The Nire march on

In the last number of years the big three in Waterford football have all performed well in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship, and had lady luck shun on Stradbally, The Nire and Ballinacourty along the way maybe Waterford might not still be looking for a first outright win in the championship since it first started.

When it comes to football in Waterford on the Inter county front strides have been made in recent years and Waterford is no longer the butt of jokers from more traditional football counties. Promotion was achieved from the bottom division of the league some years back now and although Waterford’s stay in the third division was just one year with a bit of luck the sides stay out of Division four could be a bit longer as with two games to play the side had a chance of promotion if results went their way, but it was not to be and the side found themselves relegated.

On the club scene, Waterford sides have proven to be as good as anyone in Munster, and surely it is only a matter of time before a Waterford club will come out on top in Munster and you cant but wonder will 2014 be that year.

All year the Nire have proven to be the most consistent side in the county. Up to this weekend they had played eight games. All eight games were won, and some of them were won rather decisively. Of the games where the side laboured somewhat, they would not have minded too much as they more than anyone else that when it comes to games a win is a win regardless of it is by a double digit score or by a single point.

After a good win over Stradbally in the County final a few weeks back, The Nire would have travelled to Kilmallock on Sunday afternoon last in a confident mood that they would advance to the next phase of the competition from their game with Limerick champions Ballylanders.

Over the course of the year The Nire has played some good football, but they possibly saved their best for this game.

Over the hour, there could be no disputing that the better team have advanced to meet Clare champions Cratloe in the semi finals in two weeks time, a game that will be part of a rare Munster Club double header at Fraher Field as Intermediate Champions Brickeys also have a home game the same day against Kerry champions Ardfert.

On the day The Nire registered some note-wordy statistics. Twelve scores away from home in a November day is a good days work in the office. So too is conceding just seven scores. Of the Nire’s dozen scores all but one came from play. The Nire had eight different scorers over the hour, a healthy return from the sides attacking player, but an equally impressive statistic is that their defensive players allowed just three of the opposition to score and of the Limerick champion’s tally of scores, just four came from play.

But there was one worrying statistic for The Nire. In their County semi final win over An Rinn they failed to score in the last twenty-two minutes of the game and on Sunday afternoon they failed to score in the last twenty minutes of the game, something that on another day, against stronger opposition could have cost them.

But for now, the side will not be disappointed. From the off on Sunday afternoon they were always the better team and were on top in all sectors of the field.

The Nire began the game very brightly, hitting points from Brian Wall, Jamie Barron and team captain Shane Ryan inside the first seven minutes of the game to go three up.

Danny Frewen was a player that could have caused The Nire problems on the day. In the Limerick County final win over Saint Patrick’s at Newcastlewest he hit 1-1 of his side’s tally of 2-8, and it was he who opened the home sides account on eleven minutes.

But The Nire would waste no time in restoring a three point lead as Diarmuid Wall kicked a point within a minute of Ballylanders getting their first and when county duel minor star and man of the match in the County Final Conor Gleeson beat Ricky Slattery for the games only goal of the game two minutes later it was starting to look as though the day was going to be The Nire’s.

Further points from Craig Guiry and Conor Gleeson edged The Nire 1-6 to 0-1 in front with 20 minutes to play meant that it was defiantly going to be The Nire’s day barring something that looked very unforeseen at the back would happen.

Jimmy Barry Murphy pulled a point back on twenty six minutes for Ballylanders which was followed with Shane Walsh and Danny Frewen swapped points in the closing minutes of the half to sent The Nire to the dressing rooms with a 1-7 to 0-3 lead but they ended the half without the services of Craig Guiry after he was banished a Black Card by referee Conor Lane just before the end of the half.

The home side needed a good start to the second half if they were to get back into the game and they looked as they would have that good start when Mark O’Connell kicked the first score within two minutes of the restart.

But The Nire would hit back with points from Shane Ryan, Jamie Barron, Conor Gleeson and Michael Moore who came into the game for Craig Guiry at the end of the first half.

His score however would prove to be his side’s last of the game, and while the home side would hit three points between the fourteenth and twenty-seventh minutes, it was not enough as it was goals the side needed and against a very tight Nire defence all year, they were always going to be hard to come by.

This win will give The Nire much confidence going into their upcoming Munster Semi Final in two weeks time, but they will know that they cannot sit on their laurels as that game will prove to be a much tougher game than the one against Ballylanders proved to be.

Throughout the field against Ballylanders, The Nire had some excellent performances with the likes of Liam Lawlor, Shane Ryan, Diarmuid and Brian Wall, Shane Walsh, Jamie Barron, Thomas O’Gorman and Conor Gleeson following up his Man of the Match performance in the County Final with another fine performance in this game proving to be some of the Nire’s better players on the day.

THE NIRE: Thomas Wall; Justin Walsh, Thomas O’Gorman, Tommy Cooney; Diarmuid Wall, Brian Wall, Seamus Lawlor; Craig Guiry, Shane Walsh; Michael O’Gorman, Maurice O’Gorman, Jamie Barron; Liam Lawlor, Shane Ryan, Conor Gleeson. Subs: Michael Moore for Craig Guiry (black Card), Jack Guiry for Justin Walsh (40 mins), Keith Guiry for Maurice O’Gorman (black card, 48), Dermot Ryan for Jamie Barron (55).

Scorers: Conor Gleeson 1-2, Jamie Barron, Shane Ryan (1f) 0-2 each, Diarmuid Wall, Brian Wall, Craig Guiry, Shane Walsh, Michael Moore 0-1 each.

BALLYLANDERS: Ricky Slattery; Maurice Kelly, Shane Fox, Ger Casey; Brian O’Connell, Donal Kelly, Stephen Walsh; Johnny Murphy, Thomas Lee; Mark O’Connell (0-1), Jimmy Barry Murphy, James Kirby; Steven Fox, Eoin Walsh, Danny Frewen. Subs: Kieran O’Callaghan and Tom Fox for James Kirby and Ger Casey (h-t), Diarmuid McCarthy for Donal Kelly (50 mins), Jason Leigh for Brian O’Connell (56 mins).

Scorers: Jimmy Barry Murphy 0-4 (2F), Danny Frewen 0-2 (1f), Mark O’Connell 0-1.

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).