The Nire and Stradbally must do it all over again.

The Nire and Stradbally on Sunday afternoon clashed in a County Senior Football final for the sixth time since 2002 and considering that three of the previous finals ended in draws, it was no major surprise that the latest meeting ended in stalemate and the two sides will have to fight out all over again in a bid to see who will represent Waterford in this years Munster Club Championship in two weeks time.

There appears to be an unwritten bye law in Waterford that weather conditions on County Senior Football Final day must be far from ideal.

Down the years we have seen some very wet days. Who will never forget the 2011 final when parts of the field resembled a mud bath? There have been years when the wind and cold could cut you down the middle if you failed to find and area in the stand where you could get some shelter.

The latest final saw a mixture of both elements. All day leading up to the final we knew the wind was going to be a factor. About three hours before the game was to start, the rain arrived in Dungarvan.

Stradbally will possibly be the happier of the two teams after the latest instalment. They know that they had fewer chances than what the Nire had over the sixty minutes but they still have a chance to add to the sixteen county finals that they have previously won.

The Nire had first use of the wind. They made all the early running and were three points to no score up after just seven minutes after Shane Walsh and Jamie Barron with a brace of scores had the umpire reaching for a white flag.

The Nire were presented with a good chance of extending their lead on eight minutes but Shane Walsh saw his effort from what looked an easy enough free go wide of the far post as he looked at them. Liam Lawlor did manage to extend his sides lead to four on twelve minutes and at the end of the opening quarter when The Nire won another free from almost dead straight in posts went wide of the mark after those that were reporting on the game were after noting a point in their notepads.

Stradbally are noted for breaking teams down. They never panic no matter how far they may be behind, and they showed this trait once more in this game.

They hit their first score of the game on seventeen minutes when Niall Curran put over a free and five minutes later the sides were all square when after Ger Power hit in a high ball into The Nire goal mouth, Robert Ahearne got in behind The Nire defence to touch the ball to the net with his fist.

Despite conceding this goal, The Nire finished the half the stronger of the two sides with Shane Ryan kicking a point on twenty five minutes with the aid of the cross bar but his effort could just as easily have gone under the cross bar and just as the thirty minutes elapsed, Liam Lawlor hit his second point of the game which gave his side a 0-6 to 1-1 lead as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.

During the break the rain that was falling got heavier and with it, it also got darker and the lighting around the ground was switched on.

Both sides kicked two further scores in the second thirty minutes. The Nire’s scores came at either end of the half while Stradbally’s scores came in the second half of the third quarter.

Liam Lawlor hit the first score of the second half, his third of the game on thirty-six minutes. Niall Curran soon followed up with his second score of the game, again from a free and on forty minutes, Stradbally went in front for the first time.

The Cove-Men won a free forty metres from goal, about half way between the post and the side line. Shane Ahearne, normally a very good free taker went to take the free but his effort fell short of the target but older brother Robert was again in the right place at the right time and he again flicked the ball to the net with his fist which gave his side a 2-2 to 0-7 lead.

Following their second goal, Stradbally went into typical Stradbally mould. They closed down The Nire’s attacking players at every opportunity and it was beginning to look like that they were going to add to their already Roll of Honour and move a step closer to the record number of titles won by Dungarvan.

However, they were powerless to keep Seamus Lawlor’s effort five minutes from time from going between the posts. He was set up by older brother Liam and when in front of the posts he made no mistake.

Both sides in the five minutes of normal time that remained and the two that were added tried to hit the score that would secure the title for them, but that score failed to arrive and the two sides will now have to do it all over again on Saturday evening, the game having a 7pm throw-in with extra time if needs be.

The Nire: Tom Wall; James McGrath, Maurice O’Gorman, Justin Walsh; John Moore, Martin Walsh, Seamus Lawlor; Michael O’Gorman, Thomas O’Gorman; Darren Guiry, Shane Walsh, Jamie Barron; Brian Wall, Liam Lawlor, Shane Ryan. Subs; Richie Fenton for Darren Guiry, Craig Guiry for Brian Wall, Diarmuid Wall for Shane Ryan, Ian Coffey for John Moore.

Scorers: Liam Lawlor 0-3, Jamie Barron 0-2, Shane Walsh, Shane Ryan, Seamus Lawlor 0-1 each.

Stradbally: Oliver Costelloe; Tony Doyle, Kevin Coffey, Trevor Costelloe; Shane Lannon, Eddie Rockett, Andy Doyle; Michael Walsh, John Hearne; Paddy Kiely, Ger Power, John Coffey, Niall Curran, Shane Ahearne, Robert Ahearne.  Subs: Stephen Cunningham for John Hearne, Trevor Curran for John Coffey, David Grey for Ger Power, Tommy Connors for Paddy Kiely.

Scorers: Robert Ahearne 2-0, Niall Curran 0-2 (0-2 frees).

Referee: Maurice Condon (Clashmore).