of Sunday’s victors. Courty’s midfield (helped by attack minded half backs and hard running half forwards) can provide the platform to get around awkward opponents.

Ballinacourty 4/6 Draw 7/1 Drom Broadford 6/4

Prediction: Ballinacourty

Waterford's Munster club football record (2000-2012)

2000 quarter final

Moyle Rovers 2-2 The Nire 0-7

2001 quarter final
Drom Broadford 2-9 Stradbally 0-9

2002 quarter final
Monaleen 1-12 Stradbally 2-6

2003
No Waterford representative

2004 quarter final
Stradbally 0-11 Loughmore Castleiney 1-7

2004 semi final
Stradbally 1-12 Bishopstown 0-12

2004 final
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-9

2004 final replay
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-8

2005 semi final
Nemo Rangers 1-14 Stradbally 0-10

2006 semi final
The Nire 1-6 Aherlow 1-6

2006 semi final replay
The Nire 1-10 Aherlow 0-6

2006 final
Dr Crokes 2-5 The Nire 0-8

2007 semi final
Ballinacourty 2-6 Kilcummin 0-8

2007 final
Nemo Rangers 1-10 Ballinacourty 1-7

2008
No Waterford representative

2009 semi final
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-6

2010 quarter final
Stradbally 0-7 Doonbeg 0-4

2010 semi final
Nemo Rangers 1-12 Stradbally 1-5

2011 quarter final
Dr Crokes 3-13 Ballinacourty 0-7

2012 semi final
Castlehaven 1-5 Stradbally 0-7

Courty’s steely side wins midfield war - Ballinacourty 0-12 Stradbally 0-5

A third title since 2007 for Ballinacourty and the seven point winning margin crowned their most fulfilling triumph. This was a thorough team performance as Stradbally were left grasping for air. The sending off tested their resolve but they continued to suffocate their rivals in fiery affair and eight different players posted a score.

 

Gary Hurney emphasised the collective effort afterwards. "We knew that sometimes we weren’t getting the best out of everyone but this time we got the absolute best out of everyone and we needed that to drive on and win today."

 

Even with fourteen, Ballinacourty remained in total control of their own destiny. Selector Neil Moore felt that the half time breather allowed them the opportunity to reconfigure their forces. “We were lucky with the timing of it in that it gave us a chance to regroup and reorganise. Maybe if it happened in the second half, it wouldn’t have given us the chance to get them together in the dressing room.”

They crossed the bridge in determined mood to tear up the pre match predictions. “The lads were determined that we weren’t coming over here and losing today. A lot of the talk around was that we were coming over to make up the numbers but we showed a few people that we can play football too.”

Ballinacourty showed a real willingness to scavenge. They pressurised from the front, forcing uncharacteristic errors from their opponents and didn’t allow Stradbally build patiently from the back. A true sign of their hunger however was their monopoly on breaking ball. During their second quarter purple patch, Mark Fives got his paws on three breaks in a row. The underrated captain, really rose to the occasion and polished off sixty minutes of sweat with two points from play.

On and off the field they outmanoeuvred an out of sorts Stradbally. Switching Sean O’Hare to full back and Shane Briggs to six allowed the latter to relax his defensive duties and move into advanced areas. The management resisted the temptation to place Gary Hurney at fourteen and instead used his aerial prowess to gain the upper hand at midfield. He also minimised the impact of the Ahearne brothers. Man of the match Hurney also came up with the crucial scores when they needed to enlarge their lead. In the second half, he produced two points and one assist. That point into the country end was something spectacular as he held off two Stradbally defenders to curl the ball inside the left hand post.

The Reds were seriously hindered from the moment that Michael Walsh hit the deck in the top right hand corner of the field. The Brick hobbled into the full forward line but was never able to run off the injury. Up to that point, he was probing for openings and proved almost impossible to dispossess as he surveyed each situation. His sumptuous pass played in Paddy Kiely for a point that was close to perfection. Stradbally didn’t seem the same without their link man pulling the strings. The supply line was completely cut off and amazingly, they only registered two points in 54 minutes of football after Kiely’s white flag on 11 minutes. The Ahearnes were also held scoreless from play.

