Clonea Power their way to County Final Win

In a few weeks time the Waterford GAA Board officers and the clubs of the county will sit down and review the year that we are currently in and set in place plans for the year ahead.

Such meeting’s (Conventions) in the last number of years have become rather dull events with little happening at them. Most years in fact the only think that needs to be decided and we have to be honest in saying this, is to find out who will have the first word words spoken after the Chairman throws a topic out to the floor and then to see who will have the last word before the chairman moves on the evenings proceedings to the next topic.

Again we have to be honest and admit a game is played during the evening, a simple game, one we all have played at one time or another – Musical Chairs.

Some years back Central Council introduced a rule which restricted officers apart from full time secretaries and treasurers to holding any position for more than five years.

While the ‘Five Year Rule’ as it is known is in place now with a few years, in the main it is the same people are involved at administration level in most counties as officers having to step down from one position often just move seats to take the place of another officer that has to step down as well.

December 2014 will be one of the years when ‘Musical Chairs’ is played in Waterford. Already names are been mentioned for different positions, with canvasing already believed to be going on, which at times if reports are to be believed could be likened to a person trying to fill a Dáil seat in a General or Bye Election.

One officer that has to step down this year is the County Chairman Tom Cunningham. Some weeks back reports doing the round suggested that there was four people interested in replacing the Stradbally Man in the main chair at the top table but this past weekend reports suggests that the number interested at this point could be down to two.

No doubt who ever that takes over will set out their hopes for the next few years prior to and again at the meeting and no doubt those interested in the job will make different hopes known.

One thing in the eyes of many that follow the GAA across different levels within the county that will have to be looked at is the Junior competitions within the county.

Some may be aware that every so often I can be heard on Community Radio Youghal on the stations GAA Programme on a Friday evening (GAA This Week) and while talking to the Presenter Mike O’Brien be it while on the show or before it while talking off air we might discuss games that are on in West Waterford that weekend and when it comes to talking about the Junior competitions it can get very confusing.

We have Junior ‘Proper’ Junior ‘Senior Attached’ and Junior ‘Intermediate Attached’. Try and explain Senior Attached and Intermediate Attached to someone outside the county, and then try and explain why we have Junior First string teams playing in an Attached Competition and then explain how a club that has its main team playing in the Senior Hurling or Football Championship could end up playing a second string side of a side who’s main team plays Intermediate or Junior and how a team who’s main team play Junior or Intermediate could end up playing a club who’s main team plays in the senior grades.

I may now be confusing others as much as I am confused myself at times so lets move on.

Clonea (who have their main team play in the Eastern Intermediate Hurling Championship) are Junior ‘Senior Attached’ County Hurling champions after they proved too strong for Ballyduff Upper (who have their main team play in the County Senior Hurling Championship) on Sunday afternoon last at Fraher Field.

Playing with a strong wind at their backs in the opening half, Clonea at the break were five points in front, a lead that many would have said they needed such was the strength of the wind and Ballyduff Upper were expected to come fighting back in the second half.

Clonea opened the scoring in this game with five minutes played when full forward Robert Kenny pointed.

Clonea with the wind at their backs continued to look to be the stronger of the two sides, but did not add to their tally on the score board till the tenth minute and just like a London Bus two scores came almost together.

Paul Keating was first to score, a point which was followed by the waving of another white flag, this time from a David Hallahan effort.

On the quarter of an hour mark, the sides were level on the score board after Eoin Scanlon bore down on the Clonea goal and with a powerfully struck shot with a deflection off the stick of Tony Power the ball passed the Clonea goal guarded by William O’Brien.

The goal was cancelled out six minutes later as Clonea restored a three point advantage on the scoreboard when Robert Kenny finished to the net after a quickly taken sideline from the stand side of the field was sent into him and from close range he beat Jamie Keating in the Ballyduff Upper goals.

Gerdie Power from the middle of the field and Gavin Sheehan from out near the sideline added further points for Clonea to increase their lead to five before Ballyduff Uppers most industrious player on the day Eoin Scanlon pulled a point back in the first minute of added time, but Clonea would restore their five point advantage after Paul Keating pointed just before half time.

The expected fight back from Ballyduff Upper apart from a short period mid way through the third quarter never happened.

Gavin Sheehan opened the second half with a brace of pointed frees which was followed by a point from the impressive Paul Keating which gave Clonea am eight point lead five minutes into the second half.

That lead was cut a minute later after Ballyduff Upper won a free inside their own sixty five metre line struck by Eoin Scanlon appeared to go all the way to the Clonea net, although on route a number of hurleys from both sides tried to connect with the ball.

The same player hit two more points for Ballyduff to leave just three (1-9 to 2-3) between the sides with forty one minutes played, but this was as close as it got for Ballyduff Upper.

David Hallahan pointed for Clonea on forty-four minutes which was followed with point from Paul Keating and another from Gavin Sheehan in extend their sides lead and when Sheehan stuck for a second Clonea goal on forty six minutes after he was set up by Robbie Flynn the game was as good as over as a contest.

Eoin Scanlon pulled a point back for Ballyduff on forty-seven minutes but it was followed by a brace of Gavin Sheehan frees.

Ballyduff had a chance to cut the lead somewhat seven minutes from time when they won a twenty metre free just right of the right hand upright as Ballyduff played into the road goal but substitute Wayne Power saw his effort for goal rise over the crossbar.

Two further frees from Gavin Sheehan went between the uprights for Clonea to give them a 2-16 to 2-5 lead with four minutes remaining. Sean Tanner pulled a point back for Ballyduff but the impressive Paul Keating in added time closed the scoring for the afternoon in this game when he struck his fifth of the game in added time to help his side to an eleven (2-17 to 2-6) point victory.

Clonea: William O’Brien; David McNamara, Tony Power, Kevin Dunne; Aidan Flynn, Anthony Power, Peter Foran; Liam Mulligan, Gerdie Power; David Hallahan, Paul Keating, Robbie Flynn; William Brazil, Robert Kenny, Gavin Sheehan. Subs: Noah O’Brien for David McNamara (50 mins), Seanie Lacey for Robert Kenny, Eamon Cahill for William Brazil (both 59 mins), Simon Kenny for David Hallahan, Christopher Mackey for Gavin Sheehan (both 60 mins).

Scorers: Gavin Sheehan 1-8 (0-6f), Paul Keating 0-5, Robert Kenny 1-1, David Hallahan 0-2, Gerdie Power 0-1.

Ballyduff Upper: Jamie Keating; Conor Hannon, Aidan Feeney, Denis McDonagh; Kenneth Geary, Michael Drislane, Colm Horgan; Eoin Scanlon, Sean Brackett; David Walsh, Tommy Feeney, Edward Molumphy; Colin Keane, Martin Feeney, Kevin Moroney. Subs: Wayne Power for Martin Feeney (33 mins), Sean Tanner for David Walsh, Seamus Mills for Edward Molumphy, Conor Geary for Kevin Moroney (all 48 mins), Sean Drislane for Colin Keane (57 mins).

Scorers: Eoin Scanlon 2-4 (1-2 f), Wayne Power, Sean Tanner 0-1 each

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Modeligo)