No Fairy Tale ending for Ballysaggart, but they give Waterford clubs much hope going into the future.

There was no Fairy Tale ending to Ballysaggart’s 2013 Junior Hurling Championship campaign on Saturday afternoon as Antrim and Ulster Champions Kickhams Creggan were crowned All-Ireland Champions after a intensely fought replay in Mullingar.

Prior to Ballysaggart winning the County Final back in October, the history of Waterford clubs in both the Junior and Intermediate hurling championship at Provincial level was poor which was putting it mildly.

Tramore in the first year of the Munster Junior Club Championship reached the final and since then Waterford’s best result was when Ballydurn drew with the Tipperary champions at Walsh Park back in 2010 but in the extra twenty minutes that were played it was the side from North of the River Suir divide between the two counties that came out on top.

It’s hard to find a correct reason why Waterford’s involvement in the competition at a Provincial level is so poor. Maybe some could argue that the divisional championships in Waterford are not a help. Maybe if we had an all county competition whereby teams at the same level would play each other regardless of geographical location would be a help.

If it means that two junior competitions for first string teams (a junior and a junior premier) to ensure that some of the heavy defeats that we see handed out at present do not happen, so be it. After all it could well be argued that handing out heavy defeats does nothing for either side. Does the winning team really learn anything and for the loosing team is there a danger that you will turn players away from the game, especially young players who may be breaking into the team.

Whatever the real reason is (and we can only surmise) for Waterford’s poor record in both the Junior and Intermediate championships, whoever wins out to represent the county from now on has to take inspiration from what Ballysaggart have done in the past few weeks and months.

The tiny village between Lismore and the county boundary shared with Cork and Tipperary has one of the smallest populations in Waterford. The Parish does not have any underage teams of their own. They play with neighbours Lismore under the Saint Carthage’s name. No football is played in the area. The club in 2013 had two junior hurling teams.

But what they lack in numbers they make up for many times more in commitment. There was a time in Waterford and possibly every county in Ireland where fellows would find every excuse in the book not to go training. Some were used time and time again, and sometimes original excuses could be found.

However anyone that has followed Ballysaggart of late will know that reasons not to train was not an excuse. When Ballysaggart could not use their own field during a bad spell of weather, the field of a local farmer was sourced. The players trained while the animals watched on. The surrounds were a bit like bygone days when two large stones, two coats or jumpers or even two broken limbs of trees were stuck into the ground to make goalposts. The height of the crossbar was at an imaginary level.

These setting may be a million miles away from the surrounds of Croke Park where Ballysaggart played a week earlier, but these are the things you have to do if you want to be successful.

Posh surrounds are nice. It’s nice to play within them, but they won’t win you games. Hard work and commitment win games, and this is something that Ballysaggart did and showed in the past number of months.

It was Conor Small’s goal early in the second half of this game that swung the game in favour of the Northern side.

Ballysaggart playing with the aid of a strong wind in the first half proved to be the better of the two sides and lead 1-5 to 0-6 at the break.

Shane Bennett and Oran McCann swapped early scores but a Stephen Bennett free from the 45 metre line which went all the way to the Kickhams Creggan net on seven minutes appeared to swing the game in favour of Ballysaggart.

Conor Small hit three first half points for the Northerners and Conor McCann hit one which kept their side in touch but points from Stephen Bennett, Darren Meagher and Colin Kearney who replaced the injured Ronan Walsh in the opening half of the game ensured that the Waterford side would head to the dressing room with a slender lead.

The second half for Ballysaggart began well as the impressive Kieran Bennett stretched their lead to three but the lead was wiped out moments later when Conor Small smashed past Matty Meagher.

This goal lifted Kickhams Creggan and Oran McCann put them in front for the first time when he put over a free.

Ballysaggart were dealt a blow when Kieran Bennett was ordered off by Wicklow referee John Keenan for a foul on Ruairi McCann which resulted in him picking up a second yellow card. From the resulting free Conor McCann made no mistake in putting the ball between the uprights.

Not for the first time since winning the county final, Ballysaggart attracted a huge support and they tried to become a fifteenth man for the side by increasing the sound decibels inside the stand. Shane Bennett fired over a free twelve minutes from time to leave one between the sides but this was to prove to be his side’s last score.

In the final minutes of the game, the Ulster side proved to be the better of the two sides. They were physically stronger, showing possibly the advantages of hurlers playing football at a competitive level.

Martin Johnston would later be sent off after he too collected a second yellow card in the game landed a point and Conor McCann added a brace to give their side a four point advantage.

Ballysaggart to their credit continued to battle hard for the scores that would send the game to extra time for the second time in a week or even win the game, but they were unable to break down the Kickhams Creggan defence.

The year might have ended (or started depend on what way you look at it) on a disappointing note for Ballysaggart but there is so much they can take from the year they have. They have gone where no Junior or Intermediate Club in Waterford have gone before.

They have a young team. Many of these young players will be more experienced heading into the 2014 championships and be a better player for what they have achieved over the past year. Hopefully the more experienced players within the panel will also be around. People talk a lot about good young players when it comes to the GAA in Waterford but the experience of older players is so crucial if these players are to bring their abilities to the next level.

They have also added to their team for the year ahead with the transfer of Chris O’Gorman from neighbours Lismore. His experience playing in the senior grade should stand to the team and will create extra competition for places. There is some even asking where will be fit in and who do Ballysaggart leave out.

The 2013 championship for Ballysaggart proved to be a memorable one. They may be disappointed now for a few days. They may well take a few weeks break away from the game to refresh themselves for the challenge that lies ahead. They will be a match for most in the Western Intermediate Championship. Who knows where it will lead them. I for one would not be too surprised to see them maybe head the roads into Munster again this autumn. For them to do this will be tough but it is something that could well happen.

Creggan Kickhams: B Prenter; B Maguire, A Maguire, D Carey; F McAuley, T McCann, M Johnston; R McCann, A McKeown; K Rice, O McCann, J Carey; C Small, S Maguire, C McCann. Subs: M Nelson for S Maguire, D McCann for F McAuley.

Scorers: C Small 1-3, C McCann 0-4 (2fs), O McCann 0-3 (3fs), M Johnston 0-1.

Ballysaggart: M Meagher; B Ryan, K Fennessy, D Devine; B Murphy, E O’Brien, C O’Gorman; C Murphy, K Bennett; K Cashell, D Meagher, Shane Bennett; Stephen Bennett, R Walsh, T Bennett. Subs: C Kearney for R Walsh, S Hale for T Bennett.

Scorers: Stephen Bennett 1-2 (1-2fs), Shane Bennett 0-2 (1f), C Kearney, D Meagher, K Bennett 0-1 each.

Referee: J Keenan (Wicklow)