They weathered the early Courty storm of singles from Patrick Hurney and Michael O’Halloran. David Grey, Shane Ahearne (smashing free from forty metres) and Kiely left them 0-3 to 0-2 in front. Normal order restored but there was a The Stradbally kick out collapsed for the second quarter of the contest. Gary Hurney competed strongly and Mark Fives swept up the crumbs coming his way. The industrious Fives levelled on eighteen minutes. James O’Mahoney nudged them ahead before Richie Foley sauntered forward from wing back for a brace of points. Cruising at 0-6 to 0-3 in front, they could have kicked on further but they sent six shots astray. Even John Hurney’s moment of madness didn’t deter them. The fitness programme implemented by James Keoghan was singled out for high praise afterwards as they maintained their intensity levels in the tackle and held their own in terms of the collisions. After the restart, Mark Fives added his second single and Gary Hurney screwed in that screamer off his left boot. No way back for the Reds.

The scoring statistics beforehand hinted at a looser final but familiarity tightened things up. The top three now meet so regularly that they know each other inside out. Space was at a premium and none of the forwards went on a scoring spree. The sides shared 27 goals beforehand but Courty only carved two openings and Stradbally mustered a half chance in the first half. There was needle in this one throughout and the free count rose above forty. Man in black John Condon controlled matters and flashed the colours when required (two reds and four yellows). The dismissals of John Hurney and Paddy Kiely were clear cut calls.

This is a revamped version of the Villagers. Five changes in personnel have been made from the victorious 2011 side. Under 21 medallists turned into senior starters this season. When hounding down Stradbally, you need a little extra. Sunday’s dominant march suggests that the green and white will be sticking around. For the pool of talent at their disposal and their consistency (five finals in seven seasons), they needed more silverware to show and a third Conway Cup for this group is a healthier return. The motivation now must be to build a long term reputation and that starts by putting together back to back titles.

Plenty of potential in familiar pairing - Stradbally v Ballinacourty preview

 

The Waterford football final frequently goes right to the wire. The last three deciders have been settled by the bare minimum. Since 2002, the teams have required a second day out on five occassions. The odds of a draw on Sunday? 7/1.  

On the semi final evidence, these two rivals are hitting peak performance at just the right moment. Stradbally’s dissection of An Rinn set an intimidating benchmark. The Reds appear to moving better than ever before. Michael Walsh and Paddy Kiely form a balanced partnership at midfield. The Brick can drop deep to start attacks while Kiely is given licence to attack. The Ahearnes are combining in perfect symphony. 2-22 posted between them in the last two knockout games. Stephen Cunningham integrated a number of new combination during the group stages and they are gelling with the old guard. Nearly a third of the team didn’t start last year’s final. Paddy Doyle, Kevin Lawlor, Tommy Connors and David Grey are now permanent parts. Jack Mullaney is also a regular replacement.

A week later, Ballinacourty swept The Nire aside with an explosive start. They led by 3-6 to 0-2 approaching half time. The most striking aspect of their seven successes has been their creation and conversion of goal scoring opportunities. Fifteen green flags raised thus far and only one blank fired (in the quarter final versus St Saviours). Mark Ferncombe’s flair is bringing out the best from those around him. His razor sharp finishing (5-15 banked in this year’s championship) and eye for a pass has increased their output. Patrick Hurney is taking on a greater leadership role in both codes and has outshone Gary to start Sunday’s final as the ace marksman in the Courty ranks (2-26). They too have added a different dimension to their playing pool. Shane Briggs and Sean O’Hare now start at three and six respectively. David Collins and Brian Looby provide freshness in defence while Jason O’Brien and Michael O’Halloran are regular contributors to the scoreboard.

In the scoring stakes, they are matching each other stride for stride. Ballinacourty tend to hit 21 points per game while the holders are running at rate of 20 per game. The spread of scorers is also encouraging for both sides. Not for the first time the weather may stop the landslide of scores. The 2011 mudslide should never have been staged. Courty got first use of the gale to score six points and Stradbally’s second half return fell a single short (0-6 to 0-5). Nobody wants to see a rerun.

