The Famine is Over

A sixty five year famine is over. Waterford are All-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions for only the third time.

For much of the game, the final outcome of the game was in doubt and if the two sides had to possibly travel to Semple Stadium next weekend to replay in a game which would play part of a programme with the Under 21 All-Ireland Final it would be no major surprise.

Waterford began this game very brightly as Patrick Curran who finished with 1-7 to his name and also bagging the man of the match award opened the scoring with a brace of frees inside the opening two minutes of the game starting.

Galway however did not have to wait long for their first of the game, as Brian Molloy put over a free on four minutes.

The first scores from play came within seconds of each other in the seventh minute. Stephen Bennett was first to score from play with Darragh Dolan quickly following suit for the Tribesmen.

Conor Whelan levelled matters on nine minutes spilling the uprights from the left wing and two minutes later, the Tribe’s men went in front for the first and only time when Adrian Morrissey put a controversially awarded side line cup between the posts.

Patrick Curran levelled matters for Waterford on fourteen minutes and they went back in front soon afterwards after Colm Roche put over a brace of scores.

Waterford’s period of dominance continued as Patrick Curran and Mickey Kearney put over points to give Waterford a 0-8 to 0-4 lead with eleven minutes of the first half remaining and the extended that lead when Patrick Curran pointed.

Ronan O’Meara hit a point soon afterwards to leave four between the sides, which was followed by points from Patrick Curran and Darragh Doyle to keep four between the sides with as many minutes of the first half remaining.

Ronan O’Meara hit a brace of scores to leave two between the sides, but a point from Stephen Bennett with two minutes of the half remaining put some further day light between the sides, Two minutes into stoppage time Darragh Dolan pointed to leave two between the sides but just before referee Cathal McAllister blew his half time whistle, DJ Foran pointed for Waterford to give Sean Power’s charges a 0-12 to 0-9 advantage with the sides heading for the dressing rooms under the Cusack Stand.

Galway began the second half by making changes. Sean Linnane came in for Eamon Brannigan, but it was Waterford that were quickest out of the traps.

Two minutes into the second half, the Bennett brothers linked up brilliantly which say Stephen draw a great save from Cathal Tuohy but the ball fell to Ballyduff Upper’s Mickey Kearney who made no mistake in dissecting the posts.

Galway enjoyed a period of dominance over the following minutes as Brian Molloy pointed a free on thirty four minutes, and he repeated the act three minutes later when he brought Galway to within three of Waterford.

Ronan O’Meara hit a third point in a row on forty one minutes, which was followed with points from Mickey Kearney and brace from Brian Molloy to level matters with the game having entered its final quarter.

A brilliant point from Tom Devine saw Waterford take the lead with less then ten minutes to go, and the Waterford lead was extended when Austin Gleeson and Colm Roche landed important scores.

Mickey Kearney put Waterford four points in front with as many minutes to play which was quickly followed by a Patrick Curran goal.

Shane Cooney landed a point for Galway with two minutes to go, but it was a mere consolation score. In stoppage time at the end of the game Stephen Bennett who impressed for Waterford throughout landed a brace of scores which helped the Déise County to a historic 1-21 to 0-16 victory.

For Waterford, it was hard to pick flaws with the overall team performance.

The concession of scoreable frees in previous games was sorted. There was only a short while in the second half when conceding frees looked as though it could cost Waterford. Of Galway’s sixteen scores just five were as a result of winning frees a marked improvement on other games.

Patrick Curran will receive a lot of praise for finishing the game as its top scorer. 1-7 in any All-Ireland is no mean tally, but he was ably assisted by Stephen Bennett who finished the hour with four points and Colm Roche who finished with three points.

At the other end of the field, Kevin Daly put in a massive performance at full back while the half back line of Michael Harney, Austin Gleeson and Shane Bennett put in faultless displays and the four of them could not be too far behind Patrick Curran when it came to picking of the Man of the Match award.

This win has not happened over night. Lots of work has gone into achieving the result we so craved for on Sunday. It began many years ago, it the back gardens of Ballysaggart, Ballyduff Upper and Clonea and in halls in places like Portlaw and Dungarvan.

The work was carried on when the players visited the tournaments in places like Roanmore and Ballyduff Upper as under eights, nine’s and tens. It was further strengthened when the players began playing in the under 12, 14 and 16 competitions run by Bord na nÓg. When the players got involved with the different development squads run by the Coaching Committee and with the Colleges and then over the past few months when Sean Power, John Treacy, Wayne Power and Kieran O’Gorman took over the side to get them ready for the year just ended as minors.

The work done over the past number of years now has to continue. In 1992, when we last contested an All-Ireland Final and won the Under 21 All-Ireland, mistakes were made. There was some that felt back then that the hard work was done.

We know that if we are to go on to achieve what we want to at the next level, the work is only starting. Sunday’s All-Ireland win can be the catalyst to greater things, but only if we really want it to be and are willing to do what needs to be to see the dream to happen. I think we do.

Waterford: Gavin Power; William Hahessey, Kevin Daly (C), Cian Leamy; Michéal Harney, Austin Gleeson, Shane Bennett; Mark O’Brien, Tom Devine ; Stephen Bennett, DJ Foran, Michael Kearney; Adam Farrell , Patrick Curran, Colm Roche. Subs: Cormac Curran for Foran (37), Conor Gleeson for Farrell (44), Paul O’Connor for Roche (57), Brian Whelan for Shane Bennett (59), Sam O’Neill for Hahessey (59).

Scorers: Patrick Curran 1-7 (4f, 165), Stephen Bennett 0-4, Michael Kearney 0-4, Colm Roche 0-3, DJ Foran 0-1, Tom Devin 0-1, Austin Gleeson 0-1, (1f).

Galway: Cathal Tuohy; Maidhc Ó Conghaile, Darragh O’Donoghue, Michael Connelly; Sean Linnane, Shane Cooney, Richard Doyle; Eanna Burke, Darragh Dolan (c); Conor Whelan, Ronan O’Meara, Adrian Morrissey; Brian Molloy, Jack Hastings, Conor Shaughnessy. Subs: Vincent Doyle for Richard Doyle (24), Eamon Brannigan for Linanne (HT), Brian Burke for Whelan (37), Ronan Bellew for Hastings (52), Shane Burke for Eanna Burke (57).

Scorers: Brian Molloy 0-5 (4f), Ronan O’Meara 0-4, Darragh Dolan 0-3, Conor Whelan 0-1, Adrian Morrissey 0-1, Brian Burke 0-1, Shane Cooney (0-1).

Referee: C McAllister (Cork)