Ardmore win a classic

With minutes to go in the Western Intermediate Hurling Final at Fraher Field on Sunday afternoon, the West Waterford Divisional treasurer entered the press box rubbing his hands. You sense I replay I said to him to which he said he could.

If the game did need a replay, nobody could have complained.

Most expected that this game was going to be close, but few could have predicted that it was as close as things worked out and had the two sides to return to Fraher Field the Western Board would surly have had a major bonus pay day as people that were not present for this game having heard how good it was would have turned up in large numbers in the hope just as Cork and Clare did recently in the All-Ireland final, that they could replicate what they did in this game.

The large attendance at Fraher Field did not have to wait long for their first score in this game. The game was less than a minute old when Tadhg Bourke had the umpires reaching for a white flag and the opening minute still had not elapsed when David Gartland responded for Ardmore.

Paul O’Connor and Richie Hennessy were next to swap scores before Ardmore took the lead for the first time when Seamus Prendergast pointed from a free.

Cillian O’Keeffe and David Gartland traded scores before points from Cathal Hennessy and Seamus Prendergast put some daylight between the sides with ten minutes played.

Clashmore hit back with points from Edmond O’Halloran and a brace from Tadhg Bourke to level matters with twelve minutes of the of the half remaining.

Seamus Prendergast with a brace of frees put Ardmore back in front and they extended that lead when Cathal and Wayne Hennessy landed points.

Paul O’Connor hit the games first goal on twenty-four minutes, a terrific ground stroke, something that is not seen enough of in the modern game.

Seamus Prendergast and Darren Foley swapped points to keep one between the sides, but a brace from Seamus Prendergast both from frees, meant that Ardmore would end the opening half holding a 0-13 to 1-7 lead.

Clashmore began the second half in whirlwind fashion.

They won a free inside their own ’65 metre line which Tadhg Bourke stood over and with the wind at his back it appeared that there was only one place the ball was going to go, even if the free was much closer to the sideline on the back side of the field than it was to the centre of the field.

However, the Clashmore man saw his shot drop short of the target and with some commotion in and around the Ardmore goal, the ball somehow got past Clinton Hennessy. There was suggestions that it had gone all the way from Bourke’s strike or that an Ardmore player got a touch on the ball, but it appeared that Edmond O’Halloran may have got a final touch on the ball before it crossed the line.

Seamus Prendergast and Cathal Hennessy however followed up with points to give Ardmore a two point lead which was extended further when Seamus Keating put over a sideline and then John Gartland pointed to put four between the sides.

Brian O’Halloran entered the action early in the second half and straight away made an impact as he pointed. Tadhg Bourke pointed a free twelve minutes after the restart and a minute later Clashmore had their numbers cut after James O’Leary was dismissed on a straight red after he caught Seamus Prendergast hit with his hurley.

Tadhg Bourke pointed a brace of frees either side of the three-quarter stage mark in the game, but points from Seamus Prendergast and the very impressive Seamus Keating soon had Ardmore back in front.

Paul O’Connor and Seamus Keating swapped scores, before Clashmore hit a bit of a purple patch with the game entering its final ten minutes. Tadhg Bourke, Paul O’Connor, Brian O’Halloran and Paul O’Connor again, hit points which gave Clashmore a 2-16 to 0-20 lead with fifty seven minutes played.

However, no game is never finished until the sound of the referee’s final whistle, and in the closing minutes it was Ardmore that showed the most hunger.

Seamus Keating and Seamus Prendergast both hit scores for the sea-siders to draw the sides level with a minute of the two extra minutes to be played.

Ardmore continued to attack and in the dying seconds of the game they won a ’65.

Thomas Walsh before allowing Seamus Prendergast to strike from sixty-five metres out seemed to indicate that the inter county player would have to put the ball through the uprights if were to win.

As the ball went in towards the posts it looked as though it was going to go between the uprights, but the closer it got to them it appeared to be pulling left, but it managed to stay in just about, and with the aid of the upright, the ball did manage to drop down behind the goal-netting to secure a place against Dunhill in the county final for Ardmore.

Ardmore: Clinton Hennessy; Niall Hennessy, Conor O’Shea, Daniel Power; Kenny Murphy, Declan Prendergast, Richie Hennessy; Michael Cronin, Wayne Hennessy; Seamus Keating, David Gartland, Cathal Hennessy; Thomas Conway, Seamus Prendergast, John Gartland. Sub: Keith Hurley for Thomas Conway.

Scorers: Seamus Prendergast 0-11 (7 frees, 1 ’65), Seamus Keating 0-4 (1 sl), Cathal Hennessy 0-3, David Gartland 0-2, John Gartland, Wayne Hennessy, Richie Hennessy 0-1 each.

Clashmore: Mark McGrath; Ronan Fitzgerald, Jason Seaward, Donal O’Connor; Sean Bourke, Tadhg Bourke, Padraig Nugent; Declan Allen, Darren Foley; Edmond O’Halloran, Cillian O’Keeffe, James O’Leary; Alan Seaward, Gavin Dower, Paul O’Connor: Subs: Ciaran Bourke for Ronan Fitzgerald, Donal Scanlon for Cillian O’Keeffe, Brian O’Halloran for Gavin Dower.

Scorers: Tadhg Bourke 0-7 (7 frees), Paul O’Connor 1-4 (0-1 free), Edmond O’Halloran 1-1, Brian O’Halloran 0-2, Cillian O’Keeffe, Darren Foley 0-1 each.

Referee: Thomas Walsh.