Courty will look to dictate the tempo straight from the throw in. In a similar fashion to the semi final, they may chase an early goal to lure their opponents into an open contest. Positioning Gary Hurney close to the target may form part of that plan. Will they earn enough possession at midfield to ask those searching questions of Stradbally’s last line? Walsh and Kiely are supported by hard working half backs and half forwards that soak up the breaks. The Ahearnes can also put in a shift around the centre. The match ups also pose problems from a Ballinacourty perspective. Will Sean O’Hare shadow Shane Ahearne after his semi final masterclass? Will Shane Briggs follow Robert Ahearne or stay back and mind the house? Even if the twin towers are limited in their influence, David Grey and Ger Power need close surveillance. The Stradbally defenders are more versatile and flexible. They are no fazed by unfamiliar surroundings if they are dragged out of position.

Despite their congested mantelpiece, the Reds still harbour a hunger to top the pile. Nine titles in thirteen attempts is the latest piece of history in their sights. They start each season with a clean slate and their workrate remains as fierce as ever. Ballinacourty will feel that they should have more to show for the footballers at their disposal than two titles (2007 and 2011). Last year’s semi final loss offers further motivation.

The third time in four years for these two to wind up in the final but what kind of contest will emerge from this familiarity? If it turns into an arm wrestle or a more expansive spectacle, Stradbally can adapt. The accumulation of finals means that few situations surprise them and they adjust to their surroundings swiftly. The Brick acts as their sat nav to get them safely to their desired destination. The combination of the Ahearnes up front can steer them to the slimmest of wins. The recent tradition of football finals almost guarantees a tight squeeze. The average winning total from the last ten deciders is eleven points. The 2013 edition may prove an exception in that particular area.

Betting: Stradbally 4/5 Draw 7/1 Ballinacourty 5/4
Prediction: Stradbally

Paths to the summit – Stradbally v Ballinacourty

Stradbally

For: 12-106

Against: 6-43
Scorers: 16
Top Scorer: Robert Ahearne 4-17
Average winning margin: 12 points

Round 1: Stradbally 2-16 Gaultier 1-2
Round 2: Stradbally 3-17 St Saviours 1-10
Round 3: Stradbally 1-8 Clashmore 0-8
Round 4: Stradbally 0-19 Ardmore 1-7
Round 5: Stradbally 2-15 Kilrossanty 1-7
Quarter Final: Stradbally 1-13 Ballinameela 1-3
Semi Final: Stradbally 3-18 An Rinn 1-3

Robert Ahearne 4-17
Shane Ahearne 1-25
David Grey 1-13
John Coffey 1-11
Ger Power 2-5
Chris Casey 0-9
Paddy Kiely 1-5
Tony Grey 0-7
Tommy Connors 0-4
Michael Walsh 0-4
Own goal 1-0
Luke Casey 1-0
Eddie Rockett 0-2
Shane Lannon 0-2
Paddy Doyle 0-1
Kevin Lawlor 0-1

Ballinacourty

For: 15-101

Against: 3-54
Scorers: 15
Top Scorer: Patrick Hurney 2-26
Average winning margin: 12 points

Round 1: Ballinacourty 1-9 An Rinn 0-9
Round 2: Ballinacourty 2-15 Rathgormack 0-7
Round 3: Ballinacourty 1-15 The Nire 0-12
Round 4: Ballinacourty 6-17 Ballinameela 1-4
Round 5: Ballinacourty 1-20 Brickey Rangers 0-6
Quarter Final: Ballinacourty 0-14 St Saviours 1-5
Semi Final: Ballinacourty 4-11 The Nire 1-11

Patrick Hurney 2-26

Mark Ferncombe 5-15
Mark Gorman 2-8
Jason O’Brien 3-4
Michael O’Halloran 0-13
Gary Hurney 0-10
Mark Fives 1-4
Shane Donovan 0-7
John Hurney 1-2
Shane Briggs 1-1
Conor Maloney 0-4
Ross Dunford 0-4
John Power 0-1
Martin Lavan 0-1
Jason O’Mahony 0-1

Passage paradise – Passage 3-16 Ballygunner 3-13

 

A finish to give you goosebumps. You had to scrub your eyes to verify it. A sudden injection of 2-4 numbed the pain for Passage. The craziest climax to a county hurling final was beyond belief.

Passage rolled the dice all season long. They scored 17 goals and conceded 13 on the journey. They emerged as the great entertainers. With the attacking resources at their disposal, that approach was understandable. There was also a consistency to the manner they concluded all of their knock out matches. Five unanswered points in the quarter final and two goals in the third quarter of the semi indicated that they would last the pace.

Still, a uprising seemed unthinkable considering the opposition. Ballygunner simply don’t surrender these situations. Up to that point, they had done more than enough. The red and black ribbons were ready. They took decisive action in the third quarter. A seven point gain (2-3 to 0-2) during moving quarter. Their full forward line was working as well as it had done all season as they accumulated 2-3. Stephen Power’s aerial ability and 1-2 contribution came as a welcome bonus to Ballygunner. Since his De La Salle college days, he has struggled to pin down a regular position but he reminded everyone of his gifts on Sunday. David O’Sullivan provided a towering presence at wing forward and his defensive splitting run allowed Power to scramble the opening goal.

Their backs appeared impenetrable. Wayne Hutchinson picked the apples off a tree and shielded the inner line. Stephen O’Keeffe asserted himself around the goalmouth and dictated the pattern and pace of Ballygunner play. He directed the ball out from the back and they pinged it around precisely during the second half. They even hosed down the first flames of a fightback. Eoin Kelly hit two points, Owen Connors converted a free and John Whitty tested Stephen O’Keeffe in a five minute spell. Yet, points from Harley Barnes, Brian O’Sullivan and Power kept them seven up with seven to play.

The villagers still trusted their fitness. Fergal O’Brien had them running up and down Passage hill. Peter Queally moulded them as a group and put an end to the individualism that held them back. Very few had tasted any sort of club success. Four years ago in an Eastern Under 21 final, Ballygunner trounced them by 4-17 to 2-7. Ten survivors started for Gunners on Sunday and eight from Passage. This team, with an average age of 24.7, had matured throughout this campaign however. In those final five minutes, they learned how to win. A bit of risk taking was involved as Jason Roche wandered all the way up from the full back line to leave two goals in it. They kept plugging away and none showed more perseverance than man of the match Owen Connors. A reliable club performer since their promotion at senior level, he didn’t panic and chipped away with the frees. His first half goal recovered their balance and he spurred them on again following that damaging third quarter.

The take off was sudden and unexpected. It crept up on the Gunners and almost everyone else in Walsh Park. The rocket fuel came in the form of Sean Hogan’s goal. The seventeen year old substitute saw little action before the sliotar came his way right on the stroke of sixty minutes. From an acute angle and with Stephen O’Keeffe close to unbeatable, he scorched the ceiling of the net before the number one had time to raise a stick at it. Ballygunner were wobbly on their legs now. Passage had to push them to the canvas. They sensed and grasped the opportunity. They needed every last one of the 17 goals to get their mitts on the News and Star silver. The long serving Conor Carey lifted the roof off the net when he collected from Owen Connors. Cue commotion.

The next couple of minutes were a red and white blur. County final woes and an inferiority complex to the Gunners utterly dismissed. They lost three times (1993, 1994 and 1997) in different circumstances. The first two hurt the most while they were clinging on by the time the third came around. Names likes Barry, Cullinane and Connors were all prominent. Conor Carey and Rory Walsh were also knocking around. They spiralled out of senior in 2003 and only resurfaced in 2008. Hard knocks came their way initially. An Abbeyside annilihation in the group stages of 2009 (7-16 to 3-10) was followed by a semi final shellacking from De La Salle (2-21 to 2-5) a year later. They settled in senior helped by an underage crop that contained Noel Connors, Owen Connors, Thomas Connors, Eddie Lynch, Mark Wyse and Killian Fitzgerald amongst others. Peter Queally put the pieces together. Carey recalled their first encounter with Ballydurn man. “We were out and we were playing as individuals and we were shouting and roaring. He stopped the game and he said ‘lads if I don’t win a game with ye this year I’m going to make ye believe in each other and be positive to each other’.”

Life, death and hurling became tangled up in this tale. The memory of the Bolger brothers never left them. “It was always there in the background and it was always silently there,” stated Peter Queally on the pitch afterwards. “We spoke about it after our first night back training and it was a very emotional night. We said that we wouldn’t mention it again but every time we came into a huddle and there was silence, we think about the three brothers that lost their lives at sea. We wanted to honour their passing.” Eoin Kelly added: “It’s great to have some bit of joy in the village. The people of Passage need this and they will get some lift of this.”

They won’t feel the winter now in Passage East. The Munster championship can go on the backburner. As Conor Carey exclaimed: “Let’s go have a session!”